Harlow Cuadra Found Guilty of Porn Producer's Murder
A jury today found Harlow Cuadra guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Bryan Kocis, a rival producer in the gay porn industry. Cuadra and fellow porn actor, lover, and business partner Joseph Kerekes were accused of stabbing Kocis nearly 30 times and setting fire to Kocis' home to cover it up:
"It took the jury of eight men and four women about three-and-a-half
hours to make a decision. They found Cuadra guilty of 12 charges, most
importantly the murder of Kocis. The convicted killer had nothing to say on his way out of court, but
his mother couldn't be consoled. She prayed in court before the verdict
with other family members and then wept when she heard the word
'guilty.' Cuadra's sentence is now in the hands of that same jury. They will have
to decide whether to punish him with a death sentence or life in prison. The jury will decide the penalty Friday."
A gag order has been imposed until sentencing. Kerekes, who refused to testify in Cuadra's defense, is serving a life sentence.
Watch a short video report from the Times Leader, AFTER THE JUMP...
Does anyone else wonder if the jury might have reached a different verdict had Cuadra not been a porn actor?
Posted by: peterparker | Mar 12, 2009 5:09:04 PM
... or a gay porn actor. I was wondering the same thing.
Of course, regardless being involved in a cold blooded murder and cover up doesn't necessarily fair well...
Posted by: CJ | Mar 12, 2009 5:33:07 PM
PeterParker, It looks like the evidence was pretty compelling. Cuadra, by his own admission, was there at the time of the murder, though he says his partner arrived by surprise and then attacked Kocis without warning. Evidence showed both Cuadra and Kerekes bought materials like lighter fluid in advance of the attack, though neither smokes. Also, in his testimony, Cuadra cried real tears when discussing his childhood, but later when recounting the murder, he seemed to try force tears, than never came. Some court watchers suggested he was acting, jurors likely saw it the same way. The instructions from the judge was that Cuadra need not have committed the killing himself to be convicted of first degree murder, but the jury question this morning suggests they may believe Kerekes did the actual murder. So, Cuadra may be "lucky" and avoid the death penalty. Looks like we may know as early as tomorrow.
Posted by: EricLA | Mar 12, 2009 5:43:30 PM
If Cuadra was HATEROSEXUAL he would have been charged with second-degree murder instead of first-degree. The jury would convict the HATEROSEXUAL Cuadra of some or all charges but give a light sentence.
If you are a gay criminal you will recieve worse punishment than a HATEROSEXUAL one. If you are gay victim and the perpetrator is HATEROSEXUAL you will not recieve the same justice if you were HATEROSEXUAL.
Posted by: Bill | Mar 12, 2009 5:43:55 PM
He was offered a 2nd degree plea deal, and turned it down.
Looks like that was a poor decision.
Posted by: hotsauce | Mar 12, 2009 5:55:18 PM
He's cute. His cellmate is going to be one lucky man.
Posted by: Micah J. | Mar 12, 2009 6:16:05 PM
I believe the victim was gay too. Courts often don't go too hard on criminals that kill gay people, because gay people don't really count ("he was only gay"). I find it Interesting that when a court finally convicts one of our killers in the first degree, the killer just happened to be gay too.
Posted by: Brix | Mar 12, 2009 6:48:25 PM
...despite Cuadro's recent letters claiming he was no longer gay because he reinstated his Catholic faith.
Posted by: Brix | Mar 12, 2009 6:51:09 PM
this might be inappropriate, but if i put myself in his shoes, i think i'd rather be sentenced to death than arrive for a life sentence in prison as a pretty little gay porn actor. his life in prison will be utterly dispicable hell on earth. i'd rather die at the hands of the system than slowly painfully have my soul ripped out of me.
Posted by: Matt | Mar 12, 2009 6:56:20 PM
All he has to do is hook up with a tough, butch inmate who will protect him from the wolves. They'll be lined up for that pretty motherfucker. Who knows, he might fall in love with the guy and spend those years in correctional bliss. Just like Oz.
I'd rather take my chances than be put to death and never know if I could've survived and had some hot prison love in the process.
