LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — On Thursday (Jan. 28) the Arkansas Supreme Court met to determine if it will uphold the murder conviction of Mauricio Torres or retry the case for a third time.
Both sides were allowed 20 minutes to present their case in front of the court.
In 2016, he was tried and sentenced to death for the murder of his son, Isaiah, but the state Supreme Court overturned the conviction and order Torres to have a new trial. The state Supreme Court claimed prosecutors didn't demonstrate its case for the death penalty.
Torres was convicted of the same charges again in March 2020. However, a mistrial was declared after a courtroom scuffle between Torres and his stepson.
Because of this, the defense is calling for a retrial due to this unforeseen circumstance.
As for the state prosecutors, they believe the Arkansas Supreme Court should uphold the decision and move on to sentencing back at the circuit courts.
The Arkansas Supreme Court adjourned the meeting after hearing both sides and will make a decision as early as next Thursday (Feb. 4) on whether to retry or to start the sentencing.
Torres will appear back in the Benton County Circuit Court on March 12 to go over the Supreme Court’s decision.
Torres was arrested in April 2015 in the death of Maurice "Isaiah" Torres, who died earlier that year. Investigators say Torres used a stick to sexually assault his son while the family was camping in Missouri. The boy died at an Arkansas hospital a day after the assault.
He was originally found guilty in the death of his six-year-old son by assaulting the child with a stick in 2015.
His wife, Cathy, who is servicing life in prison for Isaiah's death after taking a plea deal, testified before Torres, stating she never knew the extent of her son's injuries.