Arambula Found Not Guilty of Child Abuse

 

Assemblyman Joaquin Arambula in Superior Court, Wednesday, May 15, 2019. Photo: Liz Kern/KMJ.

 

FRESNO, CA (KM) – A Fresno jury on Thursday returned a not-guilty verdict in the trial Assemblyman Dr. Joaquin Arambula.

The Fresno democrat was facing one count of Misdemeanor charge of child abuse.  If he had been found guilty, Arambula could have faced as much as six months in jail

Developing…

 

ADA Steve Wright in Superior Court, Wednesday, May 15, 2019. Photo: Liz Kern/KMJ.

 

 

Defense Attorney Michael Ead, Assemblyman Joaquin Arambula in Superior Court, Wednesday, May 15, 2019. Photo: Liz Kern/KMJ.

 

Defense attorney Michael Ead started his closing saying he was offended by the reference to Dr. Jekyll, and said he stood by his client, a well-respected man, a doctor.

Ead said the prosecution was unreasonable.

“The prosecution decided to call his 7, his 6-year-old daughters to testify against him,” said Attorney Ead. “Is Joaquin Arambula putting his daughters through this trial?!”

Ead told jurors the justice system is flawed and they could be one day sitting in the same seat as Dr. Arambula.

“If you were sitting here how would you defend yourself?”

Attorney Aed said the girl was a storyteller with elaborate descriptions — saying “He squeezed me to death,” and she did it for the attention, that as the oldest child she felt she was not getting.

Ead asked the jury to rectify the situation and that Dr. Arambula and his family shouldn’t suffer anymore.

 

 

 

Click to listen to the reports by KMJ’s Liz Kern: