Trial of Yolanda Saldívar

Last updated

State of Texas v. Yolanda Saldívar
Seal of Texas.svg
Court228th District Court
DecidedOctober 23, 1995 (1995-10-23)
Verdict Guilty
Charge Murder
Case history
Subsequent action(s)Unknown number of appeals by the defendant and two appeals by the defense team were subsequently denied
Outcome
Saldívar sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole on March 30, 2025 [1]
Court membership
Judge(s) sittingMike Westergren
Keywords

State of Texas v. Yolanda Saldívar was a criminal trial held at the Harris County Criminal Courthouse in Downtown Houston, in the U.S. state of Texas. [2] The trial began with the jury's swearing-in on October 9, 1995, through opening statements on October 12, to a verdict on October 23. Former nurse Yolanda Saldívar was tried on one count of first-degree murder after the shooting death of American Tejano music singer Selena on March 31, 1995, after which she held police and the FBI Crisis Negotiation Unit at bay for almost ten hours. The case has been described as the most important trial for the Hispanic population and was compared to the O. J. Simpson murder trial by media outlets. It was one of the most publicly followed trials in the history of the state of Texas.

Contents

On April 3, Saldívar was arraigned and pleaded not guilty; saying that the shooting was accidental and that she had intended to commit suicide. Judge Mike Westergren, who presided over the case, appointed high-profile defense attorney Douglas Tinker and his team to appear for Saldívar. The public criticized prosecutor Carlos Valdez as an inexperienced criminal lawyer. The prosecution argued against the motion of change of venue from Corpus Christi, Texas, to Houston, while the defense believed that Selena's high-profile status in her hometown might result in a biased jury.

The prosecution team called between forty-five and fifty witnesses including Selena's father and manager of her music career Abraham Quintanilla Jr., Selena's widower Chris Pérez, employees at Selena Etc. and at the Days Inn motel where the shooting occurred, a paramedic, several gun experts, the owners of the gun shop where Saldívar purchased the gun, emergency personnel, and Lloyd White, who performed the autopsy. The defense team called fewer witnesses, which included Saldívar's parents, former co-workers, motel staff at the Days Inn, Selena's former seventh-grade teacher, and the lead murder investigator. The evidence used in the trial included the gun used to kill Selena, the outfit Saldívar wore the day she claimed she was sexually assaulted, and the recorded conversations between FBI negotiators Larry Young and Issac Valencia, and Saldívar.

The jury convicted Saldívar of murder after a two-hour deliberation, and she was sentenced to a maximum of life imprisonment with no eligibility for parole until March 2025. Fans outside the courtroom cheered the verdict. Many were seen expressing their delight at the outcome to Saldívar's parents and some wore T-shirts degrading to their daughter. There were more than two hundred accredited media representatives at the courthouse. The trial generated interest in Spain, the Philippines, Europe, South America, Australia and Japan. Tinker announced an appeal but it was denied by Westergren both in 1998 and 1999. Valdez published a book about the trial entitled: Justice for Selena: The State vs. Yolanda Saldívar in 2004. As of December 2014, Saldívar was representing herself in an attempt to be released from prison, claiming that some witnesses were not called during the trial, and that evidence went missing following the trial.

Background

Yolanda Saldivar

Saldívar, an in-home nurse for terminal cancer patients, was a fan of country music. [3] [4] However, she did enjoy Shelly Lares, a Tejano music artist, and disliked Selena for dominating award categories Saldívar's favorite musician was nominated in. [5] [6] In 1992, her niece persuaded her to go to a Selena concert in her hometown of San Antonio, Texas. [3] Saldívar became a fan and decided to form a fan club promoting Selena. [7] She contacted the singer's father and manager Abraham Quintanilla, Jr. seeking permission to start one. [3]

After a meeting with Quintanilla, Jr., he agreed to Saldívar's request, and she became the founder, and acting president, of the Selena fan club. [3] In January 1994, Selena opened two boutiques in Texas, one in Corpus Christi, the other in San Antonio. [8] Because of her touring schedule, she was unable to run the businesses and decided to appoint Saldívar as manager, since Quintanilla, Jr. believed she was the perfect choice, having successfully filled the role as president of the fan club for three years. [9]

The singer began receiving complaints from employees, [10] [8] her fashion designer, [11] and her cousin about Saldívar's management skills. [11] They claimed that Saldívar mismanaged Selena's affairs, manipulated their decisions, destroyed their creations, intimidated and threatened them, and secretly recorded them without their consent or knowledge. [11] Selena did not believe Saldívar, now a close friend, would impose on her fashion business. [12] Quintanilla, Jr. began receiving complaints after the initial attempts to have Saldívar fired from her job failed. He tried convincing Selena that Saldívar might be a bad influence on her. She brushed aside the comments since her father always mistrusted people. [12]

In January 1995, Quintanilla, Jr. began receiving letters and phone calls from angry fans who had sent their enrollment fees for the fan club and received nothing. [13] He began an investigation and found that Saldívar had used forged checks to embezzle $30,000 from both the fan club and the boutiques. [14] [15] On March 9, 1995, the Quintanilla family held a meeting to discuss the disappearing funds. Saldívar's answers to Quintanilla, Jr.'s questions were not convincing, and he informed her that if she could not disprove his accusations that he would get the police involved. [16] [17]

Selena's murder

The day after being confronted by the Quintanilla family, Saldívar was banned from contacting Selena. [16] Saldívar purchased a .38 Special revolver but lied to the clerk about her intentions claiming she was a nurse whose patients' relatives had threatened her life. [16] Saldívar convinced Selena to meet her alone at her Days Inn motel room on March 31, 1995. [18] In the motel room, Selena demanded financial papers required for tax preparation. Saldívar delayed handing over the papers claiming that she had been raped during a recent Mexico trip. [19] Selena drove Saldívar to Doctors Regional Hospital but doctors only did a routine exam, not confirming if a rape had occurred. [20]

When they returned to the motel room, Selena emptied Saldívar's satchel which was filled with documents relating to the boutiques and fan club as well as the .38 revolver. Saldívar grabbed the gun and pointed it at Selena. [19] As Selena attempted to flee, Saldívar shot her in the back, severing an artery. [19] Critically wounded, Selena ran to the motel's lobby and collapsed on the floor, naming Saldívar as her assailant, and giving the room number where she had been shot. [21] [22] [23] Her condition began to deteriorate rapidly as motel staff attended to her. Selena was pronounced dead at 1:05 p.m. from loss of blood and cardiac arrest. [24] [25] [26]

