Cuadra Attorneys Ask for Separate Trial, Change of Venue

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — Defense attorneys for accused murder suspect Harlow Cuadra have petitioned the judge in the case to hold separate trials for Cuadra and ex-partner Joseph Kerekes, according to a report.

The pair stands accused of the January 2007 murder of rival gay adult film producer Bryan Kocis.

The request for separate trials came on Friday, following dismissal on a motion from Kerekes attorneys to prevent nearly 100 potential witnesses from testifying against Kerekes and reputing his planned alibi defense, the TimesLeader.com reported. According to documents submitted by the prosecution, Kerekes may have made comments to several witnesses implicating Cuadra for the murder.

Cuadra’s attorneys — Paul Galante, Mike Senape, and Steve Menn — argued that if prosecutors present Kerekes’ statements at trial, the jury might be prejudiced. In a joint trial, defense lawyers for Cuadra would be unable to challenge Kerekes, thereby denying Cuadra his right of confrontation toward statements made by Kerekes.

Cuadra’s attorneys also have asked for a change of venue or to have a jury brought from outside of Luzerne County, Pa., where they claim that pre-trial publicity may affect potential jurors impartiality.

They also requested that photographs of the victim not be displayed at trial, claiming them to be “inflammatory.” They motioned to have comments made by Cuadra to the police disallowed at trial, saying that their client was not properly informed of his rights at the time. They also motioned for several pieces of evidence to be kept out of the trial, including a conversation recorded at a San Diego beach not long after the Kocis murder, as well as property seized from their client’s former residence in Virginia.

Judge Peter Paul Olszewski Jr. will rule on the motion once prosecution attorneys have filed their response to the motions.

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Strike 3 Holdings Sues Meta for Pirating Vixen Media Group Content to Train AI

Vixen Media Group owner Strike 3 Holdings filed suit in federal court this week, accusing Facebook parent company Meta of copyright infringement and alleging that Meta has extensively pirated VMG content to train its artificial intelligence models.

Raging Stallion Drops Final Installment of 'Junk in the Trunk'

Falcon/Nakedsword studio brand Raging Stallion has released the final installment of “Junk in the Trunk.”

Friday is Final AV Compliance Deadline in UK

Friday, July 25 marks U.K. media regulator Ofcom’s deadline for user-to-user services such as tube, cam and fan sites to implement its requisite “highly effective age assurance” measures for preventing minors from viewing adult content.

Andy Rodrigues, Jake Mathews & Jolian Star in New Scene From Men.com

Andy Rodrigues, Jake Mathews, and Jolian star in a new scene from Men.com, titled “Heatwave.”

Two Texas Bills Restricting Sex Toy Sales Fail to Pass

Two bills aimed at restricting sales of sex toys have failed to pass the Texas state legislature during its 2025 session.

NYC Adult Stores Petition for Rehearing in Zoning Law Case

A group of adult businesses on Tuesday petitioned the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit to rehear a case involving a zoning law that could severely limit adult stores’ operations in New York City.

Ofcom Releases Transparency Reporting Guidelines

Ofcom, the U.K. media regulator, has made public its official guidance detailing how online service providers — including adult sites — will be required to publish annual transparency reports on their efforts to protect children from online harms.

New AV Rules Take Effect for Ireland-Based Sites

Ireland’s Online Safety Code came into force Monday, including a provision requiring adult sites headquartered in Ireland to implement age assurance measures beyond self-declaration.

Texas Resumes AV Lawsuit Against Aylo Following SCOTUS Decision

A district court judge in Texas has unfrozen the state’s $1.6 million lawsuit against Aylo for allegedly failing to comply with age verification requirements, Bloomberg Law is reporting.

Paddy O'Brian, Dean Young Headline 1st Installment of Falcon/MenAtPlay Collab 'To The Nines'

Paddy O’Brian stars with Dean Young in the debut installment of "To The Nines," Falcon's first collaborative release with MenAtPlay.

Show More