Deliberations begin in financially motivated murder trial of Palm Springs retiree

The fate of Miguel Bustamante, a man previously convicted in the murder of a Palm Springs retiree, now rests in the hands of the jury as they deliberate in his retrial. The case is centered on a financially motivated scheme that from more than a decade ago.

After hearing closing arguments from the prosecution and defense, the jury began their deliberations late Thursday morning at the Larson Justice Center in Indio. The prosecutor emphasized the need for a conviction, while the defense maintained the innocence of their client.

The murder case revolves around the 2008 death of Clifford Lambert, a wealthy 74-year-old art dealer. Bustamante, now 40 years old, was convicted in the first trial but appealed the verdict along with four other defendants after the discovery of secretly recorded homophobic statements made by the now-retired judge.

In his closing statement, Deputy District Attorney Robert Hightower accused Bustamante of prioritizing money over Lambert's life. Hightower alleged that Bustamante, along with a group of conspirators, stabbed Lambert to death at his Palm Springs home before disposing of his body along a highway in Los Angeles County.

"This defendant, by his own hand, made a decision that money was more important than Mr. Lambert's life," Hightower said. "Because of that, this defendant is guilty on all of the charges in front of you."

In contrast, defense attorney Bosky Kathuria reminded the jurors that Bustamante is presumed innocent and claimed that his client had been manipulated by Kaushal Niroula, another alleged conspirator.

"He was an unwitting pawn recruited in Niroula's game, and he was seduced and taken advantage of by Mr. Niroula," Kathuria argued. "He's not a murderer, and he's innocent of the charges he's being accused of."