Defendant leaves jury hanging

A Clovis man who stood trial last week on drug and criminal damage charges disappeared from the courthouse while jurors deliberated his fate, according to a news release from the district attorney’s office.

Bernardo Rodriguez disappeared Friday, just before a jury found him guilty of drug possession, possession of a dangerous drug without a prescription and criminal damage to property, the release said.

He had been free on bond in connection with the case since January.

Charges against Rodriguez stemmed from an incident in May 2005 when Clovis police were called to a local hotel and told drugs were being sold from one of the rooms. Rodriguez, 35, was found to be in possession of methamphetamine and prescriptions issued to someone else, police said.

He was facing a prison sentence of more than four years for the charges, prosecutors said. Sentencing has not taken place.

District Attorney Matt Chandler said Rodriguez was present throughout the trial and simply didn’t return for the verdict. A bench warrant was issued by the judge for failure to appear.

Rodriguez also faces charges in connection with a June 13 incident in which he was shot in the leg. Police arrested him, alleging he was shooting at or from a motor vehicle and that he was a felon in possession of a firearm. He was also released on bond following those charges. Rodriguez’s trial in the shooting case has been scheduled for November.

Police are asking anyone with information on Rodriguez to call Curry County Crime Stoppers at 763-7000.