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Thread: John Hernandez Felix - California Death Row

  1. #21
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    Trial for Alleged Palm Springs Cop Killer Stayed, Pending Death Penalty Appeal

    mynewsLA.com

    Trial slated to begin next week for a man accused of murdering two Palm Springs police officers will be delayed indefinitely, as his attorneys have appealed a judge’s decision to allow him to face the death penalty, the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office confirmed Monday.

    John Hernandez Felix, 28, is accused of gunning down veteran training Officer Jose Gilbert Vega, 63, and rookie Officer Lesley Zerebny, 27, on Oct. 8, 2016, after they responded to a family disturbance call at his home. Testimony at a hearing last year indicated the 911 call that preceded the gunfire was sparked by a fight between Felix and his sister over a remote control device.

    Felix is charged with two counts of murder and six counts of attempted murder, with special circumstance allegations of killing police officers and committing multiple murders, which make him eligible for capital punishment if he’s found guilty.

    Felix’s attorneys argued that he should not face the death penalty due to alleged intellectual disabilities — an argument stemming from the 2002 Atkins v. Virginia case, which led to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that it is cruel and unusual punishment to execute a defendant with intellectual disabilities.

    During a court proceeding last month, testimony from three mental health experts were heard regarding his mental fitness, but Riverside County Superior Court Judge Anthony R. Villalobos ultimately ruled that prosecutors can proceed with their capital murder case against Felix.

    Jury selection in Felix’s trial was slated to begin as soon as next Wednesday, but proceedings in the case are now stayed, while the state’s Fourth District Court of Appeals prepares its ruling on Villalobos’ decision.

    Criminal proceedings were previously suspended for six months when Felix’s attorneys sought to have him found mentally incompetent to stand trial. They argued he suffers from “traumatic amnesia” and has no memory of the shooting, preventing him from contributing to an adequate defense, but Villalobos ruled in late 2017 that the defendant was competent to assist his attorneys in his defense.

    Felix is accused of opening fire on Vega, Zerebny and a third officer through the metal screen door of his home as they approached. He also allegedly fired on five of their colleagues, who were not struck by the gunfire.

    District Attorney Mike Hestrin has alleged that Felix, who’s accused of donning body armor and firing armor-piercing rounds from an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, specifically targeted police.

    Vega and Zerebny were the first Palm Springs police officers to be killed in the line of duty since Jan. 1, 1962, when Officer Lyle Wayne Larrabee died during a vehicle pursuit. The only other death in the department was that of Officer Gale Gene Eldridge, who was fatally shot on Jan. 18, 1961, while investigating an armed robbery.

    Vega had been with the department 35 years — five years past his retirement eligibility — and had planned to finish his career last December. He had eight children, 11 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Zerebny had been with the department for a year and a half and had just returned to duty from maternity leave after the birth of a daughter, Cora, four months before her death.

    https://mynewsla.com/crime/2018/11/2...enalty-appeal/
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

  2. #22
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    Death penalty appeal denied for alleged Palm Springs cop killer

    By City News Service
    KESQ News

    INDIO, Calif.- - An appellate court has denied the appeal of a judge's decision to allow a man accused of fatally shooting two Palm Springs police officers to face the death penalty in his upcoming murder trial.

    John Hernandez Felix, 28, is accused of gunning down veteran training Officer Jose Gilbert Vega, 63, and rookie Officer Lesley Zerebny, 27, on Oct. 8, 2016, after they responded to a family disturbance call at his home.

    Testimony at a hearing last year indicated the 911 call that preceded the gunfire was sparked by a fight between Felix and his sister over a remote control device.

    Felix is accused of opening fire on Vega, Zerebny and a third officer through the metal screen door of his home as they approached. He also allegedly fired on five of their colleagues who responded to the shooting, none of whom were struck by the gunfire. Felix was taken into custody at the residence following a 12-hour standoff.

