A first-of-its-kind case for San Luis Obispo County, winding down with closing statements this week.
Tremaine Jones, Heather Hunt and Joshua Murphy are all on trial for sex trafficking and pimping of a 15-year-old girl.
The charges stem from their arrest in San Luis Obispo as part of an undercover operation in January of 2021.
Kicking off closing arguments for the prosecution was Deputy District Attorney Kimberly Dittrich.
She listed the counts against Murphy, which also include child pornography and child sex crimes, telling the court that his relationship with then-15-year-old Jazmin Doe was one out of fear and coercion.
Dittrich cited testimony from Jazmin and other expert witnesses, outlining what she said were behaviors that indicate the teen was forced into prostitution.
Meanwhile, Murphy's attorney Addison Steele argued as he did during opening statements that the case is all about context; the context of the exchanges between Murphy and dissecting Jazmin's testimony during the trial and her interview with police back in 2021 to look for gaps. Steele explained that the most arduous part of the trial has been trying to contextualize all the messages between Murphy and Jazmin Doe.
In closing statements, Steele referred to the teen as a "lying liar that lies a lot" multiple times during closing arguments. Dittrick rebutted and called it disgusting, urging the Murphys’ jury to find him guilty.
“It's been a very long and grueling jury trial," Steele said. "But in the end, it is clear to me that these allegations have not been proven beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Steele also explained that they are conceding to the fifth count of Murphy's charge, which is lewd and lascivious act upon a child, given that there is video evidence and that Jazmin Doe was 15 years old at the time.
The three-jury trial allows for more evidence and confession to be admissible. The alternative in a case like this would be to hold three separate jury trials where a lot of the information would be repeated and would take longer. It's the first multiple-jury trial here at this courthouse.
With three jurors all handing down separate verdicts, it's the first time a multiple jury trial has taken place in SLO County. The district attorney's office is not commenting on the case until all verdicts are reached. However, it is expected to happen sometime within a week.
Defendant Hunts' closing statements begin Wednesday.
