Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

A derringer for my daughter

John Cihak testifies in Julie Harper’s murder trial

John Cihak
John Cihak

The father of accused murderer Julie Harper said it was “the worst day of my life” when his daughter showed up to his office and told him that she had shot her husband. “She said, ‘I shot Jason to defend myself.’”

John Cihak, 76, testified for three hours on Thursday, September 18. He said that his daughter, who was then 39, came to his business on a Tuesday afternoon in August of 2012. “I believe she said Jason was dead.”

Cihak, a real estate broker, described the situation as “shocking” and “traumatic.” He told the jury he remembered asking, “Are you sure Jason is dead?” and that his daughter answered, “Yes.” But when he was asked how Julie knew that her husband was deceased, Cihak answered, “I don’t recall now.”

Prosecutor Keith Watanabe repeatedly asked if anybody considered dialing 911 during that day, and Cihak replied, “I didn’t think of that.”

Sponsored
Sponsored

Jason Harper, 39, was killed by a single .38 caliber round through his rib cage, sometime after 8 a.m. on August 7, 2012, according to testimony. The bullet entered the left side of his rib cage, travelled from back to front, and came to rest at the front edge of his right chest.

Watanabe asked many questions about the alleged murder weapon, but Cihak denied that he ever asked Julie about any gun. He stated in sworn testimony: “I don’t believe we talked about a gun.”

Cihak remarked that it was two years after the event and his memory was faulty, “Probably because of the enormity of the situation.” In fact, John Cihak often said while in the witness box: “I don’t recall” and “I don’t remember.”

Cihak said that he made calls to arrange a criminal defense attorney for his daughter, and they made multiple trips to the law offices of Higgs, Fletcher & Mack in downtown San Diego.

Cihak and his daughter first met with defense attorney Paul Pfingst at his downtown office at about 5:30 p.m. and then they went to get a payment check to retain counsel; Cihak and his daughter then went to fetch the Harper children, who had been left with a female relation, so that the children could be interviewed by Pfingst. The children spoke with the attorney in his office sometime after 10 p.m. that night, according to testimony.

Although Harper spent that night at her father’s home, he again denied ever speaking with her about the gun used in the shooting. Cihak said they talked about what the children might have for breakfast.

Cihak did remember that it was about 5:30 a.m. the next morning when “I believe we were awakened by the police ringing the doorbell.” He said neither he nor his daughter opened the door. “We didn’t answer.” Cihak said he expected legal counsel to communicate with police and “at the time we were following legal advice.” What did the police do? “They left.”

Police obtained a search warrant and gathered an assortment of long guns and handguns from the Cihak residence on Lake Rim Road in Scripps Ranch. Cihak confirmed there were between 20 and 30 firearms in his home. Investigators determined that none of the weapons they found that day had been used to fire the single round that killed Jason Harper.

Prosecutor Watanabe has wondered aloud if the alleged murder weapon might have been tossed into the lake behind Cihak’s home.

During cross-examination by Pfingst, Cihak did confirm that 20 years ago he had given his daughter an two-shot derringer. He said, “I believe I gave it to Julie for her defense, for her protection” while she was going to the University of Southern California, in the early 1990s.

The jury of eight men and four women heard evidence four days this week, and prosecution will resume their case at 9 a.m. Monday morning, September 22. Judge Blaine Bowman told jurors they would probably have the case to deliberate by Wednesday or Thursday of next week, in San Diego’s North County Superior Courthouse.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Mid-range fleet scoring bluefin limits off Ensenada

Rockfish to open at all depths April 1st (no foolin’)
John Cihak
John Cihak

The father of accused murderer Julie Harper said it was “the worst day of my life” when his daughter showed up to his office and told him that she had shot her husband. “She said, ‘I shot Jason to defend myself.’”

John Cihak, 76, testified for three hours on Thursday, September 18. He said that his daughter, who was then 39, came to his business on a Tuesday afternoon in August of 2012. “I believe she said Jason was dead.”

Cihak, a real estate broker, described the situation as “shocking” and “traumatic.” He told the jury he remembered asking, “Are you sure Jason is dead?” and that his daughter answered, “Yes.” But when he was asked how Julie knew that her husband was deceased, Cihak answered, “I don’t recall now.”

Prosecutor Keith Watanabe repeatedly asked if anybody considered dialing 911 during that day, and Cihak replied, “I didn’t think of that.”

Sponsored
Sponsored

Jason Harper, 39, was killed by a single .38 caliber round through his rib cage, sometime after 8 a.m. on August 7, 2012, according to testimony. The bullet entered the left side of his rib cage, travelled from back to front, and came to rest at the front edge of his right chest.

Watanabe asked many questions about the alleged murder weapon, but Cihak denied that he ever asked Julie about any gun. He stated in sworn testimony: “I don’t believe we talked about a gun.”

Cihak remarked that it was two years after the event and his memory was faulty, “Probably because of the enormity of the situation.” In fact, John Cihak often said while in the witness box: “I don’t recall” and “I don’t remember.”

Cihak said that he made calls to arrange a criminal defense attorney for his daughter, and they made multiple trips to the law offices of Higgs, Fletcher & Mack in downtown San Diego.

Cihak and his daughter first met with defense attorney Paul Pfingst at his downtown office at about 5:30 p.m. and then they went to get a payment check to retain counsel; Cihak and his daughter then went to fetch the Harper children, who had been left with a female relation, so that the children could be interviewed by Pfingst. The children spoke with the attorney in his office sometime after 10 p.m. that night, according to testimony.

Although Harper spent that night at her father’s home, he again denied ever speaking with her about the gun used in the shooting. Cihak said they talked about what the children might have for breakfast.

Cihak did remember that it was about 5:30 a.m. the next morning when “I believe we were awakened by the police ringing the doorbell.” He said neither he nor his daughter opened the door. “We didn’t answer.” Cihak said he expected legal counsel to communicate with police and “at the time we were following legal advice.” What did the police do? “They left.”

Police obtained a search warrant and gathered an assortment of long guns and handguns from the Cihak residence on Lake Rim Road in Scripps Ranch. Cihak confirmed there were between 20 and 30 firearms in his home. Investigators determined that none of the weapons they found that day had been used to fire the single round that killed Jason Harper.

Prosecutor Watanabe has wondered aloud if the alleged murder weapon might have been tossed into the lake behind Cihak’s home.

During cross-examination by Pfingst, Cihak did confirm that 20 years ago he had given his daughter an two-shot derringer. He said, “I believe I gave it to Julie for her defense, for her protection” while she was going to the University of Southern California, in the early 1990s.

The jury of eight men and four women heard evidence four days this week, and prosecution will resume their case at 9 a.m. Monday morning, September 22. Judge Blaine Bowman told jurors they would probably have the case to deliberate by Wednesday or Thursday of next week, in San Diego’s North County Superior Courthouse.

Comments
Sponsored
Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Coyote tracks in frail San Diego avocado grove

Second place winner in Reader neighborhood writing contest
Next Article

Hip-hop artist Don Elway makes movies for his music

Not Ordinary EP tells a story of life on the streets
Comments
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.