KALAMAZOO (WKZO AM/FM) — A jury has been seated and testimony has begun in the Zachary Patten murder trial in Kalamazoo.
Patten is charged with shooting and killing Graciela Portillo-Esparza last summer. The issue in this trial doesn’t appear whether he is guilty, since he has confessed to shooting the woman.
At issue is whether he should be found guilty of premeditated murder or some other homicide charge, that might carry a lighter penalty.
In opening statements, the Prosecutor said that Patten had a hit list fueled by jealousy and both his intended targets that night were on that list. That’s why she is asking the jury to find him guilty of first degree premeditated murder.
The defense argues that because the victim was not who Patten intended to kill, but rather his sister, who got in the way of the bullet, that a lesser charge is more appropriate.
The man prosecutor’s claim was the target; Oscar Portillo was one of the first witnesses called. He had dated Patten’s current girlfriend before him and there was bad blood between them.
Patten is also charged in St. Joseph County with killing the new husband of his ex-wife later that same night. That will be a separate trial.
Testimony continues in Kalamazoo.
