Roderick Washington 'Cash Feenz' retrial day 3

2:25 -- 'Cash Feenz' defendant will not testify

Roderick Washington will not testify on his own behalf.

Both sides have now rested their cases in the retrial of Washington, a 19-year-old double-murder defendant.

Presiding Lee Circuit Judge Thomas Reese has denied the defense?'s request to acquit Washington of two counts each of first-degree murder and kidnaping.

Several more witnesses from the night Alexis Sosa, 18, and his 14-year-old nephew Jeffrey were tortured and killed have pointed to Washington as holding the victims at gunpoint and aiding in taking them to a north Cape Coral industrial park where they were fatally shot.

Andrew Touchstone and Michael Taylor, who attended co-defendant Kemar Johnston?'s 2006 birthday party, said they saw Washington holding a rifle and later a handgun that he used to pistol whip Alexis Sosa.

Touchstone had trouble recalling what kinds of guns others in the house were holding the evening the Sosas were killed.

Ryan Peters, a friend of co-defendant Kenneth Lopez, said he purchased a .22-caliber rifle from Washington for protection. He testified that he later threw the weapon in a canal upon learning the Sosas had been killed.

"I didn't want it coming back on me," he said.

Reese told the jury the trial would break early for the day.

"I doubt we could have this back to the jury before 6 p.m. or later," Reese
said, stating it would be more appropriate to resume Monday

He stressed the importance of avoiding media accounts of the trial over the weekend.

Closing arguments will begin Monday at 9 a.m.


11:17 -- Co-defendant Fernandez testifies in Washington re-trial


Alex Fernandez is yet another co-defendant who has pegged Roderick Washington as holding Jeffrey and Alexis Sosa at gunpoint when they were tortured in Kemar Johnston's home, and then helping take the Sosas to a north Cape industrial park where they were killed in 2006.

"He was squatting down on the floor with a rifle in his lap," Fernandez testified.

Washington also pistol whipped Alexis with a handgun at one point, he said.

Fernandez testified that Washington and co-defendant Kenneth Lopez carried the Sosas from the home and put them in the trunk of a car, and that Fernandez drove at Johnston's threats.

"Basically if I didn't comply, I could end up like the Sosas also," he said.

Fernandez said a .380 later found in the glove box of his car was not his.

Fernandez said he had never heard of or been a part of the Cash Feenz, the rap group accused in the slayings.



10:30 -- Medical examiner testifies as Washington retrial resumes

The retrial of Roderick Washington in the 2006 murders of Jeffrey and Alexis Sosa has resumed.

Washington faces two counts each of first-degree murder and kidnaping in the double-slaying.

This morning the state called Chief Deputy Medical Examiner Robert Pfalzgraf, who described the autopsy findings of the Sosas.

Pfalzgraf said Alexis had been shot at least four times, two of which were fatal. Due to the condition of his burnt remains, it is unclear whether or not other bullets had entered his body.

Alexis Sosa had been burned in the trunk of a car in a north Cape Coral industrial park, while Jeffrey Sosa's body was found on the ground near the vehicle.

A lack of any significant amount of carbon monoxide in the Sosas' lungs indicated they had suffered fatal gunshot wounds prior to the car having been set fire to, Pfalzgraf said. Small amounts of carbon monoxide, such as the amount found in Jeffrey's lungs, could indicate cigarette smoke or various other things.

"It is my opinion (Alexis Sosa) was not alive when he was burned," he said.

Defense attorney Paul Sullivan is asking Pfalzgraf questions about the transportation of the Sosas bodies from the industrial site to the Medical Examiner's Office and about the autopsy process.