Review of judge's ruling sought in murder case

PROVO — The attorney for a man accused of fatally shooting his co-worker at an Elberta farm said he will ask the Utah Court of Appeals to review a judge's decision to order the man to stand trial for murder.

Defense attorney Richard Gale said Thursday he will soon file an interlocutory appeal, requesting that the higher court consider Sergio Ramos-Trujillo's case.

Ramos-Trujillo, 26, is facing trial on a first-degree felony murder charge for the death of Jorge Corana-Mora on Sept. 16. Ramos-Trujillo will also be tried charges of obstruction of justice and unlawful possession of a handgun by a restricted person, second- and third-degree felonies, respectively.

Following a hearing last week, 4th District Judge Gary Stott upheld a previous judge's ruling that Ramos-Trujillo be bound over for trial on the felony murder charge. Gale had argued that prosecutors had not met its burden of probable cause for the case to go to trial.

Gale argued that during the preliminary hearing the state presented evidence that showed Ramos-Trujillo shot Corana-Mora and that he had died — but that prosecutors failed to connect the gun wounds with the death.

A trial is scheduled to begin Feb. 13, involving Ramos-Trujillo and Agustin Cruz-Silva, 44, who is charged with manslaughter, for providing Ramos-Trujillo with the alleged murder weapon.

If the appellate court decides to hear the case, the trial will be postponed, Gale said. However, if the court hasn't ruled by Feb. 13, Gale said he would go ahead with a trial.

"It doesn't come as a surprise," said Randy Kennard, deputy Utah County attorney, about Gale's motion. "We feel good about the evidence and hope that the court of appeals will decline to hear (the case)."

According to court documents, Ramos-Trujillo and Corana-Mora were involved in an incident of road rage on Sept. 15. Another altercation occurred in the bunkhouse at the Brigham Creek Dairy later that night.

The next day, court documents say, Ramos-Trujillo borrowed a gun from Cruz-Silva in Springville and returned to Elberta where he allegedly confronted Corana-Mora in the kitchen area and shot him several times.

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