Saldívar's arrest

After the shooting, Saldívar got into her pickup truck and attempted to leave the motel. [27] Rosario Garza, a motel staff member, saw Saldívar leave her room with a wrapped towel. [28] [29] It was later thought that she had been on her way to Q-Productions to shoot Quintanilla, Jr., and others waiting for Selena to arrive for a planned recording session. [30] However, she was spotted by a responding police officer. An officer emerged from the cruiser, drew his gun, and ordered Saldívar to get out of the truck. Saldívar did not comply. Instead, she backed up and parked adjacent to two cars; her truck was then blocked by the police cruiser. [27] Saldívar picked up the pistol, pointed it at her right temple, and threatened to commit suicide. [26] A SWAT team, and the FBI Crisis Negotiation Unit, were brought in. [26] Musicologist Himilce Novas commented that the event was reminiscent of O. J. Simpson's threatened suicide ten months earlier. [31]

Larry Young and Isaac Valencia began negotiating with Saldívar. They ran a phone line to their base of operations, adjacent to Saldívar's pickup truck, as the standoff continued. [27] Motel guests were ordered to remain in their rooms until police could escort them out. [32] Saldívar surrendered after nearly nine-and-a-half hours. [19] By that time, hundreds of fans had gathered at the scene; many wept as police took Saldívar away. [19] [27] Within hours of Selena's murder, a press conference was held. Assistant Police Chief Ken Bung and Quintanilla, Jr., informed the press that a possible motive was that Selena had gone to the Days Inn motel to terminate "her" employment; Saldívar was still not identified by name in media reports. Rudy Treviño, director of the Texas Talent Music Association, and sponsor of the Tejano Music Awards, declared that March 31, 1995, would be known as "Black Friday". [33] [34] [35]

Trial

Pre-trial

On April 3, Saldívar was arraigned and pleaded not guilty to Selena's murder. [36] Her bail was set at $100,000 though it was raised to $500,000 at the behest of district attorney Carlos Valdez who considered Saldívar to be a flight risk. [37] When bail was announced, people asked why the death penalty had not been sought. [38] The Nueces County jail was deluged with death threats and there were public calls for vigilante justice. Some gang members in Texas were reported to have taken up collections to raise the bond for Saldívar so they could kill her when she was released. [39]

Veteran CCPD detective Paul Rivera led the murder investigation. [40] Originally, an unnamed man was hired to defend Saldívar but withdrew from the case on April 4 fearing community retaliation, and concerned about his children's reaction when they learned he was defending Saldívar whom they disliked. [41] Judge Mike Westergren began searching for a defense attorney. [41] Prosecutor Carlos Valdez was designated lead prosecutor, while Mark Skurka was appointed his legal counsel. [42] On April 6, a grand jury was called to determine whether to indict Saldívar for murder. [43] After about an hour, the jury had returned a true bill and the indictment was randomly assigned to the 214th District Court. [43] Carlos Valdez believed that a speedy trial with Westergren presiding over the case was probable. [43]

Douglas Tinker, a 30-year veteran attorney, was assigned to defend Saldívar. Tinker was called one of the best criminal defense lawyers in the state of Texas, and was estimated by Richard Haynes, also a Texas criminal defense attorney, to be worth $50 million. [44] His wife, fearful that they would suffer from community retribution, asked Tinker not to take the case. [45] Arnold Garcia, a former district prosecutor, was chosen by Tinker as his co-counsel. [42] The judge honored Tinker's request for a private investigator. [46] The court date was originally set for August 17, but, for unknown reasons, was pushed back two months to October 9. [47] On May 18, Tinker and Valdez argued about the possibility of reducing Saldívar's bond to $10,000. [48]

Tinker argued that she should not be in prison since she had not yet been found guilty of murder and deserved to be out on bail. Valdez argued that Saldívar was a flight risk, with contacts in Mexico, and, were she to be released from prison, it was unlikely she would be seen again. [48] Saldívar's parents, siblings, and former co-workers argued that she had no financial resources to make bond, and that she was incapable of the actions of which she was accused. [49] Valdez called Rivera to the stand. He claimed that Saldívar had developed several foreign contacts as a result of working for Selena. [49] Rivera also brought up the ongoing investigation of the embezzlement claims, stating that Saldívar might have access to funds that the investigation had not yet uncovered. [49] Westergren denied the bond reduction, and Saldívar was returned to jail. [49]

After the May 18 ruling, Westergren decided to move the case to Houston, Texas. His decision was based upon the demographics of predominantly Hispanic Nueces County, citing a preponderance of people who viewed Selena as a "well known and beloved member of the Hispanic population." During the time of trial, Houston was predominately White. [50] [51] On August 4, the pretrial hearing began as Tinker filed three motions; a change of venue to Houston (which was pre-approved), a motion to suppress or exclude Saldívar's written statement, and a motion to suppress or exclude Saldívar's oral statements made at the time of her arrest. [52] Tinker presented twelve witnesses: a former district judge, a former district attorney, a former first assistant district attorney, several private lawyers, and members of the media. [53]

They all expressed concern that Saldívar could not have an impartial jury because of the overwhelming media coverage. [53] A Spanish-language radio personality informed the judge that the general consensus among Hispanics in the area was that Saldívar was guilty and that she would be acquitted because of the "faulty" juridical system, and Valdez's lack of experience. [54] The judge recessed the hearing and Valdez scrambled to find witnesses who believed that an unbiased jury could be selected were the trial to be held in Corpus Christi. [54] The hearing resumed on August 7, and Valdez presented five witnesses who believed that Saldívar could have a fair trial despite the media coverage. [55] The following day, Westergren granted the motion to change the venue to Houston, Texas. [56]

Trial in Houston

Last week

The selection of was completed on October 9. The jury included seven white Americans, four Hispanics, and one African American. [57] Westergren ordered that the trial would neither be televised nor taped and limited the number of reporters in the courtroom to avoid a "repeat of the Simpson circus". [58] The trial began on October 11. In his opening statement, Valdez claimed that Saldívar "deliberately killed Selena", calling the act "senseless and cowardly" because Selena had been shot in the back. [58] [59] Valdez called the incident a "simple case of murder". [59] [60]

Tinker opened his statement as though he was "describing a mystery movie" calling Quintanilla, Jr. a "controlling and dominating father, ambitious for power and money." [61] His removal of Selena from school to sing in nightclubs and bars served "the sole purpose of making money." [61] He infringed on his family's privacy by demanding that they live in a compound so that he could watch their every move. [59] Tinker asserted that Selena wanted to be independent and "break from her father's control" by operating her own business. [62] According to Tinker, after Saldívar fired the gun, she "ran after her friend to help her" by getting her into her pickup truck. [62] He claimed that Quintanilla, Jr. called Saldívar a "lesbian obsessed" with Selena. [51] Tinker ended his opening statement saying that Quintanilla, Jr. drove Saldívar "to near madness" by threatening to destroy her friendship with Selena. [63]

