Thursday, October 12, 1995: Testimony of Celia Soliz
Judge: Call your next witness
Sterling: The State calls Celia Soliz
Witness is sworn in.
Sterling: Please state your full name.
Soliz: Celia Soliz
Sterling: How old are you?
Soliz: 25
Sterling: What do you do for a living?
Soliz: I work at Selena, Inc.
Sterling: How long have you worked there?
Soliz: About a year and a half.
Sterling: So you started there the second week of February, 1994?
Soliz: Yes
Sterling: Who hired you?
Soliz: Selena
Sterling: What did you do there?
Soliz: Manicurist
Sterling: Are you busy?
Soliz: Yes
Sterling: In 1995 were you working at the boutique?
Soliz: Yes
Sterling: Who was your supervisor? Who did you work with everyday?
Soliz: We had a couple of managers.
Sterling: What were their duties?
Soliz: They managed the boutique.
Sterling: Did you have meetings, etc.
Soliz: Yes
Sterling: How did you keep tract of the commissions and payroll.
Soliz: Sales tickets were turned over to Laurie and she would put them in a box under the register.
Sterling: You say you were at the boutique in March, 1995?
Soliz: Yes
Sterling: Did you receive a phone call at the boutique on the day of the shooting of Selena?
Soliz: Yes
Sterling: Who made that phone call?
Soliz: Selena
Sterling: What did she tell you on the phone?
Soliz: She said she was going to run over and have a meeting with Yolanda concerning her job.
Sterling: Was Selena concerned about the job?
Soliz: Yes, she was very upset.
Tinker: Objection - calls for speculation.
Judge: Overruled.
Sterling: How was your relationship with the other employees?
Soliz: We just worked together.
Sterling: But how was your relationship?
Soliz: Strictly business.
Tinker: Objection.
Judge: Restate.
Sterling: Did you get the idea that there was a conflict among the employees?
Soliz: There were arguments.
Sterling: Did anything else happen at Selena's house?
Soliz: She received a phone call.
Sterling: Was she calm?
Soliz: She was very upset.
Sterling: What were you doing at the time of the phone call?
Soliz: I was doing her nails.
Sterling: What time was this?
Soliz: Around 5:30.
Sterling: Selena received a phone call from an employee and was very upset?
Soliz: Yes
Sterling: Did you know any of the phone numbers.
Soliz: No, none were local.
Sterling: What were you doing at the time of the phone call?
Soliz: I was working on her nails.
Sterling: Anything else?
Soliz: No
Sterling: Did a phone call go through?
Soliz: She talked to Yolanda.
Sterling: As a result of that phone call ......
Tinker: Objection
Judge: Overruled
Judge dismissed jury.
Sterling: Your Honor, may I have a moment. Prosecution lawyers conferred among themselves.
Sterling: Your Honor - (conversation with judge unintelligible).
Judge: There seems to be information that I do not know about which might cause a reversal - (Judge's remarks were unintelligible.
Valdez then stood and cited cases relative to certain information regarding reversal situations.
Judge: Is this witness going to be available for recall?
Valdez: It appears to be exactly the same kind of testimony so I don't want to make an issue.
Judge: Bring in the jury.
Sterling: What time did Selena leave the boutique?
Soliz: Around 5:30
Sterling: Was that the last time you saw her?
Soliz: No, I followed her home.
Sterling: Why?
Tinker: Objection.
Judge: Overruled.
Defense Rebuttal:
Tinker: How long did you work at the boutique?
Soliz: About one year
Tinker: Were you already an acquaintance or friend?
Soliz: No
Tinker: Did you apply for the job - did you go there for the purpose of giving assistance?
Soliz: No - I went to see the boutique.
Tinker: Did Selena recognize you?
Soliz: Yes.
Tinker: Was the clothing business in operation at that time?
Soliz: Yes.
Tinker: Was that business a growing business at that time?
Soliz: Yes.
Tinker: You were required to keep records of the salon, giving percentage of the business?
Soliz: No
Tinker: That was paid by check?
Soliz: Yes
Tinker: Was Selena there all the time?
Soliz: Most of the time.
Tinker: Then you say she was in most of the time?
Soliz: About 3 days a week.
Tinker: Sometimes she would be in Monterrey?
Soliz: Yes
Further questioning by Prosecution:
Sterling: You stated that you were paid by Yolanda Saldivar?
Soliz: Yes
Sterling: Were there any times you were unable to cash your check?
Tinker: Objection.
Judge: Overruled.
Soliz: Yes.
Sterling: What did you do?
Soliz: I spoke to Selena and she wrote me another check.
Sterling: Do you remember when that was?
Soliz: The end of February or beginning of March.
Sterling: Where did you try to cash your check?
Soliz: Nations Bank.
Sterling: You do not know the account name or number?
Soliz: No.
Judge: Witness may step down.
Editor's note: Blanca Padilla and Patricia Biggs also testified Thursday
