MISTRIAL AZ - Isabel Celis, 6, Tucson, 20 April 2012, found deceased in 2017* *Arrest* #27

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Monday, July 10th:
*Status Conference Hearing (murder) (@ 3pm PT) – AZ – Isabel Mercedes Celis (6) (missing from home April 21, 2012, Tucson, found in a desert area in Marana, located off of Avra Valley & Trico roads on Mar. 3, 2017, Id’ed Mar. 31, 2017) – *Christopher Matthew Clements (30 @ time of 1st crime/36/now 41) aka Damion James Johnson indicted (9/15/18) & arraigned & charged (9/24/18) with 1 count of 1st degree murder, 1 count of kidnapping a minor under 15 & 14 counts of sexual exploitation of minors. Plead not guilty. $2M cash only bond. DA will not seek DP.
Murder trial for Isabel began on with jury selection on 2/9/23 & a jury was selected. Jury: 9 men & 6 women. Only 12 will actively participate in the trial (other 3 will be alternates). Pima County Superior Court Judge James Marner presiding.
Trial began on Tuesday, 2/14/23 thru 3/3/23. Jury deliberations for a total: ~7 hours. Jury could not come up with a verdict & Judge James Marner declares a mistrial. 11 voted for conviction, one for acquittal.
Trial is set to begin on 9/12/23. (run thru 10/6)/back up date of 2/6/24.
Court hearings from 8/23/19 to 5/2/23 reference post #677 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...tucson-20-april-2012-arrest-27.464075/page-34
6/12/23 Update: Next motions hearing on 6/26/23 @ 1:30pm & status conference hearing on 7/10/23 @ 3pm. 6/26/23 Update: Next status conference hearing on 7/10/23 @ 3pm & a motions hearing on 7/31/23 @ 1:30pm.
*Maribel Victoria Gonzales (13) - Trial started 9/13/22 & ended 9/30/22 with a guilty verdict. Sentenced on 11/14/22 to natural life in prison & 17 years for kidnapping. The kidnapping sentence will be served consecutively with the sentence of natural life.
*Christopher Matthew Clements (41) charged & arraigned (2/28/23) with promoting/possession of prison contraband a felony (2/7/23). Plead not guilty.
Court hearings from 2/4/23 to 5/2/23 reference post #677 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...tucson-20-april-2012-arrest-27.464075/page-34
6/12/23 Update: Remanded to Grand Jury for review on 6/26/23. No update on this charge.
 
@PayrollNerd - if you can access the court site. I have a motions hearing on 7/31/23 next.

TIA! :)
 
Case: CR20183978 Murder
CLEMENTS, CHRISTOPHER

Case: CR20230759 Contraband
CLEMENTS, CHRISTOPHER

The calendar only has the murder case CR20183978 on it. I don't see anything for the contraband case CR20230759.

file:///C:/Users/thoma/Downloads/OnlineCourtCalendar-11.pdf

 

Attachments

Clements - Fraud case:

Case Documents
Filing Date Description Docket Date Filing Party
7/24/2023 NOF - Notice Of Filing - Party (002) 7/26/2023
NOTE: NOTICE OF FILING UNDER SEAL

7/21/2023 REC - Receipt - Party (001) 7/28/2023

7/20/2023 NOT - Notice - Party (001) 7/28/2023

7/20/2023 NOT - Notice - Party (001) 7/28/2023
NOTE: ELECTRONIC INDEX OF RECORD

6/23/2023 DOR - Designation Of Record On Appeal - Party (001) 6/27/2023
NOTE: DESIGNATION OF RECORD FOR APPEAL