The prosecutor's first witness was Quintanilla, Jr. Valdez asked if he had had sexual relations with, or raped, Saldívar. He also asked him if he ever called Saldívar a lesbian. Quintanilla, Jr. said "no." [44] [64] Valdez then asked him about the alleged theft. Quintanilla, Jr. told the court that Saldívar was a thief. [64] Valdez then called Chris Pérez, Selena's widower, who testified that he and Selena had stopped trusting Saldívar long before the crime was committed. [65] Kyle Voss and Mike McDonald from A Place to Shoot, the store where Saldívar had purchased the gun, testified that they had instructed her on the proper use of the gun. [65] They also said that she had returned the gun two days after originally purchasing it claiming that her father had given her a pistol. She returned eleven days later to repurchase the gun. [44] [65]

On October 12, Valdez called Trinidad Espinoza to the stand. He testified that he saw Saldívar pointing a gun while running after Selena. Saldívar then stopped, lowered the gun, and walked back into her motel room displaying no emotion. [66] After hearing this testimony, Marcella Quintanilla (Selena's mother) experienced chest and arm pains and was hospitalized to treat a sudden rise in her blood pressure. [44] [66] Motel maid Norma Marie Martinez also described the same events as Espinoza, but added that Saldívar had called Selena a "bitch". [44] [67] Tinker asked Martinez to indicate where she had been on a diagram of the scene of the crime. He believed that Martinez could not have seen or heard anything because she was a considerable distance from the vicinity of the shooting. [68]

Emergency room personnel, who attended to Saldívar when Selena drove her to the hospital to be checked for rape, claimed that Saldívar had lied to Selena about the rape as there were inconsistencies between the story she told them and the one she told Selena. [44] [69] Tinker asked the nurse to describe Saldívar's mood at that time. She replied that the Saldívar showed symptoms of depression. Tinker asked if those symptoms were typically found in a victim of sexual assault. The nurse agreed they were. [69] Another nurse who attended to Saldívar stated that she had red welts on her neck and arms, but that they did not resemble the bruises a person would receive from an assault by a baseball bat as Saldívar claimed. [69]

The prosecutor showed the jury the outfit Saldívar had worn during her alleged rape. [23] He claimed that someone had purposefully torn holes and shredded the shirt with scissors. [23] On October 13, Rosalinda Gonzalez, the assistant manager of the Days Inn, was called to testify. She told the jury that when Selena arrived in the lobby after being shot, she had asked the singer who shot her. Selena cried out "the girl in room 158". [23] Ruben DeLeon, the motel's salesman, said that Selena told him "Yolanda, Yolanda Saldívar shot me. The one in room 158." [23] [60] Receptionist Shawna Vela testified that she had heard the same statements but added that Selena had screamed: "lock the door, she'll shoot me again" before collapsing. [63] [70] Vela told the jury that there was so much blood that she felt nauseous before calling 911. [71] The last person to be called to testify was paramedic Richard Fredrickson who described, in detail, Selena's condition and a mysterious ring she clutched in her hands. [63] [72] The Quintanilla family were seen sobbing as Fredrickson detailed his attempts to save Selena's life, while Saldívar "stared blankly". [73]

Second week

The trial resumed on Monday, October 16 with the playing of the recorded negotiations between the FBI Crisis Negotiation Unit and Saldívar. [74] The tape began with Saldívar stating how badly she wanted to die. [60] [74] During the conversation, the jury heard Larry Young try to persuade her to lower her gun; Saldívar said that she could not do so. [74] Young told her that by committing suicide she would only harm her parents. Saldívar then asked to contact her mother to say goodbye and ask for forgiveness. [74] She continued repeating, "I just wanna die" as Young began talking about religion to determine if she believed in a faith that might cause her to reconsider suicide. [75]

Young told Saldívar that if she would give herself up, he would place a jacket over her so that the media would not have a picture of her face during her surrender. [76] Isaac Valencia told Saldívar that if she were to surrender they promised to turn off all of the lights that were pointing towards her truck; she agreed. [77] As she left her truck, she was scared by the dozens of armed police and FBI agents who were pointing rifles and pistols at her. [77] She ran back to her truck, pointed the gun at her head, and screamed at Young: "They're carrying guns! They're carrying guns! They're going to kill me! They're going to kill me!" [77] Newswoman María Celeste Arrarás wrote in her 1997 investigative book that she found it "curious" that a person who cried for hours that she wanted to die "would be afraid that someone might make her wish come true." [77] The New York Times also commented that "she alternately begged to be killed and expressed fear that she would be killed if she left the truck." [60]

As the taped conversation continued, the jury heard Saldívar's reaction to the news of Selena's death after her phone picked up a local radio station's signal. [77] In an angry voice, Saldívar asked Young why he had kept the singer's condition from her, since she wanted to visit Selena at the hospital, believing she was still alive. [78] Young told Saldívar not to believe the radio announcement, and that he did not know about Selena's current condition. [78] The conversation then switched to Saldívar blaming Quintanilla, Jr. for the murder, claiming that he threatened to kill her. [78] She explained to Young that she bought the gun for protection after finding her car tires deliberately slashed. [78] She also told him how Quintanilla, Jr. sexually abused her by "sticking a knife" in her vagina, threatening to murder her if she went to the police. [79] When asked about what happened in her motel room, Saldívar exclaimed: "I bought this gun to kill myself, not her, and she told me, 'Yolanda, I don't want you to kill yourself.' And we were talking about that when I took it out and pointed it to my head, and when I pointed it to my head, she opened the door. I said 'Selena, close that door,' and when I did that gun went off." [60] [80]

The prosecution then told the jury that comments by some officers had planted the idea in Saldívar's head that the shooting was accidental. [80] The defense countered stating that although she did not use the word "accident", she did not mean to harm Selena. [81] John Houston, a police officer who was present during the standoff, was asked during the nine and a half hours that Saldívar held the gun to her head, how many times it "went off"; he said "none". [82] The trial resumed on October 18. Robert Garza, a Texas Ranger, told the jury that during the preliminary hearings in Corpus Christi, he witnessed Saldívar making gestures indicating that the shooting had been accidental, though she had not indicated this in her confession. [60] [83]

The defense called Rivera to the stand and explained to the jury that Rivera had a conflict of interest after finding out that he had a poster of Selena hanging on his wall and was treated to a Selena T-shirt by Quintanilla, Jr. [84] Tinker explained to the jury that the confession was signed by an exhausted, sleep deprived Saldívar after eleven hours of questioning and being denied water, food, and use of a bathroom. [85] Tinker asked Rivera why he destroyed his notes, and why he had not recorded his interrogation of Saldívar, had not provided her with a lawyer as the law requires, and had not allowed her to see her relatives after signing her confession. [85] A few days later, the Mexican Mafia sent Tinker a signed postcard declaring their intention to harm him and his family for defending Saldívar. [86]

