Update: The same jury that convicted him of burglary of a habitation and assault with a deadly weapon on Wednesday, sentenced 28-yr-old Robert Zepeda to two life sentences that will run concurrently.
After hearing testimony in the punishment phase of the trial Thursday, the jury began deliberation at 2:20 p.m. Fifteen minutes later, at 2:35 p.m. the jury came back with its decision in the penalty phase of the trial, wrapping up four days of testimony.
Defense counsel John Lee Blagg called Zepeda’s brother, uncle, and sister to the stand. Assistant District Attorney Sam Moss and Christina Nelson cross examined the witnesses and Zepeda himself, who admitted that he’d spent most of his life behind bars after the age of twelve. He went from two stints in the Texas Youth Commission (TYC) to being tried as an adult at age seventeen, and sent to prison at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) twice. Zepeda told Moss that he estimated he’d been in the “free world” about three years since he was a teenager. Moss and Zepeda had several heated exchanges and had to be called down twice by Judge Dan Beck.
Zepeda hung his head and slumped when Judge Beck read the sentence, then turned around and mumbled something to his victim that was unintelligible. An outburst caused the judge to have Zepeda removed from the courtroom as the jury was being discharged.
Original Story: A 6 man, 6 woman jury is hearing testimony in Brown County’s 35th District Court in the punishment phase of 28-year-old Robert Zepeda’s conviction on Wednesday. He was convicted of Burglary of a Habitation and Assault with a Deadly Weapon after the January 26, 2014 assault of Amanda Moscorro in Brownwood. The same jury convicted Zepeda Wednesday afternoon after closing arguments from defense counsel John Lee Blagg and Assistant District Attorneys Sam Moss and Christina Nelson. The jury must decide whether to sentence Zepeda to the maximum of life in prison, or 25 to 99 years. If sentenced to the minimum 25 years, Zepeda could come up for parole in 12 1/2 years.
The defense called Zepeda’s two brothers and sister to the stand, who all blamed Zepeda’s actions on his chaotic childhood and no father or mother involved in his life. The family testified that Robert Zepeda was a troubled child and teenager who was constantly tossed between his mother, grandmother, uncle, and his father who lives in Kansas. On cross examination, Zepeda admitted that he’d spent most of his life behind bars after the age of twelve. He went from two stints in the Texas Youth Commission (TYC) to being tried as an adult at age seventeen, and sent to prison at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) twice.
Zepeda told Moss that he estimated he’d been in the “free world” about three years since he was a teenager. Moss and Zepeda had several heated exchanges and had to be called down twice by Judge Dan Beck, just to maintain order in the courtroom.
Judge Beck ordered a lunch break and testimony is expected to continue this afternoon in the punishment phase of the Robert Zepeda trial in Brown County’s 35th District Court.