6/15/2023 CAR - Court Of Appeals Receipt - Party (001) 6/16/2023

6/15/2023 NOT - Notice - Party (001) 6/16/2023
NOTE: COURT OF APPEALS APPELLATE CLERK NOTICE

6/13/2023 NOT - Notice - Party (001) 6/14/2023
NOTE: NOTICE OF APPEALS FILED


Case Calendar
Date Time Event
8/3/2023 9:00 Sentencing - vacated

11/3/2023 9:00 Sentencing

link: Criminal Court Case Information - Case History
 
Monday, July 31st:
*Motions Hearing (murder) (@ 1:30pm PT) – AZ – Isabel Mercedes Celis (6) (missing from home April 21, 2012, Tucson, found in a desert area in Marana, located off of Avra Valley & Trico roads on Mar. 3, 2017, Id’ed Mar. 31, 2017) – *Christopher Matthew Clements (30 @ time of 1st crime/36/now 41) aka Damion James Johnson indicted (9/15/18) & arraigned & charged (9/24/18) with 1 count of 1st degree murder, 1 count of kidnapping a minor under 15 & 14 counts of sexual exploitation of minors. Plead not guilty. $2M cash only bond. DA will not seek DP.
Murder trial for Isabel began on with jury selection on 2/9/23 & a jury was selected. Jury: 9 men & 6 women. Only 12 will actively participate in the trial (other 3 will be alternates). Pima County Superior Court Judge James Marner presiding.
Trial began on Tuesday, 2/14/23 thru 3/3/23. Jury deliberations for a total: ~7 hours. Jury could not come up with a verdict & Judge James Marner declares a mistrial. 11 voted for conviction, one for acquittal.
Trial is set to begin on 9/12/23. (run thru 10/6)/back up date of 2/6/24.
Court hearings from 8/23/19 to 6/12/23 reference post #682 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...tucson-20-april-2012-arrest-27.464075/page-35
6/26/23 Update: Next status conference hearing on 7/10/23 @ 3pm & a motions hearing on 7/31/23 @ 1:30pm. 7/10/23 Update: Next motions hearing on 7/31/23 @ 1:30pm.
*Maribel Victoria Gonzales (13) - Trial started 9/13/22 & ended 9/30/22 with a guilty verdict. Sentenced on 11/14/22 to natural life in prison & 17 years for kidnapping. The kidnapping sentence will be served consecutively with the sentence of natural life.
*Christopher Matthew Clements (41) charged & arraigned (2/28/23) with promoting/possession of prison contraband a felony (2/7/23). Plead not guilty.
Court hearings from 2/4/23 to 5/2/23 reference post #677 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...tucson-20-april-2012-arrest-27.464075/page-34
6/12/23 Update: Remanded to Grand Jury for review on 6/26/23. No update on this charge.
 
@PayrollNerd - any updates yet - if you can get in - for next hearing date before trial on 9/12/23?

TIA! :)
 
This article was updated in June and mentions Isabel's murder trial for February. I'm thinking that means February 2024 but the calendar only goes out 90 days at a time.

tucson.com

Christopher Clements convicted in Tucson girl's killing

Clements will receive at least 35 years to life behind bars when he is sentenced.
tucson.com tucson.com

From the Collection: Trials begin in Tucson for Christopher Clements series​

Updated Jun 22, 2023

Snip:

Clements, 40, is facing a second trial in February in connection with the kidnapping and killing of 6-year-old Isabel Celis, who went missing from her bedroom in 2012.
 
Monday, August 14th:
*Pretrial & Status Conference Hearing (contraband) (@ 4pm PT) – AZ – Isabel Mercedes Celis (6) (missing from home April 21, 2012, Tucson, found in a desert area in Marana, located off of Avra Valley & Trico roads on Mar. 3, 2017, Id’ed Mar. 31, 2017) – *Christopher Matthew Clements (30 @ time of 1st crime/36/now 41) aka Damion James Johnson indicted (9/15/18) & arraigned & charged (9/24/18) with 1 count of 1st degree murder, 1 count of kidnapping a minor under 15 & 14 counts of sexual exploitation of minors. Plead not guilty. $2M cash only bond. DA will not seek DP.
Murder trial for Isabel began on with jury selection on 2/9/23 & a jury was selected. Jury: 9 men & 6 women. Only 12 will actively participate in the trial (other 3 will be alternates). Pima County Superior Court Judge James Marner presiding.
Trial began on Tuesday, 2/14/23 thru 3/3/23. Jury deliberations for a total: ~7 hours. Jury could not come up with a verdict & Judge James Marner declares a mistrial. 11 voted for conviction, one for acquittal.
Trial is set to begin on 9/12/23. (run thru 10/6)/back up date of 2/6/24.
Court hearings from 8/23/19 to 6/26/23 reference post #687 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...tucson-20-april-2012-arrest-27.464075/page-35
7/10/23 Update: Next motions hearing on 7/31/23 @ 1:30pm.
*Maribel Victoria Gonzales (13) - Trial started 9/13/22 & ended 9/30/22 with a guilty verdict. Sentenced on 11/14/22 to natural life in prison & 17 years for kidnapping. The kidnapping sentence will be served consecutively with the sentence of natural life.
*Christopher Matthew Clements (41) charged & arraigned (2/28/23) with promoting/possession of prison contraband a felony (2/7/23). Plead not guilty.
Court hearings from 2/4/23 to 5/2/23 reference post #677 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...tucson-20-april-2012-arrest-27.464075/page-34
6/12/23 Update: Remanded to Grand Jury for review on 6/26/23. No update on this charge. 8/13/23 Update: Next pretrial conference hearing on 8/14/23 & status conference hearing @ 4pm.
 
@PayrollNerd - when you have time - is there a next hearing date yet for the murder case? Or even the contraband charges?