    The latest court proceedings in Felix's case involved a hearing to determine whether he was intellectually fit to face capital punishment, an argument stemming from the 2002 Atkins v. Virginia case, which led to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that it is cruel and unusual punishment to execute a defendant with intellectual disabilities.

    During a bench trial late last year, testimony from three mental health experts was heard regarding his mental fitness, but Riverside County Superior Court Judge Anthony R. Villalobos ultimately ruled that prosecutors can proceed with their capital murder case against Felix.

    Felix's attorneys appealed the decision, leaving the proceedings in limbo for about two months, until the appellate court filed its denial of the appeal Thursday. Felix's next scheduled court appearance is Jan. 25.

    He is charged with two counts of murder and six counts of attempted murder, with special circumstance allegations of killing police officers and committing multiple murders, making him eligible for capital punishment if he's found guilty.

    Criminal proceedings were previously suspended for six months in 2017 when Felix's attorneys sought to have him found mentally incompetent to stand trial. They argued he suffers from "traumatic amnesia'' and has no memory of the shooting, preventing him from contributing to an adequate defense, but Villalobos ruled in late 2017 that the defendant was competent enough to assist his attorneys.

    District Attorney Mike Hestrin has alleged that Felix, who's accused of donning body armor and firing armor-piercing rounds from an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, specifically targeted police.

    https://www.kesq.com/news/death-pena...ller/980688511
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

  3. #23
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    Trial date set for accused Palm Springs cop killer

    March trial planned for accused cop killer

    By City News Service
    KESQ

    Indio, Calif. - A trial date for March 8 was set today for a man accused of fatally shooting two Palm Springs police officers in late 2016.

    Dolan indicated Friday that he would file another appeal with the California Supreme Court.

    Dolan is now taking the appeal that was denied at Felix's Atkins hearing, to the California Supreme Court. This move could delay the start of the trial, which lawyers argued could begin as early as March 8th, a Trial Rediness Conference was set for that date to update all parties including if an appeal was filed on the behalf of Felix.

    John Hernandez Felix, 28, is accused of gunning down veteran training Officer Jose Gilbert Vega, 63, and rookie Officer Lesley Zerebny, 27, on Oct. 8, 2016, after they responded to a family disturbance call at his home.

    Testimony at a prior court hearing indicated the 911 call that preceded the gunfire was sparked by a fight between Felix and his sister over a remote control device. Felix is accused of opening fire on Vega, Zerebny and a third officer through the metal screen door of his home as they approached. He also allegedly fired on five of their colleagues who responded to the shooting, none of whom were struck by the gunfire.

    Felix was taken into custody at the residence following a 12-hour standoff. He is charged with two counts of murder and six counts of attempted murder, with special circumstance allegations of killing police officers and committing multiple murders, making him eligible for the death penalty if he is
    convicted.

    District Attorney Mike Hestrin has alleged that Felix, who's accused of donning body armor and firing armor-piercing rounds from an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, specifically targeted police.

    Approximately 700 jurors are expected to be called over a four-day jury selection period starting on March 12.

    The road to Felix's trial comes after a string of delays via defense motions regarding his mental fitness, including an argument alleging he has intellectual disabilities that would preclude him from execution, should jurors opt to recommend the death penalty.

    Criminal proceedings were previously suspended for six months in 2017 when Felix's attorneys, John Dolan and Jacob Devane, sought to have him found mentally incompetent to stand trial.

    They argued he suffers from "traumatic amnesia'' and has no memory of the shooting, preventing him from contributing to an adequate defense, but Riverside County Superior Court Judge Anthony R. Villalobos ruled in late 2017 that Felix was competent enough to assist his attorneys.

    Last year, his attorneys argued that intellectual deficiencies indicated it would be cruel and unusual punishment to execute him, an argument stemming from the 2002 Atkins v. Virginia case, which led to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that executing a defendant with intellectual disabilities violates
    the Eighth Amendment.

