Convicted Murder Joseph Kerekes Reaches Out

After the recent premiere of "King Cobra" - a salacious movie directed by Justin Kelley, based on our true crime book "Cobra Killer". I unexpectedly heard from one of the convicted murderer's, Joseph Kerekes, who's character was played by the world-renowned actor, James Franco,

Joe wanted to know if I would be willing to post a few new pictures of him and Harlow Cuadra, that had never been seen before by the general public...

I said ' sure, why not? '... so here they are, as odd as it may seem:

Joseph Kerekes &; Harlow Cuadra

Joseph Kerekes in Prison

Harlow Cuadra in Prison

Buy the Book...

' When he was called to testify in court, Joe Kerekes sat mute about the murder of Bryan Kocis. Outside of court, he told the authors of Cobra Killer that he and his partner Harlow Cuadra went to Pennsylvania with "a job to do" that included the murder of a key rival.'

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International Sales:

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Harlow Cuadra Loses his Appeal... Again.

From the Times Leader:

"Convicted murderer Harlow Cuadra believed he deserved a new trial because his defense lawyers were ineffective and failed to present evidence his partner was the actual killer.

The state Superior Court on Friday rejected Cuadra’s request for relief, upholding his life sentence for the brutal slaying of Bryan Kocis on Jan. 24, 2007.

A Luzerne County jury — after a three-week trial before former judge Peter Paul Olszewski Jr. in March 2009 — convicted Cuadra, 33, with killing Kocis, 44, inside Kocis’ Dallas Township home he set ablaze in an attempt to cover up the murder.

Prosecutors alleged Cuadra and his partner, Joseph Kerekes, 41, planned to kill Kocis, their rival in the pornography industry.

Kerekes pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison.

Cuadra sought relief for his conviction claiming his trial lawyers, Joseph D’Andrea and Paul Walker, were ineffective and failed to object to several questions by Olszewski. Cuadra also claimed his trial lawyers failed to introduce evidence that Kerekes was responsible for Kocis’ murder.

D’Andrea and Walker were appointed to defend Cuadra three months before the trial that ended with the jury conviction on March 12, 2009.

The appellate court ruled questions by Olszewski in the presence of the jury were neither bias or prejudicial toward Cuadra.

“The trial court’s questioning of Cuadra merely clarified Cuadra’s narrative of the events surrounding the homicide and the actions of Joseph Kerekes,” the Superior Court ruled.

Cuadra testified in his own defense that he was inside Kocis’ house modeling for a position with Kocis’ company, Cobra Video, when a jealous Kerekes rushed in and killed Kocis.

Olszewski asked Cuadra if he saw Kerekes holding a knife and if Kerekes carried anything inside Kocis’ residence.

Cuadra further argued his trial lawyers failed to show the jury he was under duress claiming Kerekes was dominant and abusive in their relationship.

Defense strategy taken by D’Andrea and Walker during the trial attempted to convince the jury Kerekes was the killer, not Cuadra. A duress defense would have suggested Kerekes forced Cuadra to kill Kocis, which wasn’t offered during the trial.

The Superior Court ruled the two separate defense strategies would have confused the jury.

Cuadra’s conviction has been upheld by the Superior Court on direct appeal on Oct. 14, 2010."

The entire court's opinion can be found here.

Snapped: Killer Couples

Co-authors Andrew E. Stoner and Peter A. Conway have been interviewed by "Snapped: Killer Couples" on the Oxygen Channel - for an upcoming episode about the brutal murder of Bryan Kocis at the hands of Harlow Cuadra and Joseph Kerekes - based off our book Cobra Killer. It will air later this fall.

Still No News...

After 7 months since my last post, there is still no new news to report in regards to Harlow Cuadra's fight for a new trial. One reliable source tells me that they "haven't seen anything get filed. PCRA's can go on for years".

So it looks like the waiting game will just continue.

Filed Yesterday...

Harlow Cuadra makes National Headlines Again...

From local newspapers like The Times Leader and Citizens Voice, to national affiliates like the San Diego Gay & Lesbian News and Associated Press... Harlow's attempt at getting an appeal really seems to be making the rounds. Ironically, I've been covering the story on this blog since 2009, and then there's the original that was created in 2007. It's Déjà vu.

In the PCRA Petition and subsequent filings, Harlow's attorney, Demetrius Fannick, brings up the following arguments:

1. Harlow's trial attorneys, Paul Walker and Joseph D'Andrea, did not have sufficient time to prepare for his defense.
2. Co-defendant Joseph Kerekes is the actual killer.
3. Witnesses testified Kerekes was an abusive boyfriend and business partner and controlled Harlow.
4. Walker and D'Andrea did not raise a duress defense due to Kerekes' controlling power over Cuadra.
5. Disqualification of attorney Demetrius Fannick from defending Cuadra after Fannick had met with Kerekes in jail. Cuadra and Kerekes had separate defense strategies.
6. Trial Judge Peter Paul Olszewski Jr. permitted prosecutors to play for the jury a video of Cuadra lifting weights.

Here's my two cents on the matter:

1. During this most recent hearing, D’Andrea stated: “Time did not play a factor in the preparation of this case." I would see no reason for him to lie. Though I would agree that a couple of months seems rather short to prepare for a Capital Murder Trial, it's also quite evident that the attorneys' didn't have much to work with.
2. According to the trial transcripts, neither side really pushed Kerekes when he came into court and double-crossed Cuadra. He said, "I don't want to talk and hurt my parents" and that was it. Other than Harlow making the claim that Joe's the killer, there really isn't any factual proof.
3. Not much effort was made to paint Cuadra as anything other than a prostitute - most of the character witnesses they had were people who really didn't know him.
4. I find Fannick's argument of duress odd. I agree with the notion that you really only argue that if you are going to admit the act - which Cuadra likely won't do. Not to mention the fact that it was stated by his own trial attorneys' that Cuadra was "not forthcoming" about even being at the scene until the trial.
5. The disqualification of Demetrius Fannick was justified. Fannick refused to take the stand, under oath, to testify that he didn't discuss the case with Kerekes - enough said.
6. According to my past and current interviews with several jurors, the "Big House Gym" video really didn't sway their decision. In reality, would it even matter? After all, it was the defense that showed the Black's Beach video showing Harlow throwing a football 'like a girl' - you can't have it both ways.

With the above, and the fact that Harlow took the stand and admitted to being at the scene of the crime, witnessing the murder, and even helping to loot and burn the house - I don't see a new trial being granted.

- PC