Trial begins for suspects in home invasions

By Matt Pordum (contact)

Thursday, Dec. 2, 2004 | 9:41 a.m.

Opening arguments were heard on Wednesday in the case of two men accused of invading two separate homes in Las Vegas in January; the men were allegedly armed and robbed the occupants of the homes after tying them up.

Dewan Blackburn, 24, and Bruce Bolden, 23, each face 16 assorted counts of robbery with a deadly weapon, kidnapping and home invasion in connection with the Jan. 17 and Jan. 27 incidents.

Chief Deputy District Attorney David Schwartz prefaced his opening argument by saying "bad things come in threes" as he alleged that Blackburn and Bolden were assisted by a third accomplice, Keith Maurice Williams, 24.

Williams, 24, was killed by police in a shootout that ensued when the men were apprehended on Jan. 27.

Blackburn and Bolden will not face second-degree murder charges because that charge was dismissed months earlier following a pre-trial motion. The co-defendants were originally charged with murder under the state's felony murder law for the death of Williams because his death occurred during the commission of a felony.

Schwartz focused the majority of his argument on the evening of Jan. 21 when he alleges the three men invaded the home of Vincenzo Mugno at 4155 North Durango, which he shared with his wife, Ute Brunk-Mugno, and daughter Natalie Mugno.

He said while Vincenzo Mugno was "preparing for bed in the safety and security of his home a very frightening thing occurred." Schwartz said as Vincenzo Mugno was checking the front door, masked intruders stormed through the door.

Schwartz said while one of the intruders forced Vincenzo Mugno to the ground and asked "Where's the safe? Where's the money?" a second intruder forced Ute Brunk-Mugno to the ground at gunpoint and began tying up her legs and hands. Vincenzo Mugno would later be "pistol whipped" and tied up as well.

He said the intruders then began removing a television, computer, jewelry, cash, and four Samurai swords; to their surprise daughter Natalie Mugno came home from a date. After parking her car, she noticed a red four-door Toyota with the engine running in front of the house.

Although she, too, would later be forced to the ground at gunpoint and tied up, her observation of the car would ultimately lead to the arrest of Bolden and Blackburn, according to Schwartz, as well as the death of their friend during the police shoot-out.

Schwartz went on to briefly discuss the alleged crime that the defendants committed at the home of James and Victoria Rothermel on Jan. 17. He said that the testimony of the Rothermels will match the events that happened at the Mugno house.

The defense attorneys for Blackburn and Bolden both argued the case boiled down to two elements: identification and participation.

Although both defense attorneys argued their respective clients had absolutely nothing to do with the invasion, kidnapping and robbery alleged at the Rothermel home, they both expressed a different story as to the identity of the man allegedly in the get-away car at the invasion of the Mugno home.

Bolden's attorney, Kirk Kennedy, told the jury Bolden was outside the home of the Mugnos saying it was a "given" his client was outside of the house in the running car. He said his client was "merely there and not a knowing participant" to the invasion, kidnapping and robbery that is alleged to occur.

Blackburn's attorney, Jonathan MacArthur, however, told the jury it was Blackburn who was sitting outside the Mungo residence in the running car. He said his client was drunk, and initially agreed to join Bolden and Williams in robbing the Mugnos.

MacArthur said once at the scene Blackburn "got scared" and decided to stay in the car while Bolden and Blackburn broke into the Mugno home.

Both Bolden's attorney and Blackburn's attorney said the prosecution would be unable to produce evidence or witnesses who can identify their clients or suggest which one committed which act alleged against them.

While Schwartz focused on what the jury would hear during testimony, Kennedy took time to stress what they wouldn't hear. He said there was absolutely no evidence to suggest his client had anything to do with the invasion of the Rothermel home.

MacArthur echoed his colleague in saying no evidence existed to place his client at the scene of the Rothermel invasion, or in the home during the invasion of the Mugno home.

The prosecution is scheduled to continue its case on Thursday morning before District Judge Lee Gates.