Prosecutors, defense squabble over ‘Witness A’ findings in ‘Junior’ stabbing case

The last day of pretrial hearings wrapped up quickly Thursday in the murder case of Lesandro “Junior” Guzman-Feliz.
Prosecutors say Junior, 15, died after being slashed in the neck last June by members of the Trinitarios gang outside a bodega in Belmont.
The defense attorneys and prosecution disputed the admissibility of what one witness told police.
According to one detective’s testimony over the last couple of weeks, “Witness A" identifies the alleged killers through Facebook photos and surveillance video of the killing, not by what he saw that night.
Witness A is also said to have been in a car with Jose Muniz — the defendant suspected of killing Junior – after the stabbing.
The defense argues Witness A never actually saw the killing and questions if his familiarity with the defendants is sufficient enough to bring into court and in front of a jury. Prosecutors believe otherwise.
The defense teams and prosecutors will meet privately with the judge Monday to determine what is admissible in court for the trial. It begins April 15.
A total of 14 suspects have been charged in Junior’s death.