Rivera v. the State

HUNSTEIN, Justice.

Appellant Orville Francisco Cotto Rivera a/k/a Anderson Jurkewicz was convicted of malice murder, felony murder, and aggravated assault in connection with the October 16, 2011 stabbing death of Neriton Souza Do Amaral. Rivera appeals the denial of his amended motion for new trial, asserting that the trial court erred in admitting evidence of two previous incidents and trial counsel was ineffective. Finding no error, we affirm.

Viewed in the light most favorable to the jury’s verdict, the evidence adduced at trial established as follows. In the early morning hours of Sunday,…