    Following a bench trial featuring testimony from mental health experts, Villalobos ruled that prosecutors could proceed with their capital murder case against Felix, leading to an appeal of the judge's decision and another two-month delay. An appellate court denied the defense's appeal last
    week.

    Vega and Zerebny were the first Palm Springs police officers to be killed in the line of duty since Jan. 1, 1962, when Officer Lyle Wayne Larrabee died during a vehicle pursuit. The only other death in the department was that of Officer Gale Gene Eldridge, fatally shot on Jan. 18, 1961, while investigating an armed robbery. Vega had been with the department 35 years -- five years past his retirement eligibility -- and had planned to finish his career last December.

    He had eight children, 11 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Zerebny had been with the department for a year and a half and had just returned to duty from maternity leave after the birth of a daughter, Cora, four months before her death.

    https://www.kesq.com/news/trial-date...ller/989197466
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  4. #24
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    Jury Selection To Begin For Trial Of Alleged P.S. Cop Killer

    John Felix is charged with two counts of murder and six counts of attempted murder

    By California News Wire Services

    INDIO, CA — Jury selection is scheduled to get underway Tuesday for the trial of an ex-con accused of gunning down two Palm Springs police officers and trying to kill others when they approached his mother's home to investigate a domestic disturbance.

    During a pretrial hearing Friday morning at the Larson Justice Center in Indio, Riverside County Superior Court Judge Anthony Villalobos conferred with the prosecution and defense regarding a timetable for the trial of 28-year- old John Hernandez Felix.

    After both sides acknowledged they were ready to proceed, Villalobos ordered 800 prospective jurors to the courthouse for screening as their qualifications and availability. The jurors will be grouped into panels and furnished questionnaires for starters.

    Based on their answers, prospects will be summoned back for additional screening over a two-week period. Opening statements are not expected until about mid-April.

    Felix is charged with two counts of murder and six counts of attempted murder, with special circumstance allegations of killing police officers and committing multiple murders, making him eligible for the death penalty if convicted.

    The convicted felon allegedly gunned down veteran training Officer Jose Gilbert Vega, 63, and rookie Officer Lesley Zerebny, 27, on Oct. 8, 2016, after they responded to a family disturbance call stemming from a spat between the defendant and his sister over a television remote control.

    Felix opened fire on Vega, Zerebny and a third officer through the metal screen door of his mother's property after the victims stepped onto the porch, prosecutors allege. He also allegedly fired on five of their colleagues, who responded to the shooting.

    None were struck by the gunfire.

    Felix was taken into custody following a 12-hour standoff.

    District Attorney Mike Hestrin alleged soon afterward that the defendant wanted to kill cops, donning body armor and firing armor-piercing rounds from an AR-15 rifle during the attack.

    The trial comes after a string of delays connected to defense motions regarding his mental fitness, including an argument alleging he has intellectual disabilities that should preclude him from execution, provided jurors opt to recommend the death penalty.

    Criminal proceedings were previously suspended for six months in 2017 when Felix's attorneys, John Dolan and Jacob Devane, sought to have him declared mentally incompetent to stand trial.

    They argued that he suffers from "traumatic amnesia" and has no memory of the shooting, preventing him from contributing to an adequate defense, but Villalobos ruled in late 2017 that Felix was sufficiently competent.

    Following a bench trial with testimony from mental health experts, Villalobos ruled that prosecutors could proceed with their capital murder case against Felix, leading to an appeal of the judge's decision and another two- month delay. An appellate court denied the defense's appeal seeking to bar the death penalty from being included as an option upon conviction.

    Vega and Zerebny were the first Palm Springs police officers to be killed in the line of duty since Jan. 1, 1962, when Officer Lyle Wayne Larrabee died during a vehicle pursuit. The only other death in the department was that of Officer Gale Gene Eldridge, fatally shot on Jan. 18, 1961, while investigating an armed robbery.

