Lawyer of convicted murderer A-Last Amanto Simiron asks for psychological evaluation
"Call it a gut feeling," said Ana Maria Gayle, who's asking for an evaluation of her client convicted of murder.
Lawyer of convicted murderer A-Last Amanto Simiron asks for psychological evaluation "Call it a gut feeling," said Ana Maria Gayle, who's asking for an evaluation of her client convicted of murder. Check out this story on guampdn.com: https://www.guampdn.com/story/news/local/2019/05/30/lawyer-asks-psychological-evaluation-convicted-murderer-a-last-amanto-simiron/1279017001/
Jasmine Stole Weiss, Pacific Daily News Published 7:56 a.m. ChT May 31, 2019 | Updated 7:58 a.m. ChT May 31, 2019
Citing a gut feeling about her client's mental capacity, the attorney for one of two men convicted in the 2017 killing of Gilbert Alvarez Jr. wants her client to undergo a psychological evaluation.
Last November, a jury found A-Last Amanto Simiron guilty of murdering Alvarez.
He was scheduled to be sentenced on Thursday and faces a lifetime in prison.
His attorney, Ana Maria Gayle, managing attorney for the Alternate Public Defender office, asked to hold off on sentencing until Simiron can be examined by the court's clinical psychologist, Dr. Juan Rapadas.
"Call it a gut feeling. I don't know how else to explain it but I think there's something there," Gayle said.
Gayle said she only recently became Simiron's lawyer in this case because his other lawyer no longer works for the Alternate Public Defender, and in the short time she's interacted with Simiron, he's been mellow and compliant and other times has screamed at her.
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She also pointed out the probation office had tried five times to go over a pre-sentence investigation report with Simiron. Gayle said she believes Simiron doesn't actually understand what he's facing.
Prosecuting attorney Sean Brown objected to an evaluation and said there's no factual basis for one.
" A gut feeling by Ms. Gayle, I understand , I respect her desire to move for this today, but a gut feeling is not enough for a competency hearing," Brown said.
Brown added this is the first time this issue was brought up, since Simiron was arrested and charged two years ago.
"He's expressed his feelings quite clearly in this case, especially during trial. It's quite apparent that he understands what he's going through," Brown said.
Superior Court of Guam Judge Maria Cenzon said she'd issue a decision about whether Simiron will be examined soon.
The next hearing will be on June 10.
Alvarez agreed to give Simiron and another man, Mallo Mangof Sally, a ride from the Mangilao baseball field to a home near the University of Guam. After Alvarez dropped them off, Sally and Simiron attacked Alvarez, punching and kicking him repeatedly. At one point they used a pipe that Alvarez retrieved to defend himself, according to court testimony. They then left him to die on the side of the road.
Simiron and Sally fled in Alvarez's truck, crashing it later somewhere in Yigo.
A jogger found Alvarez's body in the early morning hours of Feb. 24, 2017.
After Simiron was tried and convicted, Sally signed a plea deal. Sally pleaded guilty to manslaughter and robbery and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Two suspects arrested for death of beaten man
Homicide suspect A-Last Amanto Simiron, center, is escorted from the Guam Police Department precinct and into an awaiting vehicle in Hagåtña on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2017. Rick Cruz/PDN
Homicide suspect A-Last Amanto Simiron, left, is escorted from the Guam Police Department precinct and into an awaiting vehicle in Hagåtña on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2017. Rick Cruz/PDN
A-Last Amanto Simiron Department of Corrections
Homicide suspect Mallo Mangof Sally, 19, is escorted by police officers at the Guam Police Department Hagåtña precinct on Feb. 28, 2017. Frank San Nicolas/PDN
A picture of slain Mangilao resident Gilbert Alvarez is photographed on Feb. 28, 2017. Photo courtesy of Gilbert Alvarez
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