The Kansas Court of Appeals has affirmed a conviction against an Emporia man sentenced for voluntary attempted manslaughter.
Jorge Zapata-Grimaldo appealed his conviction on numerous grounds, including insufficient evidence, exclusion of evidence, erroneous jury instructions and prosecutor errors. All of those, according to his defense counsel, led to cumulative error. However, the Court of Appeals said there was sufficient evidence and none of the trial errors combined to mean a new trial was needed.
Zapata-Grimaldo was charged with rape and attempted second-degree murder, with the manslaughter count included as a lesser offense to the murder charge, following an incident three years ago. Following a party, Zapata-Grimaldo allegedly raped and choked a woman.
Besides the attempted manslaughter count, a Lyon County jury convicted Zapata-Grimaldo of aggravated battery, criminal damage and criminal restraint. He was sentenced to over 11 years in prison.
