Jury selected for Solis trial
Testimony starts on Thursday
EPHRATA - The jury was selected for the trial of Miguel Solis Jr. of Moses Lake at the Grant County Courthouse in Ephrata.
The eight-woman, four-man jury started hearing evidence yesterday for the two- to three-week trial. Solis, 24, is charged with attempted murder in the first degree, kidnapping in the first degree and unlawful possession of a firearm.
Grant County Superior Court Judge John Antosz said the 87-person pool of potential jurors was larger than normal.
Miguel Solis Jr., along with his brother Jose Solis, 20, Moses Lake, allegedly took Hugo Fuentes Astudillo from Pasco, Wash., to an area within the Columbia National Wildlife Refuge boundaries, 20 miles south of Moses Lake, according to Grant County Superior Court records. When the car stopped they told Astudillo to get out of the vehicle.
Once the man was outside, Miguel Solis Jr. allegedly called Astudillo a "snitch," according to court records. Then he reportedly took out a .38 caliber pistol and shot the man in the neck. When Astudillo started to run, Jose Solis allegedly fired at the man.
"You're going to hear a man get up here and say he was shot in the early morning hours in the Columbia Wildlife region," Grant County Prosecutor John Knodell said.
Astudillo reportedly hid in a pool of water and after escaping the brothers, he walked for a while until he found a driver. He was shot in the neck and the shoulder.
Police identified Miguel Solis Jr. through a tattoo on his neck and on his face, according to court records. When he was questioned by police, he reportedly told them he was in Pasco, Wash., with a friend.
Mike Haas, Miguel Solis Jr.'s attorney, asked jurors to reflect on whether they believed they could be objective.
"Just because he's accused, doesn't necessarily mean he did it," he said. "Stop and think about one of the people you really respect. Now I just handed you a piece of paper accusing him of child molestation … You'd say, 'No way. Prove it."
If convicted, Miguel Solis Jr. faces a maximum term of life for the charges of attempted murder and kidnapping. The charge of unlawful possession of a firearm in the first degree carries a maximum sentence of 10 years.