GUILTY NC - Jose Perez, 64, murdered, Wake County, 15 June 2013

[Madeleine74]

Surprised no one had created a thread for this case. The trial is happening now out of Raleigh, NC.

Defendant: Joanna Madonna (47 yrs old at time of crime)

Victim: Jose Perez, husband of Joanna Madonna (died at 64 yrs old in 2013), they had been married for 4 years.


Crime: Jose Perez' body was found in a ditch off the side of a road in Raleigh. He had been stabbed 12 times and was found with his T-shirt pulled over his head. He had been dead a day or so, was in full rigor mortis, and was found by an older man who was walking his dog.

Joanna Madonna had initially claimed Perez left their home, on foot, with suitcase in hand, for Florida. She later admitted she stabbed Perez after getting into an altercation with him in his vehicle and she had to kill him in order to defend herself.

Ms. Madonna had gone on a trip the day before the murder, and borrowed a gun and knife from a relative, claiming she was frightened due to increased break-ins in her neighborhood. Mr. Perez was killed the next evening when she took him for a drive, allegedly to tell him she wanted a separation.

Mr Perez had been on full disability from the Vietnam war, was an alcoholic who had been sober for over 30 years. He had numerous health problems and was considered to be frail and unsteady, with specific issues to his hands which affected his ability to hold things (like tools or a knife). He was known to be afraid of confrontation and was considered passive.

Ms. Madonna had just started a flirtation/budding relationship with her therapist, and had a date with him the night after the murder. She told the new potential boyfriend she told Perez she wanted to separate and "he (Perez) didn't take it well."

Trial started last week. State has rested their case and defense team is now presenting their case in chief.

Ms Madonna just took the stand this morning and is on now!

Trial is being streamed live at:

http://abc11.com/live/23390/

 

[Madeleine74]

Defense Strategy: claim of self-defense by Ms. Madonna, who said she was afraid of Jose Perez, claimed Perez had started drinking and doing drugs, and claims she had to kill Perez when she took him for a drive to tell him she wanted him to move out of their house and separate.

Prosecution Strategy: Ms. Madonna had queued up a new love interest (which was a pattern for her from prior marriages), wanted Perez out of her life, wanted to keep his military benefits. She planned Perez' murder by creating an alibi of sorts, telling some people he had started drinking, telling others he was going to move to FL, telling relatives there were break-ins in the neighborhood (as a reason she needed a gun).

After the killing she told no one, had some scratches on her arms, was seen by her oldest daughter at home, sweaty, scratched up. She said Perez had injured her, but she refused to call the police telling her daughter, "he won't be coming back." She told no one and his body was found the next day and she was at the new boyfriend's house and police called her and summoned her to come home.

Police claimed there were red flags right from the start (her behavior was suspicious), she pretended to sob (but no tears), she had already lawyered up before even being told Perez was dead the night police arrived.

 

[DexterMorgan]

Great thread. Any pics my friend of victim and suspect? Thanks Madeline. Btw. I think she is guilty and make it harder for true victims of domestic violence. Jmo

 

[Madeleine74]

Defendant: Joanna Madonna

Victim: Jose Perez

Lead Prosecutor: Lorrin Freeman, new DA of Wake County

 

[Madeleine74]

The jury has heard about multiple lies and stories told by the defendant to various people: family, friends, AA friend(s) of Perez and her, her eldest daughter, investigators, her budding new relationship/ex-therapist.

The jury also heard (and saw) the scores of medications the victim was taking for his various health issues. Ms. Madonna had gone home after killing him and threw out all his meds, threw out his wedding ring, threw out several other items of his, and claimed Perez had "left for FL." Investigators found Perez' stuff in garbage bags in the trash.

The gun that Ms. Madonna had borrowed the day before was never found. Madonna claimed Perez had gotten ahold of this gun and fired it at her (but missed). Perez had a bullet graze on the back of his neck; his death was caused by multiple sharp force injuries. The knife was found.

 

[Madeleine74]

The jury will need to decide if the killing of Perez was done, as Ms. Madonna claims, in self-defense.

The charge is first degree murder, which in Wake County NC carries a sentence of LWOP. She is not being considered for a death penalty sentence.

She was arrested soon after Perez' body was found and has been in the Wake County Jail since (June 2013).

I've followed a handful of local cases in my area and to be honest, had not even heard of this one at the time it happened.

 

[DexterMorgan]

Defendant: Joanna Madonna

Victim: Jose Perez

Lead Prosecutor: Lorrin Freeman, new DA of Wake County

He looks like he had health issues from a stroke or something. I really don't think he was physically capable of an attack. Very sad indeed.

