Jury selection began Monday in the second-degree murder trial of
a Hollister woman, with questioning of the remaining prospective
jurors starting today.
Hollister – Jury selection began Monday in the second-degree murder trial of a Hollister woman, with questioning of the remaining prospective jurors starting today.
Rachael Marie Menchaca, 28, will be tried on charges of second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter and child endangerment, all felonies, in connection with the September 2006 death of her 9-month-old daughter Isabella Menchaca.
Toxicoloy reports from an autopsy of the infant indicated the girl had methadone – a powerful narcotic used in addiction treatment – in her system when she died, according to sources close to the case.
The jury pool Monday was whittled to 31 people because of personal conflicts, said Menchaca’s attorney, Greg LaForge.
“We start questioning in the morning,” LaForge said Monday afternoon.
Because it is a murder trial, LaForge and San Benito County Deputy District Attorney Steven Wagner, who is leading the prosecution against Menchaca, can excuse up to 20 potential jurors each. In most trials, each side is allowed to excuse up to 10 jurors.
Menchaca’s trial has been delayed throughout the past year. It was first delayed when the defense requested time to retest Menchaca’s toxicology results and again because of conflicting prosecution expert witness schedules.
A grand jury indicted Menchaca on the three felony charges in December of 2006.
Isabella Menchaca died on Sept. 11, 2006. At 3:10am that day, her mother called 911 and told dispatchers her baby had stopped breathing, police said.
Local police, firefighters and medical personnel responded to Menchaca’s Valley View Road apartment and performed CPR on the girl. They were unable to revive her and she was transported to Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital, where she was pronounced dead at 4:09am.
Police said investigators began a search at Menchaca’s home following the infant’s death. Based on Menchaca’s statements to investigators and evidence at the home, detectives believe the infant may have ingested the narcotic substance the night before, according to police.
Menchaca, who has been in jail since Sept. 12, 2006, was not allowed to attend her daughter’s funeral.
