Anthony C. Flores found not guilty

by Mindy Aguon

Guam - It took a Superior Court jury less than two full days of deliberation to find Anthony Chargualaf Flores not guilty of murder.  For the last two weeks, Flores has sat at the defense table as both the prosecution and his attorney presented their cases to the jury. 

He's been sitting in a jail cell for almost 12 years since November 12, 1999, when he was arrested for the assault of Sherri lea Taylor, who was found beaten inside her room at the Hamilton Hotel in Anigua.  Taylor died eight days later at the Naval Hospital. 

Seven doctors disagreed on her cause of death. Defense attorney Randy Cunliffe told jurors that six doctors said she died from natural causes while one physician ruled her death a homicide.  Flores was convicted of Taylor's death several years ago but won an appeal to the Guam Supreme Court after jurors were never polled about a witness' interview with KUAM News during the middle of his trial. 

This morning Flores sat next to his defense team anxiously awaiting the reading of the verdict.  When the not guilty verdict was read, Flores looked overjoyed and said, "Si yu'us ma'ase" to the jurors as they exited Judge Elizabeth Barrett Anderson's courtroom.

The judge said she would sign a release order for Flores today and an order to expunge his case.