 

[Madeleine74]

He had multiple health issues as were detailed in testimony:

Dr. Robert Falge, a Raleigh doctor who treated Perez, testified that Perez had numerous health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, chronic back pain and other serious ailments. His health was so bad, Falge said, that he could barely hold a fork or walk without assistance, let alone hold a gun and take part in a fight.
"Judging by how impaired his arms were, I think it would be a real challenge to do that. I wouldn't say impossible, but a real challenge," Falge said.

Read more at http://www.wral.com/doctor-husband-...wife-killed-him/14906655/#50WKLFzO7MgvUqkI.99
​

 

[Madeleine74]

She's going through the narrative of the killing right now on the stand and it makes no sense and also doesn't match the evidence. She has zero affect, no emotion, just like she's reading a script or reporting the news.

Should be interesting to see the state do their cross, which might not happen until tomorrow since court goes until 5pm at the latest and it's just after 4:30pm now.

 

[Madeleine74]

When a defendant lies to everyone, a jury will wonder why, and the logical inference is the reason for all the lies is that the defendant is guilty, has a guilty conscience, and is trying to cover it up. This woman (IMO) is lying on the stand right to the jury's face.

 

[Madeleine74]

State started their cross but the evening recess has now arrived so it will be continued tomorrow.

 

[Grammy Jean]

Do you know what courtroom this trial is being heard?

 

[Grammy Jean]

Here is a link to the past trial days from WRAL

http://www.wral.com/news/local/asset_gallery/14903481/

 

[Chelly]

I'm late to the party. I was aware the Madonna trial was happening, but didn't find a thread until now. Just learned there is a live stream on WRAL. Got some catching up to do. She is testifying in her own defense. Wow!

Where are our trial watchers?

 

[NotMyselfNEMore]

I'm late to the party. I was aware the Madonna trial was happening, but didn't find a thread until now. Just learned there is a live stream on WRAL. Got some catching up to do. She is testifying in her own defense. Wow!

Where are our trial watchers?

I'm here, and like you, just found out about the live streaming - so trying to catch up, too! Wish I had started sooner.
I couldn't resist starting with her testimony, and am watching it now, so just hearing about her childhood, and early 20's - but so far, it seems to me she is lying a great deal already, IMO.
I grew up near the area she's from, and that's probably influencing my opinion, because a lot of what she's saying isn't believable, or even possible, IMO.
She lies - a lot, from what I've seen so far - and this isn't even related to the crime. I can't imagine she will become more honest about the crime.
I wish I had started watching this earlier, she's too much, and seeing her testify is really interesting, but off-putting at the same time.

 

[Chelly]

Hi NotMyselfNEMore,
Glad you are here too. I am watching parts of her cross examination trying to get a sense of her personality. Don't want to watch it all though as I plan to go the beginning this evening and see how far I can go.

She is a piece of work..lol...IMO.

 

[NotMyselfNEMore]

Hi NotMyselfNEMore,
Glad you are here too. I am watching parts of her cross examination trying to get a sense of her personality. Don't want to watch it all though as I plan to go the beginning this evening and see how far I can go.

She is a piece of work..lol...IMO.

LOL, I was itching to start with the cross, but forced myself to start with direct - she certainly is a piece of work!
And she lies, and lies, and lies ..did I mention that, lol? JMO, MOO (but she really lies - a lot - wow!)

ETA= Big thanks to Madeleine74 for the thread, and all the posts to catch me up! Thanks button isn't enough
.

 

[Chelly]

OK, Going into this with an open mind, I have just watched opening statements. Prosecution's was brief, probably the shortest opening I've ever seen. Defense opening is longer and weak, imo. Looking forward seeing the witness testimony.

 

[Grammy Jean]

She lies like Jodi Arias, going on and on and on with her story. The gun just went off and she was able to reach for the knife that just happened to be there yet could not break free from Jose. Now in prison she is writing to a man she loves who is a supporter and he stands beneath her jail window every night but also writing to a priest and says she is considering being a nun. She really is a piece of work!!!!!

 

[Madeleine74]

She lied to everyone at every point in this case. And she lied to the jury. I think she did premeditate this killing and planned it (not well, but still did it). And then she attempted to cover it up and lied some more to try and make it look like this guy just took off on his own.

Her explanation of their struggle made no sense and the laws of physics must have been bent throughout the universe just for her based on the way she tells it. She got caught in lie after lie and then made up more lies to try and explain the other lies.

I hope the jury saw through the obvious lies told to them. I don't for one minute believe her husband attempted to attack her or threaten her life, and she could have gotten away from him without killing him even if there was some kind of altercation.

She deserves to be convicted of first degree murder.