This is an update of a story first reported of GroundReport on July 15. It is available at: https://www.groundreport.com/Arts_and_Culture/Joshua-Rosa-Murder-Trial-Begins-Toda
Joshua Rosa, a youth minister from the Tampa, FL area, was found guilty of the murder of 13-year-old Stephen Tomlinson today. The judge sentenced Rosa to life in prison as required by law.
This trial, one that gripped the Tampa area, lasted only one week. It took the jury a little more than three hours to unanimously convict Joshua Rosa of murder today. All of the evidence pointed to Rosa as the perpetrator of the gruesome 2005 killing. Although Joshua Rosa said he found Stephen Tomlinson after he had been attacked, Rosa was covered in Tomlinson’s blood and Rosa’s keys were found underneath Tomlinson’s body. Even after he was found guilty, Joshua Rosa professed his innocence in the crime.
Joshua Rosa will be able to appeal the court’s decision for the next 30 days.
Sources: http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/jul/21/jury-returns-guilty-verdict-citrus-park-boys-slayi/, http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=7027569&version=3&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1