Juror From Truck Crash Case Speaks Out About 110-Year Sentence
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A juror from the trial of Rogel Aguilera-Mederos has spoken out about his sentence.
The truck driver was found guilty on 27 counts for a 2019 crash in Colorado that killed four people and injured others.
Aguilera-Mederos told police he lost control of the truck's brakes before passing through a runaway truck ramp and crashing into lined-up traffic, causing a deadly explosion.
The 26-year-old was handed a 110-year sentence, and Judge A Bruce Jones said it couldn't be any shorter, as the state has mandatory minimum sentencing laws.
The sentence caused a public outcry - with Kim Kardashian describing it as 'so unfair' - and more than 4.5 million people have signed a petition calling for him to be granted clemency.
One of the jurors from the trial agrees that the sentence is far too severe.
The juror, who wished to remained anonymous, told FOX31: "I cried my eyes out.
"There is just something wrong to where a judge cannot intervene in some way and say the way this is written is not right."
The juror, who found Aguilera-Mederos guilty, does not think he should be granted clemency but said the sentence was '100-fold of what it should have been'.
He continued: "I don't think the governor should sit there and offer him clemency and let him off, but to step in and say this would be a more suitable sentence for what had happened."
Aguilera-Mederos broke down in tears during his sentencing and pleaded for forgiveness.
He said: "I would have preferred God taken me instead of them.
"I am not a criminal. I am not a murderer. I am not a killer.
"When I look at my charges, we are talking about a murderer, which is not me. I have never thought about hurting anybody in my entire life."
Colorado law really has to be changed and this is so unfair. @GovofCO is a really good person and I know he will do the right thing.
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) December 21, 2021
The petition calling for his clemency also references his good character in arguing that the hefty sentence is undeserved.
It states: "Rogel Lazaro Aguilera-Mederos has nothing on his driving record, or on his criminal history.
"He had complied with every single request by the Jefferson County courts, and investigators on the case.
"He’s passed all of the drug and alcohol tests that were given including a chemical test.
"This accident was not intentional, nor was it a criminal act on the driver's part."
Speaking on Thursday, Colorado governor Jared Polis said: "We review all clemency applications, we’ve yet to receive one from the individual but every clemency application that we receive, we review and make a determination."
