PORT ANGELES -- The murder trial of a Forks man accused of shooting the ex-boyfriend of his female friend will begin Monday.
Etienne Choquette of Forks will be tried in an eight- to 10-day trial for charges stemming from the Sept. 24, 2009, incident.
Forks police said he shot Antonio Rodriguez Maldonado, 33, at about 11 p.m. that day -- first in the upper body, then in the back of the head.
The .38-caliber revolver was found in the Quillayute River, where police said Choquette threw it.
Rodriguez's former girlfriend, Kellie L. White, 32, also of Forks, originally was arrested on investigation of conspiracy to commit murder.
Police have said she allegedly told Choquette at least five times that she wanted Rodriguez dead.
No charges were filed, and she was released.
Police also said Choquette told them White had said Rodriguez had assaulted her the same day Choquette killed him.
If convicted and if he has no prior felonies, Choquette could be sentenced from 20 to 20 ½ years and fined up to $50,000.
The maximum sentence is life in prison.
A decision in October determined that Choquette's statements to police immediately after he was arrested can be used against him.
The defense had made a motion to exclude his statements because he wasn't re-advised of his rights during the second interview, according to court documents.
Clallam County Superior Court Judge Brooke Taylor ruled that because Choquette testified that he had understood his rights at the time and because he was properly advised of his right to remain silent at the beginning of the interview process, his statements could be used, according to court documents.
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