On October 19, the defense called the two surgeons who tried to revive Selena at the hospital. [25] The defense questioned why Quintanilla, Jr. would request that a blood transfusion not to be performed on Selena due to his religious beliefs, when by law, Pérez would have the final say whether or not the procedure would be performed. [25] The autopsy pictures of Selena were displayed for everyone to see. [25] The white American jury member was affected by the pictures, and was seen "bursting into tears" as Lloyd White described his findings in detail. [25] [44] According to Arrarás, Saldívar was seen as "impassive"; she had "lowered her head" when the autopsy pictures were shown. [25]

After confirming that Selena was not pregnant, contradicting rumors in media reports, White announced his conclusion: "this was a homicide, not an accident." [87] The prosecution called on a firearms expert who found the gun to be in working condition and stating that a person pulling the trigger must use a "great amount of pressure". [88] Valdez showed pictures of the motel room where Selena had been shot, claiming, "It was impossible for [Saldívar] not know her friend had been wounded," and "this meant that she had not come to [Selena's] aid because she chose not to." [88]

The defense arguments began on October 20 with Barbra Schultz, the hotel's general manager, taking the stand. [89] Tinker asked if Selena had actually screamed out to them to lock the doors. She replied that Selena had never asked for the doors to be locked and was only moaning on the floor. [90] Schultz further stated that her former employee, Vela, was not trustworthy. [91] Schultz also said that all the employees began formulating different opinions on what happened on March 31 when the prosecution called on them to testify. [91] Staff maid Gloria Magaña doubted the validity of Espinoza and Martinez's accounts. [91] She told the jury that it was impossible for both employees to have seen Saldívar chasing Selena because their work was on the other side of the motel building. [91]

Magaña claimed to have seen Selena running through the parking lot, but did not see Saldívar chasing after her. [91] Tinker called Marilyn Greer, Selena's seventh grade teacher, to the stand. [92] She told the jury that Selena had had the ability to graduate with honors and could have easily obtained a college scholarship. [92] Greer then spoke about how Quintanilla, Jr. had taken away the possibility of college for Selena, wasting her youth by forcing her to sing at nightclubs and bars for money; something that was unhealthy for a thirteen-year-old girl. [92]

Third week

On October 23, the defense presented their closing arguments, [93] claiming that the shooting was an accident and that Rivera was "not interested in pursuing justice. He wanted to make a case." [93] They also argued that Rivera knew hours beforehand that the Saldívar case was "a big case" and had "wanted to be the one to get [her]." [93] The defense claimed that Selena still referred to Saldívar as her "dearest friend" pointing out that the singer took her to the hospital, despite having a recording session scheduled that day. [93] They reminded the jury that an employee demonstrated that the gun can "fire off" with "just one's little finger." [93] The defense accused the prosecution of manipulating the jury's emotions by displaying photographs of Selena at the morgue, and the trail of blood from the motel room to the lobby. [93] They concluded by telling the jury to not side with a "rabid father". [93]

In the prosecution's closing statement, Skurka told the jury that Selena "had been reduced to a mere picture thanks to the March 31 actions of the defendant." [94] Skurka asked the jury why Saldívar, a nurse, did not administer first aid and why had she had not called 911 after accidentally shooting the singer in the back. [95] [96] Skurka then provided details of the three different stories Saldívar used to explain the purchase of the gun, as well as the different stories about her alleged rape. [97] The prosecutor pointed out that if Saldívar had wanted to commit suicide she had ample time to do so. [97] Valdez took out a calendar for the month of March 1995 and chronologically pointed out the events preceding the killing of Selena. [98] According to Valdez, Saldívar hated Quintanilla, Jr. and believed that she got revenge by killing his daughter, "someone he loved the most." [98]

Verdict and reactions

Saldívar's crime was punishable by either a life sentence with parole eligibility in 30 years, or a term of up to 99 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. [99] Saldívar was kept at Nueces County jail under a suicide watch before her trial. [100] After closing arguments, the jury deliberated for two hours and twenty-three minutes. [101] As people were waiting for the verdict, prosecutors and the defense team signed autographs for the media as did Saldívar. [44] Saldívar's family also signed autographs, while Quintanilla, Jr. remained in his seat awaiting the verdict. [44] The jury found Saldívar guilty of murder. [95] She received the maximum sentence of life in prison with parole eligibility in 30 years. [102]

Before the verdict was read, some in the crowd and Quintanilla, Jr. were skeptical of the outcome of the trial after O. J. Simpson's acquittal a week earlier. [51] Saldívar told her defense team that she wanted to kill herself after the verdict was read. [44] The Hispanic population cheered as Westergren delivered the verdict and Saldívar's sentence. [95] [103] Celebrations and festivals were planned throughout the states of Texas and California and in some areas in Mexico. Fans outside the courtroom began playing Selena's music and cheered for hours. Some fans were seen cheering in Saldívar's face as police officers drove her off to prison. [103]

Other fans prayed and cried out that justice had been served. [103] Traffic in Texas was reportedly at a standstill as people took to the streets and highways in cheering the verdict. [103] Saldívar's parents were greeted by fans wearing T-shirts degrading her and screams from fans who told them "now let's kill the murderer!" and "hang the witch". [44] [103] The verdict was front-page news in dozens of newspapers across the United States. [104]

Media coverage and aftermath

Arrarás referred to this case as the "O. J. Simpson trial for Hispanics." [105] It was the most watched trial in years in the state of Texas. [44] The Brownsville Herald called the case: "the biggest courthouse media event to hit Houston." [106] According to Texas Monthly , there were more than two-hundred media personnel stationed at the courthouse. [44] Univision and Telemundo aired approximately ninety minutes' worth of coverage daily. [44] [107] Arrarás was called "the trial's undisputed media star" for her coverage of the trial and her Primer Impacto program had the "most knowledgeable courtroom analyst" in former state district judge Jorge Rangel, who provided his expertise on the law. [44] During the playing of the recorded conversation between Saldívar and Young in the courtroom, Saldívar called out "Where's Larry?", a mantra that was put on T-shirts sold to the crowds. [44]

The Chicago Tribune noted the difference in interest in the Selena murder trial between Hispanics and white Americans. Donna Dickerson, a white American magazine publisher, told the Chicago Tribune that she had no interest in the trial because of Selena's "Hispanic background" and noted that Mexican Americans did not show the same interest as whites when Elvis Presley was found dead. [58] The Selena murder trial was called the "trial of the century" and the most important trial to the Hispanic population. [108] [109] [110] [111] The trial generated interest in Spain, the Philippines, Europe, South America, Australia and Japan. [112] [113]

