Elderly rancher charged with murder for shooting migrant must spend another two weeks behind bars
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The elderly rancher charged with murder for shooting a Mexican migrant who trespassed on his land in Arizona begged a judge to give him his reading glasses and allow him to speak to his wife at a recent hearing.
George Alan Kelly, 73, remains in custody in Santa Cruz County, Arizona, on $1 million bail, on a single count of murder. On January 30, he shot and killed Gabriel Cuen-Butimea, 48, after he trespassed into his ranch in Kino Springs, near Nogales.
Kelly’s friends say she’s had problems before with illegal immigrants using her land to cross. The elderly rancher was jailed, where he has remained despite pleas to reduce his bail.
He has not had a chance to explain why he shot Cuen-Butimea, or if he had met him before. Arizona has defended her position and the conveyance laws, but Kelly’s attorney has yet to invoke either.
George Alan Kelly is shown in court on February 2 after his bail was set at $1 million
George Alan Kelly is shown in court on February 2 with his wife Wanda behind him in the front row. Kelly asked the judge for his reading glasses so she could read the criminal complaint in front of him, also pleading with him that he had not spoken “to anyone.”
Today, her court-appointed lawyer filed for a two-week delay, citing the overwhelming scale of the case as a reason she needed more time to prepare.
It means Kelly must stay in jail for at least another two weeks, waiting for a new lawyer or for his current lawyer to file an application.
GoFundMe has now taken down several pages created by strangers who want to help Kelly.
Meanwhile, newly obtained video shows the frail 73-year-old shuffling toward court on a pair of plastic slides.
He then asked the judge to allow him his reading glasses so he could read the charges against him.
May I ask you a question, Your Honor? I can’t read without my reading glasses… they’re not prescription, they’re just 1.5 magnification or something.
Kelly turned to look at his wife Wanda briefly before walking out of the courtroom. He said that he had not had a chance to speak to her.
“I am aware of everything I can hear and now, thanks to you, I will be aware of everything I can read,” he said.
Later, he asked for a definition of “indigent,” after the judge ruled that he probably wasn’t “indigent” enough to receive a public defender.
He had submitted financial records showing his house and ranch as collateral. It is not clear how much they are worth.
Your Honor, may I ask you a question?
‘You used the word destitute, could you give me your definition of destitute?
‘Someone doesn’t earn a certain amount, someone who doesn’t earn more than $20,000 a year.
That is more than accurate. I get it,’ she said.
Kelly is ushered into the courtroom in her prison jumpsuit and slides.
Gabriel Cuen-Butimea, 48, was shot Monday, January 30, by rancher George Alan Kelly, 73, after crossing onto Kelly’s land in Kino Springs, a remote area of Arizona just 1.5 miles from the border
Kelly’s sprawling Arizona ranch is just 1.5 miles from the Mexican border. His friends say that he has had problems with the income of immigrants.
It is not clear if he meant that it was true that he made less than $25,000 a year or that his paperwork was incomplete.
At the end of the hearing, Kelly said, ‘Your Honor, may I ask you one more question at an appropriate time?’
‘One moment, please,’ replied Justice of the Peace Emilio Velázquez.
After waiting until the judge was ready, Kelly stated: ‘I noticed I was coming in, my wife is present in court. Can I ask you to make an appointment for an audiovisual conference?
George Alan Kelly, 73, is being held on $1 million bail. He begged a judge to lower the amount and let him go to his house to help his elderly wife take care of her cattle.
I haven’t been able to talk to her or anyone.
The judge replied: ‘That is something that needs to be discussed with the detention center below. If your wife wants to contact you, she can go to the sheriff’s office.
Kelly said poorly, ‘I appreciate you giving me that instruction.’
Kelly’s bail was set at a whopping million dollars. She previously pleaded with the judge to take him down, saying that he needed to take care of his elderly wife and his cattle.
‘She’s out there all by herself… no one to take care of her, the cattle or the ranch. And I’m not going anywhere. I can’t get to a million dollars.
‘Would you consider reducing it to some degree?’ she pleaded.
Instead, the judge refused, telling her that her lawyer needed to apply, which she has not done.