Posted by: Micah J. | Mar 12, 2009 7:37:58 PM
I'd much sooner die. "Hot prison love" is an oxymoron.
Posted by: Paul R | Mar 12, 2009 7:53:44 PM
Oz and I Love You Phillip Morris beg to differ.
Posted by: Micah J. | Mar 12, 2009 8:00:28 PM
I saw the one porn movie he was in. He is fucking gorgeous and uber hot!!! Is it wrong of me that finding out he was in prison made my masturbatory fantasies all the hotter. Pity he couldn't have made more movies before he fucked his life up and killed someone.
Posted by: John | Mar 12, 2009 8:41:36 PM
brix wrote:
"...despite Cuadra's recent letters claiming he was no longer gay because he reinstated his Catholic faith."
What's really sad is that being gay is still something that if purged somehow makes a person on trial for murder look better? Who the hell told him to do that?
Posted by: nick | Mar 12, 2009 8:53:03 PM
@ Nick
I Know...
:(
Posted by: Rowan | Mar 12, 2009 10:00:27 PM
Gah. is anyone surprised? And his lawyer was a total retard.
Posted by: TANK | Mar 12, 2009 10:28:44 PM
Er, his lawyer(s) was completely incompetent, even...to let him take the stand...one mistake after another.
Posted by: TANK | Mar 12, 2009 10:29:33 PM
i'm surprised he didn't get a little sympathy considering the guy they killed was a pedophile.
Posted by: Salome | Mar 12, 2009 11:05:03 PM
He wasn't a pedophile... that implies the guy ran after little kiddies. He took home a fifteen year old who later admitted he lied about his age, which i think made them change the charge from pedophile to something else.
The larger point is that the gay porn industry is full of totally amoral people, not a majority but a lot, who do drugs, live crazy lifestyles, and die young from diseases, overdoses, suicides and premature heart attacks (Bret Mycles, Haus Weston, lots more). I know we want to give them a pass as valiant freedom fighters for the cause who get us off but there are disturbing things going on that we should all be concerned about.
Posted by: Freddy | Mar 13, 2009 12:50:48 AM
Freddy, I agree with you. People involved in the gay porn industry are usually not worthy of being celebrated as role models, because that's not a field you enter if you have viable options in my opinion.
I'm always a bit amused when gay publications try to paint the porn industry as making all these notable contributions to gay culture.
Do they serve a purpose? Yes. But many of them are f*cked up individuals more deserving of pity than admiration.
Posted by: Anthony in Nashville | Mar 13, 2009 1:57:06 AM
Freddy and Anthony: Right on. I always found it bothersome that the gay community (generally speaking) embraced porn actors as though they were the next messiah. Meanwhile so many great activists get unrecognized while hundreds if not thousands of people flood to the next Winter Party or event to watch porn stars get drooled over. I hated seeing gay rags putting porn stars all over the covers. I once took my mother years ago to a few bars in Boston, I was embarrassed when she asked why porn stars are such a big deal (and she is far from conservative). Makes one wonder where our priorities lie, thinking with the wrong head.
Posted by: cj | Mar 13, 2009 2:06:07 AM
It was a brutal assault, period. He got what he deserved.
Posted by: Rad | Mar 13, 2009 7:25:29 AM
To the point, I'm glad some other people actually have the same ideas about porn "stars" as I do:
http://www.dnamagazine.com.au/articles/news.asp?news_id=2369&c=145318
Posted by: Eric | Mar 13, 2009 10:56:40 AM
Following this very sad case, what strikes me is how Harlow and Brent Corrigan too, all their lives have been used, abused and manipulated by older guys interested only in exploiting them for sexual and monetary gain. I atually feel a little sorry for Harlow. I hope he gets life rather than the death penalty.
Posted by: Gary | Mar 13, 2009 1:46:50 PM
Such a sad case. What really strikes me is how both Harlow and Brent Corrigan have been used, abused and manipulated all their lives by older guys only interested in exploiting them for sexual and monetary gain.
Posted by: Gary | Mar 13, 2009 1:55:09 PM