Closing arguments begin Wednesday in Modesto park stabbing trial

Closing arguments will begin Wednesday in a trial of three defendants accused of murder in the stabbing of a teenager during a botched robbery at a Modesto park.

Authorities say Jacob Segura, Taylor Koplen and Juan Garcia are responsible for the death of 18-year-old Tylor Crippen, who was attacked at Creekwood Park. The defendants also face charges of robbery and two counts of attempted robbery, along with enhancements of committing crimes for the benefit of the Norteño street gang.

The stabbing occurred the night of Jan. 29, 2013, at the park, a few blocks west of Claus Road in east Modesto. The prosecution says the defendants chased Crippen into the park, and that Koplen stabbed him.

Testimony in the trial concluded Monday afternoon. There had been a chance Segura and Garcia would testify in the trial. Ultimately, the defendants decided not to take the witness stand.

Before the the final witnesses testified Monday, a state appellate court denied a request to stop the trial to decide whether to overturn a ruling from Stanislaus Superior Court Judge Dawna Reeves.

Mark Sullivan, Jacob Segura’s attorney, has told the judge that her ruling was a violation of his client’s right to a fair trial.

Reeves last week excluded a psychiatrist’s testimony about a claimed false confession from Segura. Reeves has said in court that the investigators did not lead Segura into implicating himself in the claimed robbery. She said Segura gave details on the incident to the investigators, not the other way around.

The defense attorney has argued that the forensic psychiatrist would testify about police interrogation techniques and what Segura told investigators. Sullivan told Reeves that Segura was under duress when he told investigators what they wanted to hear and that the psychiatrist’s testimony would bolster his client’s account.

Sullivan filed his appeal Friday. Monday morning, the 5th District Court of Appeals informed the local court and the attorneys by phone that it had denied the defense attorney’s appeal and would not stop the trial, according to the appellate court’s website.

This story was originally published November 3, 2014 at 4:32 PM with the headline "Closing arguments begin Wednesday in Modesto park stabbing trial."