The #8 story on our countdown of the Top Stories of 2019 is the July decision issue by the Supreme Court of Guam to vacate the conviction of former police officer Mark Torre, Jr. for the 2015 shooting death of fellow police officer Elbert Piolo.

"I still lost my friend, and unfortunately I think that's the narrative that got lost...along the way," Torre said. "Please not forget that Bert was my friend. Although we may not have spent many, many times together, the brotherhood that comes with police work and on top of that the specialized friendship in being a member of the SWAT community, because it so small, please remember that we're friends and I hope one day we can embrace each other."

The Supreme Court ruled that when responding officers questioned Torre about the shooting, he was technically under custody, which means he should have been read his Miranda Rights against self-incrimination. So a key body cam video interrogation should not have been admissible and was not harmless error.

"This serves as a message to the Guam Police Department and the Attorney General's Office: they should not be prosecuting cases and using evidence, where people's constitutional rights have been violated," Defense attorney Jay Arriola said. 

Piolo's family took to the streets, demanding justice and holding a rally in Hagatna.

"Right now, I feel disgusted because four years already and we don't have the justice for my son," his father, Ely said. "Waiting for mercy from God, that's what we are going to do now and just keep fighting for justice, we are not going to stop, we are not going to stop."

Two weeks after the Supreme Court vacated the decision, the Attorney General's Office announced it would retry the case. Trial is scheduled for next year.