Crime & Safety
Family Feeling Positive About Retrial
A judge is letting in more character evidence during the retrial of a man accused of killing his business associate in a Wine Country B&B, and the suspect's family is glad about it.
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The family of a man accused of killing his business associate in a Wine Country B&B is feeling positive about his retrial.
Louis Joseph DiBernardo, 60, was found guilty of kidnapping and making threats, but the jury was hung on whether he killed Victor Borcherds in The Castle B&B.
Find out what's happening in Temeculawith free, real-time updates from Patch.
To read about the jury's verdict, .
Today, family members said they were feeling hopeful about the retrial.
DiBernardo appeared in a court today at the in French Valley as part of his retrial. To read about Monday's hearing in his retrial,
Find out what's happening in Temeculawith free, real-time updates from Patch.
His wife, Sherry, finished her testimony today, and the defendant took the stand to testify in his defense. His testimony is expected to continue tomorrow.
The main reason for his family's optimism is due to having a new judge, said Leana Derouin, DiBernardo's daughter.
The last judge, Timothy Freer, barred the jury from hearing some evidence pertaining to DiBernardo's -- and the victim's -- characters.
"He didn't seem fair," Derouin said.
This time, Judge Angel Bermudez is allowing some of that evidence to be heard. "I feel good about that," the daughter said.
Sherry DiBernardo was allowed to tell the jury about her husband's history on Monday.
Louis DiBernardo started a citrus business in Portland, Oregon, and then founded Temecula Bank in 1996 when he moved his family to Temecula.
The bank was closed by the California Department of Financial Institutions in 1999, though it reopened a short time later as the . according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.
To read about the closure, click here.
He was also a board member of Commerce Bank and a volunteer for numerous civic groups, Sherry DiBernardo said.
Derouin was unable, however, to tell how the jury was reacting to the testimony.
"This jury, I can't read at all. They're just straight-faced," she said.
More than 100 friends of Louis DiBernardo crowded into the courthouse to urge a judge to release him on bail.
To read about what they said, .
The defendant's wife declined to comment for this story.
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