Tinker announced an appeal before signing autographs for the cheering crowds. [44] On December 22, the Houston Chronicle reported that Saldívar's lawyers were seeking a retrial, citing the prosecution's failure to notify them that a key witness had once been convicted of theft. Maria Norma Martinez, a motel maid, was said to be the only one to have seen the shooting. She claimed to have heard Saldívar call Selena a bitch. The prosecution had used the remark to discredit the defense's claim that the shooting was accidental. Westergren denied the request and called the prosecutors' action "somewhat problematic," but decided an appeals court should decide on a retrial." [114] Both requests for an appeal were denied on October 3, 1998 and on August 19, 1999. [114] On November 22, 1995, Saldívar arrived at the Gatesville Unit (now the Christina Crain Unit) in Gatesville, Texas, for processing. [115]

Saldívar is currently serving her sentence at the Mountain View Unit in Gatesville, operated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. She will be eligible for parole on March 30, 2025. [116] Because of multiple death threats from incarcerated Selena fans, Saldívar was placed in isolation and spends twenty-three hours a day alone in her 9 by 6 feet (2.7 by 1.8 m) cell, away from other inmates who may want to do her harm. [117] Saldívar has asked the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals to accept a petition that challenges her conviction. She claims the petition was filed in 2000 with the 214th District Court, but was never sent to the higher court. Her request was received on March 31, 2008, the thirteenth anniversary of Selena's death. [118]

Tinker and Garcia told a Texas Monthly magazine editor that losing the trial lessens their chances of getting shot by a fan. [44] Hispanics in Texas had an increased level of trust in the state's judicial system after the verdict was read. [44] The League of United Latin American Citizens began a campaign that encouraged Hispanics to respond to jury duty requests. [44] E! dramatized the trial as part of an episode of E! True Hollywood Story in December 1996. People magazine called it "too cheap-looking to have any dramatic impact," but found the actor playing Tinker "interesting". [119] By virtue of a judge's order, the gun used to kill Selena was destroyed in 2002, and the pieces thrown into Corpus Christi Bay. [120] [121]

Fans and historians did not approve of the decision, claiming that the event was historical and that the gun should have been placed in a museum. [122] In 1997, Arrarás published her book Selena's Secret, which included interviews with Saldívar recounting the singer's "real life" and her side of the events of March 31. The book met with negative reviews from fans as well as Quintanilla, Jr. who claimed Arrarás sympathized with the convicted killer. [123] Valdez also published a book on the trial, Justice for Selena: The State vs. Yolanda Saldivar, in 2004. [113]

In December 2014, the San Antonio Express-News reported that Saldívar was "mounting a new legal effort to get an early release from prison, following numerous appeals in her case." [124] The news of Saldívar's potential early release by a fake news agency which reported that Saldívar could be released as early as January 1, 2015 [124] sparked a social media frenzy among fans. [124] Valdez told the San Antonio Express-News that Saldívar is currently representing herself and that a court date has not yet been set. [124] Saldívar claims that witnesses were not called on and files have gone missing since the end of the trial. [124] Quintanilla, Jr. said that he "doesn't care" if Saldívar gets an early release, since "nothing is going to bring [his] daughter back." He does say that Saldívar would be safer in prison rather than being freed. [124]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Selena</span> American Tejano singer (1971–1995)

Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, known mononymously as Selena, was an American singer. Referred to as the "Queen of Tejano Music", her contributions to music and fashion made her one of the most celebrated Mexican-American entertainers of the late 20th century. In 2020, Billboard magazine put her in third place on their list of "Greatest Latino Artists of All Time", based on both Latin albums and Latin songs chart. Media outlets called her the "Tejano Madonna" for her clothing choices. She also ranks among the most influential Latin artists of all time and is credited for catapulting the Tejano genre into the mainstream market.

Yolanda Saldívar is an American former nurse who was convicted of murdering Tejano musician Selena Quintanilla-Pérez in 1995. Born in San Antonio, Saldívar had been the president of Selena's fan club and the manager of her boutiques, but she lost both positions a short time before the murder, when the singer's family discovered that she had been embezzling money from both organizations.

<i>Selena</i> (film) 1997 film by Gregory Nava

Selena is a 1997 American biographical musical drama film about Tejano music star Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, played by Jennifer Lopez. The film, written and directed by Gregory Nava, chronicles the star's rise to fame and death when she was murdered by Yolanda Saldívar at the age of 23. In addition to Lopez, the film also stars Edward James Olmos, Jon Seda, Constance Marie, Jacob Vargas, Lupe Ontiveros, and Jackie Guerra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Pérez</span> American guitarist (born 1969)

Christopher Gilbert Pérez is an American guitarist, best known as lead guitarist for the Tejano band Selena y Los Dinos. He married the frontwoman of the group, Selena, on April 2, 1992. Pérez grew up in San Antonio, Texas as one of two children of Gilbert Pérez and Carmen Medina. In 1986, he began his tenure by joining Shelly Lares' band. By the late 1980s, Pérez was respected among Tejano musicians for his guitar skills. This caught A.B. Quintanilla's attention; at the time, A.B. was seeking another guitarist for the band he produced, Selena y Los Dinos. Between one and two years after Pérez joined the band, he and Selena began a personal relationship.

<i>Ven Conmigo</i> (album) 1990 studio album by Selena

Ven Conmigo is the second studio album by American singer Selena, released on November 12, 1990, by EMI Latin. The singer's brother, A.B. Quintanilla III remained her principal record producer and songwriter after her debut album's moderate success. Selena's Los Dinos band composed and arranged seven of the album's ten tracks; local songwriter Johnny Herrera also provided songs for Selena to record. Ven Conmigo contains half cumbias and half rancheras, though the album includes other genres. Its musical compositions are varied and demonstrate an evolving maturity in Selena's basic Tejano sound. The album's structure and track organization were unconventional compared with other Tejano music albums. The songs on Ven Conmigo are mostly love songs or songs following a woman's struggles after many failed relationships.

<i>Selena</i> (album) 1989 studio album by Selena

Selena is the self-titled debut studio album by American Tejano singer Selena, released on October 17, 1989, by EMI Latin. Its music incorporates a range of contemporary genres with a mix of cumbia and regional styles of Mexican music. The album was released following company president Jose Behar's failed crossover request for the singer. The project was denied by the heads of EMI Records' pop division, believing the singer should first strengthen her fanbase. Selena's brother and principal record producer and songwriter, A.B. Quintanilla III fought to remain the singer's producer. The band introduced Pete Astudillo and Joe Ojeda, who contributed to the album's experimental production and songwriting. Aside from A.B., Selena worked with two Mexican songwriters, Alejandro Montealegre and Reinaldo Ornelas.

<i>Dreaming of You</i> (Selena album) 1995 studio album by Selena

Dreaming of You is the fifth and final studio album by American singer Selena. Released posthumously on July 18, 1995, by EMI Latin and EMI Records, it was an immediate commercial and critical success, debuting atop the United States Billboard 200—the first predominately Spanish-language album to do so. It sold 175,000 copies on its first day of release in the U.S.—a then-record for a female vocalist. With first week sales of 331,000 units, it became the second-highest first-week sales for a female musician since Nielsen Soundscan began monitoring album sales in 1991. Billboard magazine declared it a "historic" event, while Time said the recording elevated Selena's music to a wider audience. It won Album of the Year at the 1996 Tejano Music Awards and Female Pop Album of the Year at the 3rd annual Billboard Latin Music Awards.

American singer Selena released eleven studio albums, three live albums, three boxsets, three remix albums, two soundtrack albums, and twenty compilation albums. Credited for elevating a music genre into the mainstream market, Selena remains the best-selling Tejano recording artist in history, selling over 18 million records worldwide. She was named the top-selling Latin artist of the 1990s decade in the US by Billboard magazine.

<i>Siempre Selena</i> Compilation album by Selena

Siempre Selena is the second posthumously released album by American singer Selena, released by EMI Latin on October 29, 1996. The album contained mostly unreleased recordings and remixes of previously released content. Songs on the album range from a 14-year-old Selena on "Soy Amiga" (1986) to the shelved Don Juan DeMarco (1995) soundtrack song "Siempre Hace Frio". Siempre Selena was a result of the impact of Selena's death in March 1995, where the singer's father and manager Abraham Quintanilla Jr. began receiving requests from fans of her music. Abraham rediscovered forgotten tapes of songs Selena recorded for various projects. Following her death, Abraham expressed how he wanted to keep the singer's legacy alive and that public knowledge of Selena was very important to him. Critical reception of Siempre Selena was mixed, with varying reviews suggesting that the album was more for Selena's fan base and found no particular track on the album to be of any interest, while others favored its diversity and remastered songs.

<i>Anthology</i> (Selena album) 1998 box set by Selena

Anthology is the first box set by American singer Selena. It was released posthumously on April 7, 1998, through EMI Latin to commemorate the singer's works. The collection comprises 30 tracks, dispersed across three genre-themed discs: "Pop / English" showcases uptempo pop compositions, "Mariachi" highlights Mexican ballads featuring poignant narratives of heartache, and "Cumbia" presents danceable tropical rhythms. The album encompasses recordings from a 14-year-old Selena on her Alpha (1986) album to the posthumous "Disco Medley" (1997). With a limited number of unaltered tracks, Anthology predominantly features reworked and remastered musical arrangements, while preserving the singer's original vocals. Selena's death in March 1995 prompted an influx of requests from her admirers. The singer's father and manager, Abraham Quintanilla, expressed a desire to maintain his daughter's legacy through her music. However, Selena's family has faced criticism from both fans and the media, who accuse them of capitalizing on her death and commodifying her repertoire.

<i>All My Hits: Todos Mis Éxitos</i> 1999 greatest hits album by Selena

All My Hits: Todos Mis Éxitos is a greatest hits album by American singer Selena. It was released posthumously on March 9, 1999, through EMI Latin to commemorate its ten-year anniversary since entering the music industry. The album coincided with the fourth anniversary of Selena's death, though then-president Jose Behar rebuffed the idea that the album was an exploitive ploy by the company. Following Selena's death on March 31, 1995, Abraham Quintanilla expressed his interest in preserving his daughter's memory through her works. Selena's family has been criticized by fans and the media for exploiting the singer and cannibalizing her murder by commercializing her repertoire. According to the singer's brother, A.B. Quintanilla, one of Selena's wishes was for her to "never go away", citing a conversation he shared with Selena and their sister Suzette Quintanilla, that if anything were to happen to any one of them, their wish would be to continue on with their music.

<i>Ones</i> (album) 2002 greatest hits album by Selena

Ones is a compilation album by American singer Selena, released in the United States on October 1, 2002 by EMI Latin. It was released on November 11, 2002 in Spanish-speaking countries, while the limited edition included a bonus DVD of her music videos. Ones was released building on the popularity of the 1997 biographical film Selena. The album was aimed at Selena's new generation of fans, and its release marked the singer's twentieth year in the music industry. Ones features six number one singles namely, "Amor Prohibido", "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom", "No Me Queda Más", "Fotos y Recuerdos", and her duets with Álvaro Torres on "Buenos Amigos" and the Barrio Boyzz on "Donde Quiera Que Estés".

<i>Momentos Intimos</i> 2004 compilation album by Selena

Momentos Intimos is a compilation album by American singer Selena and released posthumously on March 23, 2004, through EMI Latin. The album contains 24 tracks, though the last eight are spoken liner notes provided by the singer's family, friends, and her Los Dinos band. The songs on the album range from "Como Te Quiero Yo A Ti" (1988), a re-recorded version modernized and remixed on the album, to "Puede Ser", an unreleased duet with Nando "Guero" Dominguez, recorded two weeks before Selena was shot and killed in March 1995. Following Selena's death, her father Abraham Quintanilla expressed his interest in persevering his daughter's memory through her works. Selena's family has been criticized by fans and the media for exploiting the singer and cannibalizing her murder by commercializing her repertoire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No Me Queda Más</span> 1994 single by Selena

"No Me Queda Más" is a song by American singer Selena on her fourth studio album, Amor Prohibido. It was released as the third single from the album in October 1994 by EMI Latin. "No Me Queda Más" was written by Ricky Vela, and production was handled by Selena's brother A.B. Quintanilla. A downtempo mariachi and pop ballad, "No Me Queda Más" portrays the ranchera storyline of a woman in agony after the end of a relationship. Its lyrics express an unrequited love, the singer wishing the best for her former lover and his new partner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bidi Bidi Bom Bom</span> 1994 single by Selena

"Bidi Bidi Bom Bom" is a song recorded by American Tejano singer Selena. It was released as the second single from her fourth studio album, Amor Prohibido (1994). Originally written about a cheerful fish swimming freely in the ocean, the song's title is an onomatopoeic phrase suggesting the palpitating heartbeat of a person lovestruck by the object of their affection. "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom" was written by Selena and her backup vocalist and dancer Pete Astudillo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Selena Etc.</span> Boutique and beauty salon founded by the late American singer Selena (1994–2009)

Selena Etc. was a South Texas-based boutique and beauty salon, which was founded and owned by the late American singer, Selena. Selena Etc. finished its building on January 27, 1994, in Corpus Christi, Texas, which was the headquarters.