TIA! :)
 
PayrollNerd said:
Case: CR20230759 Contraband
CLEMENTS, CHRISTOPHER

Both cases listed for June 12 at 2:30pm. No idea what a "Donald Hearing" is but that is the contraband case, not the murder case.
Click to expand...
The goal of Donald hearings is to advise the defendant of the plea offer, what could happen at trial, when the offer expires, and if a wavier is possible. • Whenever a plea agreement is made, or sentencing is conducted, the judicial officer will ask counsel about compliance with victim's rights.

Protocol and Practice of Persons Appearing in the Court of Commissioner Christine Mulleneaux

Superior Court: Judicial Biographies
www.superiorcourt.maricopa.gov
 
www.kold.com

Date set for Clements trial for prison contraband

The judge set November 20 as the date for what is expected to be a two-day jury trial.
www.kold.com www.kold.com

Published: Aug. 14, 2023 at 5:43 PM PDT|Updated: Aug. 14, 2023 at 5:53 PM PDT

TUCSON, Ariz. (13 News) - Today, August 14, a judge set a trial date for Christopher Clements’ trial for prison contraband.

The judge set November 20 as the date for what is expected to be a two-day jury trial.

The judge ruled that if either party wants an evidentiary hearing, that motion must be filed by October 20.

The next hearing in the case is scheduled for October 2.

Clements is already serving a life sentence after being convicted for the 2014 kidnapping and murder of 13-year-old Maribel Gonzalez.

@Niner
 
www.kgun9.com

Convicted killer Christopher Clements accused of possessing 'deadly weapon' prior to Celis trial

Convicted child killer Christopher Clements appeared in court Monday for pre-trial proceedings related to accusations that he possessed a sharpened pencil on the eve of his murder trial in February.
www.kgun9.com www.kgun9.com

8/15/23

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Convicted child killer Christopher Clements appeared in court Monday for pre-trial proceedings related to accusations that he possessed a sharpened pencil on the eve of his murder trial in February.

According to court documents, a corrections officer discovered the pencil during a "routine body cavity inspection." The state is alleging the sharpened pencil is considered a "deadly weapon" and "dangerous instrument," while defense is arguing discriminatory intent, stating:

"Mr. Clements is a member of a class of 2,100 inmates incarcerated at PCADC [Pima County Adult Detention Complex] that are permitted to possess, use, and or obtain pencils and other writing instruments to take notes regarding their cases, highlight their disclosure, draft jail grievances, draft court pleadings to access the courts, to write letters to their attorneys, families, and friends, to do artwork, etc."
Click to expand...

Attorneys for Clements attempted to have the charges dismissed, calling the accusation of prison contraband "selective enforcement," and writing "Mr. Clements is probably the only inmate in the history of PCADC to be prosecuted for having a 'sharpened pencil,' pursuant to A.R.S. §13-2505(A)," in their motion.

At that point in time, Clements had already been convicted and sentenced in 2022 for the kidnapping and killing of 13-year-old Maribel Gonzalez.

The Celis trial, which began the day after the pencil incident, ended in a hung jury. Clements is facing a re-trial for the Celis murder in February of 2024.
 
Seattle1 said:
www.kgun9.com

Convicted killer Christopher Clements accused of possessing 'deadly weapon' prior to Celis trial

Convicted child killer Christopher Clements appeared in court Monday for pre-trial proceedings related to accusations that he possessed a sharpened pencil on the eve of his murder trial in February.
www.kgun9.com www.kgun9.com

8/15/23

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Convicted child killer Christopher Clements appeared in court Monday for pre-trial proceedings related to accusations that he possessed a sharpened pencil on the eve of his murder trial in February.

According to court documents, a corrections officer discovered the pencil during a "routine body cavity inspection." The state is alleging the sharpened pencil is considered a "deadly weapon" and "dangerous instrument," while defense is arguing discriminatory intent, stating:



Attorneys for Clements attempted to have the charges dismissed, calling the accusation of prison contraband "selective enforcement," and writing "Mr. Clements is probably the only inmate in the history of PCADC to be prosecuted for having a 'sharpened pencil,' pursuant to A.R.S. §13-2505(A)," in their motion.

At that point in time, Clements had already been convicted and sentenced in 2022 for the kidnapping and killing of 13-year-old Maribel Gonzalez.

The Celis trial, which began the day after the pencil incident, ended in a hung jury. Clements is facing a re-trial for the Celis murder in February of 2024.
Click to expand...
Interesting. I agree that a pencil in of itself isn't a cause for alarm, and it doesn't sound like he's on special precautions and cannot have one. I also agree it can be a weapon. Just...not totally sure what the stor yis.

But then I can't understand how this trial didn't get a conviction when he led them to her body and had all types of evidence pointing towards him.
 
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