HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — A lack of sufficient evidence was the primary argument by a woman to have her murder conviction reversed.
Joyner Sked was sentenced to life in prison a year ago after being found guilty of murdering former Humåtak Mayor Daniel Sanchez in April 2021.
On Tuesday morning, Sked’s attorney, Peter Perez, argued before the Supreme Court of Guam the evidence presented at trial was insufficient to result in a conviction for charges of murder as a first-degree felony, aggravated assault as a second-degree felony and two special allegations of use of a deadly weapon in the commission of a felony.
According to court documents, Sked was accused of using a pair of scissors to stab Sanchez.
However, Perez argued the government at trial did not prove the elements of the murder charge or the special allegation that she used a pair of scissors in the killing.
“In the end, no witness testified that Ms. Sked murdered the victim. No witness said that Ms. Sked caused the victim’s death. No witness said that Ms. Sked assaulted the victim,” said Perez.
Instead, the attorney argued the evidence was circumstantial, citing the lack of direct evidence such as DNA at the scene – despite Sked being accused of stabbing Sanchez 23 times with the scissors.
“How can you be at a murder scene and be the perpetrator, under the government’s theory, and stab someone 23 times and have no blood evidence? It just doesn’t make sense and the government did not give an explanation for that,” Perez added, arguing the evidence available should have resulted in Sked being charged with a lesser offense, instead of murder.
Blood
Prosecutor Marianne Woloschuk responded that the circumstantial evidence was enough to support Sked’s conviction, and argued the days following the murder made it more difficult to obtain DNA evidence.
Woloschuk referred to the fact that not only was Sanchez’s body found days after he died, but also that Sked was apprehended days later in different clothing.
The clothing Sked wore at the time of Sanchez’s death, however, did have blood on it, but it was not enough to be examined forensically.
Woloschuk instead argued the evidence in the case should be looked at as a whole.
“The defense here is asking the court to look at the evidence in sort of a piecemeal fashion,” Woloschuk said. “Like this is not enough, and this is not enough, and this is insufficient, but I think you have to look at everything altogether. And if the court looks at everything altogether, I think you will find enough of a circumstantial case here to support this defendant’s conviction.”
After hearing the arguments, Chief Justice Robert Torres said the appeal would be taken under advisement.
Sked’s case comes a day after the Supreme Court heard oral arguments for the appeal of her co-defendant, Rudy Fegurgur Quinata.
According to Post files, Quinata also argued there was a lack of sufficient evidence, but additionally claimed there was jury misconduct that warranted a reversal of Quinata’s life sentence and conviction of murder.
Joyner Scott Sked, pictured Aug. 15, 2022, in the Superior Court of Guam in Hagåtña, was given a life sentence for the murder of former Humåtak Mayor Daniel Sanchez in April 2021.
