Jerry Cox Acquitted of Daiquiri Store Armed Robberies in Jefferson Parish.
A Jefferson Parish jury unanimously acquitted a 24 year old man on 2 counts of armed robbery that occurred at 2 separate Daiquiri outlets on Jan 5th and Jan 6th, 2002
Cox was charged when his friend, Carl Monvoison, admitted that he drove the gateway vehicle after Cox robbed the Daiquiri shop on West Esplanade and Clearview. Monvoison’s girlfriend also identified Cox as the gunman and testified that Cox ran back to their truck and admitted to having just committed the offense. The victim Sean Laurca, could identify no one in that robbery, but a similar robbery of the following day produced a positive ID of Cox by a victim.
Carl Pilie was robbed at Bayou Daiquiri’s on Veterans Blvd and picked on Cox photo from a photo lineup. The gunman in both cases wore identical jackets, has a scruffy beard, and used a black handgun. He testified that he was positive that Cox was the gunman.
Cox’s attorney, Thomas Calogero, argued that no physical evidence linked Cox to either robbery. Calogero pointed out that Detectives failed to show Monvoison’s photo to the victim, and failed to search Monvoison’s house for evidence in order to exclude him as a suspect. Monvoison and Cox had similar facial features, therefore the identification of Cox by the victim was subject to mistake, he argued.
Monvoison pled guilty to Accessory After the Fact and received a 2-year sentence prior to testifying against Cox. The jury deliberated for 90 minutes before reaching their verdict.
