Serrano Lawyers Ask For New Trial

Polk County Circuit Judge Susan Roberts heard three motions on the Nelson Serrano murder trial this morning, although she said that she wasn’t going to rule on any of them today.

Serrano was present in the courtroom, represented by lawyers Bob Norgard and Cheney Mason. Nelson frequently whispered and gestured to his wife and son, who were sitting in the front row at the courtroom. His wife Maria watched the testimony intently, at one point saying out loud “liar” when Florida Department of Law Enforcement Agent Tommy Ray testified.

Norgard and Mason have filed motions on Serrano’s behalf, asking that Serrano be granted a new trial because they claim the State Attorney’s Office made statements about evidence they would present in opening statements, and then later presented evidence that contradicted their opening statements.

They also claimed that Serrano was illegally kidnapped from Ecuador, and that he was a dual citizen of Ecuador and the United States. Therefore Roberts should declare that her court had no jurisdiction over him and should order Serrano be returned to Ecuador.

Assistant State Attorney John Aguero argued that Roberts had already ruled on those matters during the trial when the defense entered motions to dismiss.

Aguero said that no new evidence has been introduced to the court, so Roberts should not revisit her previous rulings on the matter.