Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Jury deliberates case against two Border Patrol agents

Judge already dismissed two counts, in the misdemeanor trial

After more than a day of deliberation, a jury is still considering the facts in the trial of two Border Patrol agents who are accused of lewd acts in public and then attacking a witness who complained.

Kallie Lamb Helwig, 25, and Gerald Joseph Torello, 35, have pleaded not guilty to charges that they performed sex acts during a circus performance at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, and then battered a woman who tried to summon an usher.

In a surprise move, mid-trial, the judge dismissed two misdemeanor counts; those counts were “annoy child” – charged against both defendants, and the other count was “criminal threat.” (There were children seated nearby when the alleged sex acts were occurring, according to testimony.) Superior Court Judge Harry Elias dismissed the one criminal threat accusation, which was charged against only Gerald Torello; this charge was based on an allegation that Torello threatened to “kill” someone, if that person spoke to his female companion again.

The alleged incidents occurred during the final performance of a Cirque du Soleil event, on a Sunday evening, May 27, 2012. Both defendants have remained at liberty.

Prosecutor Tracy Prior charged all counts as misdemeanors, she declined to make a plea deal, and saw the case through trial.

Both defendants took the witness box in their own defense. Kallie Helwig admitted punching the alleged victim at least three times in the head, because “I felt threatened.” Gerald Torello denied that he was present when Kallie Helwig slugged and hair-pulled and grappled with the alleged victim. Torello is charged with battery as an aider and abettor; he is accused of calling out encouragement to Helwig during the confrontation.

The jury of nine women and three men heard three full days of testimony and then began deliberations late Thursday, February 7. The jury is expected to resume Monday morning, February 11, in San Diego’s North County superior courthouse.

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/feb/09/39803/

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all

Previous article

Ocean Connectors Wildlife Kayaking Eco Tour, Noon Year Celebration

Events December 31-January 1, 2024
Next Article

Oceanside toughens up Harbor Beach

Tighter hours on fire rings, more cops, maybe cameras

After more than a day of deliberation, a jury is still considering the facts in the trial of two Border Patrol agents who are accused of lewd acts in public and then attacking a witness who complained.

Kallie Lamb Helwig, 25, and Gerald Joseph Torello, 35, have pleaded not guilty to charges that they performed sex acts during a circus performance at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, and then battered a woman who tried to summon an usher.

In a surprise move, mid-trial, the judge dismissed two misdemeanor counts; those counts were “annoy child” – charged against both defendants, and the other count was “criminal threat.” (There were children seated nearby when the alleged sex acts were occurring, according to testimony.) Superior Court Judge Harry Elias dismissed the one criminal threat accusation, which was charged against only Gerald Torello; this charge was based on an allegation that Torello threatened to “kill” someone, if that person spoke to his female companion again.

The alleged incidents occurred during the final performance of a Cirque du Soleil event, on a Sunday evening, May 27, 2012. Both defendants have remained at liberty.

Prosecutor Tracy Prior charged all counts as misdemeanors, she declined to make a plea deal, and saw the case through trial.

Both defendants took the witness box in their own defense. Kallie Helwig admitted punching the alleged victim at least three times in the head, because “I felt threatened.” Gerald Torello denied that he was present when Kallie Helwig slugged and hair-pulled and grappled with the alleged victim. Torello is charged with battery as an aider and abettor; he is accused of calling out encouragement to Helwig during the confrontation.

The jury of nine women and three men heard three full days of testimony and then began deliberations late Thursday, February 7. The jury is expected to resume Monday morning, February 11, in San Diego’s North County superior courthouse.

http://sandiegoreader.com/users/photos/2013/feb/09/39803/

Sponsored
Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Woman Said Border Patrol Agent “Sucker Punched Me”

Next Article

Two Border Patrol Agents in Court

Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader