LIBERTY, Mo. — The penalty phase of Joshua Rocha's murder trial continued with emotional testimony from his family members, as the defense presented evidence of trauma and developmental disabilities that shaped his life.
Due to court rules, recording was not permitted during the testimonies, but the day was filled with deeply personal revelations about Rocha's troubled past.
The proceedings began with the defense calling a clinical psychologist to testify about Rocha's upbringing and traumatic experiences. The psychologist's testimony consumed most of the morning, focusing on both Rocha's trauma history and his developmental disabilities.
In an emotional testimony, Rocha's mother revealed the devastating trauma that she and her children endured. Speaking through tears, she recounted the day her grandmother's home caught fire.
While she wasn't home at the time, her grandmother and four children, including Rocha, were inside when the fire started.
Her grandmother and two of her children did not survive the fire. Rocha's mother said neither she nor Rocha ever recovered from that tragic day.
In another significant revelation, Rocha's mother disclosed that her brother is an officer with the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department.
When Rocha told her about the shooting of Officer Daniel Vasquez, she contacted her brother for advice. It was her brother who advised her to tell Rocha to turn himself in.
The court adjourned for the day and will resume Monday morning as the penalty phase continues, with the jury ultimately deciding whether Rocha will face the death penalty or life in prison.
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