MIAMI – Inside a Miami courtroom on Tuesday was the second day of testimony from a key state witness against a man accused of shooting and killing a bicyclist on the Rickenbacker Causeway in August of 2019.
Defense attorneys had their turn cross-examining Cesar Sosa and challenging his testimony.
Kadel Piedrahita is accused of shooting and killing Alex Palencia during an early morning ride on the Rickenbacker Causeway.
Witness Cesar Sosa was back on the witness stand.
Video from a Go-Pro camera attached to his bicycle recorded what happened.
Police say Piedrahita was riding his motorcycle next to a group of bicyclists when a scuffle ensued and he shot Palencia. Piedrahita claimed it was self-defense, but prosecutors said a feud had developed days earlier.
Sosa had testified that Piedrahita had threatened him.
During cross-examination, the defense asked Sosa if he had edited video from the Go Pro Camera. He denied doing that. And he was also asked why he had given so many interviews to the media.
The motive is not clear, but Palencia’s daughter has said Palencia and Piedrahita knew each other. She said her father had sold Piedrahita some type of insurance and Piedrahita went on an angry tirade on Facebook, calling her father a con man.
Piedrahita is charged with 2nd degree murder.
He has pleaded not guilty.
The trial resumes at 1 pm on Wednesday.