<i>Las Reinas del Pueblo</i> 1995 compilation album by Selena / Graciela Beltrán

Las Reinas del Pueblo is a compilation album by American Tejano music singer Selena and Mexican banda singer Graciela Beltrán. Posthumously released on April 4, 1995, by EMI Latin in the wake of Selena's death on March 31, 1995, the decision to produce a compilation album featuring Beltrán emerged after her tribute to the singer at a Houston memorial. The title was inspired by Mexican newspapers that referred to Selena as "an artist of the people" during a 1992 press tour in the nation and subsequently dubbed her "La Reina del Pueblo" in the aftermath of her death. Las Reinas del Pueblo encompasses six tracks by Selena and six by Beltrán, encapsulating their respective tenures with EMI Latin. Las Reinas del Pueblo peaked at number four on the US Billboard Top Latin Albums and Regional Mexican Albums chart, both behind other Selena releases. The recording peaked at number 147 on the American Billboard 200 chart. The album peaked at number ten on the Spanish albums chart in 2010. Beltrán's participation in the album yielded substantial promotional and sales enhancements.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abraham Quintanilla</span> American singer (born 1939)

Abraham Isaac Quintanilla Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, and producer. He is the father of Tejano singer Selena and was her manager throughout her life.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murder of Selena</span> 1995 murder in Corpus Christi, Texas, US

On the morning of March 31, 1995, American singer Selena Quintanilla-Pérez was shot and fatally wounded at the Days Inn in Corpus Christi, Texas. Although paramedics tried to revive Selena, she died of hypovolemic shock at Corpus Christi Memorial Hospital at age 23. The killer, Yolanda Saldívar, was the president of Selena's fan club who was exposed as having embezzled thousands of dollars from Selena's earnings.

<i>Selenas Secret</i> American TV series or program

El secreto de Selena is an American television series produced by BTF Media and co-produced by Disney Media Distribution for Telemundo, and it is based on the bestselling book by Emmy Award-winning journalist María Celeste Arrarás. The series follows the story behind the murder of singer Selena. It stars Maya Zapata as the titular character. It premiered in Latin America on TNT on 23 September 2018 and ended on 16 December 2018. On Telemundo the series premiered on 25 August 2019.

