Jury hears closing arguments without defendant in Phoenix road rage shooting case

PHOENIX (AZ Family) — A Maricopa County jury heard closing arguments in an unusual trial involving a road rage shooting.

The hearing is for: Sidney Garrand facing second-degree murder For shooting and killing an 8-year-old girl during a road rage incident near 16th Street and Greenway Parkway in Phoenix two years ago.

In October 2022. Prosecutors allege the incident started because of a speeding stop at a stop sign. They allege Garrand fired six shots, one of which hit 8-year-old Cassidy Moreno.

In December 2022, Garrand pleaded not guilty and was released on electronic monitoring following a $500,000 bail.

Two months later, Phoenix police released a statement. Warrant issued for Garrand’s arrest.

“In such a case, the defense’s reasoned defense will emerge. Maybe a self-defense claim, something like that. It is almost impossible to claim self-defense unless your client, the defendant, is present and testifies about what he experienced,” said criminal defense attorney Russ Richelsoph.

Still, Richelsoph acknowledges that such cases do occur.

“At the beginning of the trial, the judge will give an instruction to the jury that, as you know, the defendant is not present. “The jury should not consider this as evidence of guilt,” he said.

However, Garrand’s absence affects the penalty.

“In fact, the case will be put on hold until he is found and extradited to the United States,” he said. “Once he is extradited to the United States, a sentencing hearing will be held and he will be sentenced.”

This case is not the first of its kind in the state.

There was a high-profile case in 2009 in Maricopa County in which a man on trial managed to evade deputies. The judge decided that the suspect, who was later caught and sentenced, should continue the trial.

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