Puerto Rico court denies new murder trial to judge’s son

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Puerto Rico’s Supreme Court has denied a new trial to the son of a U.S. district court judge found guilty of killing his wife.

The judges revoked an appeals court decision that awarded a new trial to Pablo Casellas based on the premise that he should have been found guilty by a unanimous verdict.

The island’s Supreme Court late Tuesday upheld a local law that states suspects can be found guilty by a majority of nine of 12 jurors.

Casellas was found guilty in January 2014 on charges including murder and destroying evidence. His wife, 46-year-old Carmen Paredes, was fatally shot at their home in a wealthy suburb.

Casellas’ father is U.S. District Court Judge Salvador Casellas, a former Puerto Rico treasury secretary appointed to the federal bench in 1994.