References

  1. ↑ "Offender Information Details". Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved April 16, 2024.
  2. ↑ Balleza, Maureen (October 20, 1995). "OCT. 22-28: The Fans Speak, Too; A Jury Convicts Selena's Killer". The New York Times . Retrieved December 1, 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Arrarás 1997, p. 72.
  4. ↑ Patoski 1996, p. 110.
  5. ↑ Patoski 1996, p. 111.
  6. ↑ Richmond 1995, p. 78.
  7. ↑ Arrarás 1997, p. 73.
  8. 1 2 Arrarás 1997, p. 78.
  9. ↑ Arrarás 1997, p. 77.
  10. ↑ Patoski 1996, p. 169.
  11. 1 2 3 Patoski 1996, p. 170.
  12. 1 2 Patoski 1996, p. 182.
  13. ↑ Arrarás 1997, p. 84.
  14. ↑ Arrarás 1997, pp. 228–229.
  15. ↑ Liebrum, Jennifer; Jaimeson, Wendell (October 27, 1995). "Selena's Killer Gets 30 Years". New York Daily News . Retrieved April 27, 2015.
  16. 1 2 3 Patoski 1996, p. 183.
  17. ↑ Arrarás 1997, p. 85.
  18. ↑ Patoski 1996, p. 159.
  19. 1 2 3 4 5 Sam Howe Verhovek (April 1, 1995). "Grammy Winning Singer Selena Killed in Shooting at Texas Motel". The New York Times. p. 1. Retrieved October 24, 2011.
  20. ↑ "12 October 1995 testimony of Carla Anthony". Houston Chronicle, October 12, 1995. Retrieved May 21, 2008.
  21. ↑ Patoski 1996, p. 161.
  22. ↑ "Friday, 13 October, testimony of Shawna Vela". Houston Chronicle, October 13, 1995. Retrieved February 1, 2008.
  23. 1 2 3 4 5 Arrarás 1997, p. 132.
  24. ↑ Villafranca, Armando and Reinert, Patty. "Singer Selena shot to death". Houston Chronicle, April 1, 1995. Retrieved February 1, 2008.
  25. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Arrarás 1997, p. 155.
  26. 1 2 3 Patoski 1996, p. 162.
  27. 1 2 3 4 Famous Crime Scene . Season 1. Episode 105. March 12, 2010. 30 minutes in. VH1.
  28. ↑ Arrarás 1997, p. 37.
  29. ↑ Novas 1995, p. 8.
  30. ↑ Arrarás 1997, p. 235.
  31. ↑ Novas 1995, p. 10.
  32. ↑ Novas 1995, p. 12.
  33. ↑ Patoski 1996, p. 200.
  34. ↑ Anne Pressley, Sue (April 1, 1995). "Singer Selena Shot to Death in Texas". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 14, 2011.
  35. ↑ Corcoran, Michael (April 3, 2005). "Dreaming of Selena". Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved November 14, 2011.(subscription required)
  36. ↑ Williams, Frank B; Lopetegui, Enrique (April 3, 1995). "Mourning Selena : Nearly 4,000 Gather at L.A. Sports Arena Memorial for Slain Singer". Latin Times. Retrieved March 21, 2015.
  37. ↑ Valdez 2004, p. 14.
  38. ↑ Arrarás 1997, pp. 43–44.
  39. ↑ Patoski 1996, p. 203.
  40. ↑ Valdez 2004, p. 16.
  41. 1 2 Valdez 2004, p. 17.
  42. 1 2 Arrarás 1997, p. 43.
  43. 1 2 3 Valdez 2004, p. 20.
  44. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Patoski, Joe Nick (December 1995). "The Sweet Song of Justice". Texas Monthly . Retrieved March 23, 2015.
  45. ↑ Arrarás 1997, p. 42.
  46. ↑ Valdez 2004, p. 26.
  47. ↑ Valdez 2004, p. 21.
  48. 1 2 Valdez 2004, p. 23.
  49. 1 2 3 4 Valdez 2004, p. 24.
  50. ↑ Valdez 2004, pp. 24–25.
  51. 1 2 3 "Once Seemingly Open-and-shut, Selena Murder Trial Is Complex". Sun Sentinel . October 8, 1995. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
  52. ↑ Valdez 2004, p. 35.
  53. 1 2 Valdez 2004, p. 37.
  54. 1 2 Valdez 2004, p. 38.
  55. ↑ Valdez 2004, p. 39.
  56. ↑ Valdez 2004, p. 42.
  57. ↑ Arrarás 1997, p. 120.
  58. 1 2 3 de la Gaza, Paul (October 12, 1995). "Trial In Selena's Killing Exposes Cultural Divide". Chicago Tribune . Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  59. 1 2 3 Arrarás 1997, p. 125.
  60. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Star's Death: An Accident Or a Murder?". The New York Times . October 22, 1995. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
  61. 1 2 Arrarás 2015, p. 102.
  62. 1 2 Arrarás 1997, p. 126.
  63. 1 2 3 "Selena Named Suspect as Killer, Witness Testifies : Courts: Motel clerk says singer screamed, 'Lock the door! She'll shoot me again!' and named 'Yolanda . . . ' in the chaos after gunfire". Los Angeles Times . October 14, 1995. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
  64. 1 2 Arrarás 1997, p. 127.
  65. 1 2 3 Arrarás 1997, p. 128.
  66. 1 2 Arrarás 1997, p. 129.
  67. ↑ Arrarás 1997, pp. 129–130.
  68. ↑ Arrarás 1997, p. 130.
  69. 1 2 3 Arrarás 1997, p. 131.
  70. ↑ Arrarás 1997, pp. 132–133.
  71. ↑ Arrarás 1997, p. 133.
  72. ↑ Arrarás 1997, p. 134.
  73. ↑ Schwartz, Mike; Jaimeson, Wendell (October 14, 1995). "Selena's Last Cries Shot Singer Begged Help, Named Suspect". New York Daily News . Retrieved March 23, 2015.
  74. 1 2 3 4 Arrarás 1997, p. 137.
  75. ↑ Arrarás 1997, pp. 138–139.
  76. ↑ Arrarás 1997, p. 139.
  77. 1 2 3 4 5 Arrarás 1997, p. 140.
  78. 1 2 3 4 Arrarás 1997, p. 141.
  79. ↑ Arrarás 1997, p. 142.
  80. 1 2 Arrarás 1997, p. 144.
  81. ↑ Arrarás 1997, pp. 144–145.
  82. ↑ Arrarás 1997, p. 146.
  83. ↑ Arrarás 1997, p. 149.
  84. ↑ Arrarás 1997, p. 150.
  85. 1 2 Arrarás 1997, p. 151.
  86. ↑ Arrarás 1997, p. 152.
  87. ↑ Arrarás 1997, pp. 155–156.
  88. 1 2 Arrarás 1997, p. 156.
  89. ↑ Arrarás 1997, p. 157.
  90. ↑ Arrarás 1997, pp. 157–158.
  91. 1 2 3 4 5 Arrarás 1997, p. 158.
  92. 1 2 3 Arrarás 1997, p. 159.
  93. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Arrarás 1997, p. 166.
  94. ↑ Arrarás 1997, p. 167.
  95. 1 2 3 "Yolanda Saldivar found guilty of Selena's murder". CNN . Retrieved March 23, 2015.
  96. ↑ Arrarás 1997, pp. 167–168.
  97. 1 2 Arrarás 1997, p. 168.
  98. 1 2 Arrarás 1997, p. 169.
  99. ↑ "Fan club president admits shooting of Tejano singer Selena, police say". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. April 4, 1995. Retrieved September 20, 2011.
  100. ↑ Ross E. Milloy (April 3, 1995). "For Slain Singer's Father, Memories and Questions". The New York Times. Retrieved September 20, 2011.
  101. ↑ Arrarás 1997, p. 170.
  102. ↑ Selena's killer receives life sentence of prison. CNN, October 26, 1995. Retrieved September 26, 2010
  103. 1 2 3 4 5 Arrarás 1997, p. 171.
  104. ↑ Arrarás 1997, p. 174.
  105. ↑ Ruddy, Jim. "Selena Murder Trial: Interview With Maria Celeste Arrarás". Texas Archive of the Moving Image. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
  106. ↑ Graczyk, Michael (September 8, 1995). "Sept/8 Media hoopla expected for Selena murder trial". The Brownsville Herald . Retrieved March 23, 2015.
  107. ↑ Ruddy, Jim (1995). "Selena Murder Trial: Interview With Abe de Jesus (1995)". Texas Archive of the Moving Image. Retrieved October 25, 2018.
  108. ↑ Anijar, Karen. "Selena-Prophet, Profit, Princess" (PDF). VWC.edu . Archived from the original (PDF) on April 2, 2015. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  109. ↑ Mazur 2001, p. 83.
  110. ↑ Legon, Jeordan (October 16, 1995). "Selena trial becomes obsession to Latinos". Sun Journal . James R. Costello Sr. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  111. ↑ "Latinos Eagerly Await Trial Of Selena's Accused Killer". Orlando Sentinel . October 16, 1995. Retrieved March 10, 2015.
  112. ↑ Colloff, Pamela (April 2010). "Dreaming of Her". Texas Monthly . Retrieved March 21, 2015.
  113. 1 2 Saugier, Mari (December 2, 2005). "Valdez recounts Selena tragedy". Corpus Christi Caller-Times . Retrieved March 23, 2015.
  114. 1 2 "News of singer Selena's death hit fans hard". Houston Chronicle . August 26, 2001. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
  115. ↑ Bennett, David. "Somber Saldívar delivered to prison – Convicted murderer of Tejano star Selena keeps head down during processing." San Antonio Express-News . November 23, 1995. Retrieved September 26, 2010.
  116. ↑ "Offender Information Detail Saldívar, Yolanda Archived July 5, 2009, at the Wayback Machine ." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. October 26, 1995. Retrieved December 30, 2010. Enter the SID "05422564."
  117. ↑ Graczyk, Michael (October 28, 1995). "A grim, isolated life in prison seems likely for Selena's killer". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved November 14, 2011.(subscription required)
  118. ↑ Cavazos, Mary Ann (April 1, 2008). "Selena's Killer Asks Court to Review Writ". Corpus Christi Caller-Times . Corpus Christi, Texas. Retrieved April 6, 2008.
  119. ↑ Gliatto, Tom (December 23, 1996). "Picks and Pans Review: The Selena Murder Trial: the E! True Hollywood Story". People . 46 (26). Retrieved March 23, 2015.
  120. ↑ National Briefing Southwest: Texas: Gun That Killed Singer Is To Be Destroyed The New York Times, June 8, 2002. Retrieved on July 16, 2006.
  121. ↑ Compiled, Items (June 11, 2002). "Gun used in slaying of Selena destroyed". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 26, 2011.
  122. ↑ Orozco, Cynthia. "Quintanilla, Selena". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved January 30, 2015.
  123. ↑ Carrion, Kelly (March 3, 2015). "'Selena's Secret,' Maria Celeste Arrarás Talks Of Book's New Edition". NBC News . Retrieved March 23, 2015.
  124. 1 2 3 4 5 6 White, Tyler (December 10, 2014). "Selena's killer Yolanda Saldivar really is mounting new legal effort for early release". San Antonio Express-News . Retrieved March 23, 2015.

Sources

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.