Trial of man accused of killing cyclist on Rickenbacker Causeway continues
MIAMI - A key state witness testified Tuesday for the second day in the trial of a man accused of shooting and killing a bicyclist on the Rickenbacker Causeway in August 2019.
Defense attorneys had their turn cross-examining the witness, Cesar Sosa, and challenging his testimony in the trial of Kadel Piedrahita. Piedrahita is accused of shooting and killing Alex Palencia during an early morning ride on the Rickenbacker Causeway.
Video from a GoPro camera attached to Sosa's 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 testified that Piedrahita had threatened him.
During cross-examination, the defense asked Sosa if he had edited video from the GoPro camera. He denied doing that. 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 second-degree murder. He has pleaded not guilty.
The trial was scheduled to resume at 1 p.m. on Wednesday.
