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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; A convicted killer alleges prosecutors withheld evidence a key trial witness admitted to lying at an earlier proceeding.</p><p>Joshua Carlos Ovalles, 21, filed appeal papers Friday in Luzerne County Court seeking acquittal or a new trial based on claims of prosecutorial misconduct and judicial error.</p><p>Judge Thomas F. Burke found Ovalles guilty at an August bench trial of first-degree murder in the July 7, 2013, fatal shooting of 24-year-old Vaughn Kemp. Ovalles was immediately sentenced to life in prison without parole.</p><p>According to testimony, Ovalles shot a fleeing Kemp outside 174 S. Grant St., Wilkes-Barre, after Kemp threw a glass bottle at Ovalles. The men allegedly were attending a party at the residence.</p><p>But Ovalles, also known as Jay Crim, claims prosecutors hid information that Erik Rodriguez, 18, admitted to committing perjury at a preliminary hearing in the matter, and failed intentionally to document the admission and change of statement.</p><p>Rodriguez provided two dramatically different stories, testifying in 2013 to hearing gunshots while playing video games and looking outside to see Ovalles holding a gun. At trial he said he observed the entire incident and saw Ovalles shoot Kemp.</p><p>Assistant District Attorney Mamie Phillips, the case&#8217;s lead prosecutor, after the verdict called Rodriguez&#8217;s testimony the turning point in her case against Ovalles.</p><p>Ovalles&#8217;s appeal document alleges further that Burke erred in denying the defendant&#8217;s motion to declare a violation of trial procedure based on the claim prosecutors withheld evidence.</p><p>He also argues the evidence presented at trial was insufficient for a first-degree murder conviction and says the verdict goes against the weight of the evidence presented.</p><p>Ovalles&#8217;s life sentence will follow a 20-to-40-year sentence he is serving for attempted homicide and aggravated assault in another 2013 shooting.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Ovalles </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/web1_Ovalles_TTL081315Ovalles_jom_12.jpg</photo0><caption0>Ovalles </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By James O&#8217;Malley</p><p>jomalley@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach James O&#8217;Malley at 570-991-6390 or on Twitter @TL_omalley.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Convicted killer claims prosecutors hid evidence key witness admitted perjury