Previous Story
Man testifies of how terrified he was when Borja pointed gun at his head
A man testified yesterday how terrified he was when Ji Jing Borja allegedly pointed a gun at him shortly after he asked for cigarettes from him.
“I felt scared, shaking. I thought I was going to die that night,” said the 22-year-old Jerry J. Sammy, who took the witness stand during yesterday’s start of the jury trial of Borja.
Sammy said he and some friends had been drinking on the evening of Jan. 4, 2012, when they proceeded to western Garapan. Sammy said he saw Borja near a store and asked him for a cigarette. He said it was his first time to met Borja.
Sammy said Borja replied that he had no cigarettes.
Sammy said he may have said something that offended Borja, who left and then returned and pointed a gun at his head. The alleged victim said Borja asked him if he wanted to die.
During cross-examination by defense counsel Daniel Guidotti, Sammy said he did not recall telling the police during interview that he saw Borja had cigarettes.
Sammy said he also could not remember swearing at Borja.
Sammy admitted that he was convicted in 2009 for breaking into Jonny’s Bar and Grill in Garapan.
When Guidotti showed a Superior Court’s order, he corrected that he was actually convicted in July 2010 and was slapped with six months in prison.
Sammy also denied that he was still on probation when the incident with Borja happened.
But when Guidotti showed him the same court order, Sammy admitted he was indeed under probation at that time.
Before Sammy’s testimony, assistant attorney general Chemere McField called police detective Elias Saralu and evidence custodian Marylou Tanaka.
Saralu testified that he responded to the scene after he was dispatched to the Paseo de Marianas that night of Jan. 4, 2012.
Saralu said it was the 911 caller, a security guard, who handed him the Ruger P89 9mm handgun that was allegedly recovered from Borja.
Saralu said the handgun had no bullet.
Saralu said the alleged victim identified Borja in a six-photo lineup that he showed him.
The government earlier dropped the charge of unlawful possession of a firearm against Borja.
The jury trial is proceeding with the remaining charges of assault with a dangerous weapon and disturbing the peace.
Borja is presently out on bail.
