A North Carolina appeals court says a trial judge erred in the case of a man convicted of first-degree murder for shooting a Raleigh apartment resident encountering nighttime robbery suspects.
A Court of Appeals panel Tuesday reversed and remanded the matter of Jorge Juarez to Wake County court. Juarez received life in prison without parole for the 2012 death of Alfonso Canjay.
Prosecutors say Juarez and three others were driving around, stealing car stereos. Court documents say Canjay spotted them but the suspects eluded them. Ultimately, Canjay's car collided with the suspects' vehicle and Juarez fired into Canjay's car window.
The appeals panel agreed Judge Robert Hobgood should have instructed jurors also to consider second-degree murder and voluntary manslaughter, and possible self-defense as a reason Juarez fired into the car.