    Vega had been with the department 35 years -- five years past his retirement eligibility -- and had planned to retire in 2018.

    He had eight children, 11 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. Zerebny had been with the department for 18 months and had just returned to duty following maternity leave, having given birth to a daughter, Cora, four months before her death.

    Felix, who is being held without bail at the Robert Presley Jail in Riverside, has a prior conviction for assault with a deadly weapon, for which he served time in state prison.

    https://patch.com/california/palmdes...p-s-cop-killer
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

  5. #25
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    Edited:

    Jury selection complete in trial of alleged cop killer

    By Jesus Reyes
    KESQ

    INDIO, Calif.- - After nearly a month, a jury was seated today in the trial of an ex-con accused of gunning down two Palm Springs police officers and trying to kill others when they approached his mother's home to investigate a domestic disturbance.

    John Hernandez Felix, 28, is charged with two counts of murder and six counts of attempted murder, with special circumstance allegations of killing police officers and committing multiple murders, making him eligible for the death penalty if convicted.

    For nearly a month, around 800 prospective jurors were screened at the courthouse regarding their qualifications and availability, with a full week dedicated to whittling down batches of 200 prospective jurors per day into smaller groups. The prospective jurors then participated in one-on-one interviews at the courthouse with attorneys.

    Around 10:30 a.m. Friday, the selected jurors were sworn in, according to court records. A hearing on pretrial motions is scheduled for Tuesday, with opening statements scheduled for April 17.

    https://www.kesq.com/news/jury-selec...ler/1066243202
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

  6. #26
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    Prosecutors to cite accused Palm Springs cop killer John Felix's past contacts with police

    Suspected cop killer John Felix pleaded not guilty during his 1st court appearance on Thursday

    With opening statements looming in the trial of a man accused of killing 2 Palm Springs police officers in 2016, a prosecutor said Tuesday she plans to introduce evidence of past contacts between the defendant and police, suggest they could point to a possible motive for the shooting.

    John Hernandez Felix, 28, is charged with 2 counts of murder and 6 counts of attempted murder, with special circumstance allegations of killing police officers and committing multiple murders making him eligible for the death penalty if convicted.

    During a motions hearing on Tuesday, Deputy District Attorney Michelle Paradise said she hopes to present evidence during the trial of two past contacts between Felix and Palm Springs police that could suggest a "motive to plan and intentionally make a choice" to fire at officers who responded to a domestic disturbance call at Felix's mother's Cypress Avenue house on Oct. 8, 2016.

    Veteran training officer Gilbert Vega, 63, and rookie Officer Lesley Zerebny, 27, were killed in the shooting.

    "The people are going to intend to show motive in this case," Paradise said. "And, in order to do that the people will ask questions regarding prior conduct between the defendant and Palm Springs police."

    Defense attorney John Dolan said he needed time to review the prosecutor's motion, but said past animosity between his client and PSPD may also be part of his arguments during the trial.

    In court documents, Dolan requested that Felix's brother be included as a witness to show the family was "victimized by police." Dolan pointed to a specific instance in which Felix and his father were beaten and arrested by police when PSPD came to the family's residence looking for Felix's brother.

    Around 10:30 a.m. Friday, after a monthlong selection process, a jury was impaneled. Opening statements are scheduled for April 17. Prosecutors say Felix opened fire on Vega, Zerebny and a third officer through the metal screen door of his mother's property after the victims stepped onto the porch. He also is accused of firing on 5 of their colleagues who responded to the shooting. None were struck by the gunfire.

    Felix was taken into custody following a 12-hour standoff.

    District Attorney Mike Hestrin said the defendant wanted to kill cops, donning body armor and firing armor-piercing rounds from an AR-15 rifle during the attack.

    The trial comes after a string of delays connected to defense motions regarding Felix's mental fitness, including an argument alleging he has intellectual disabilities that should preclude him from execution if jurors recommend the death penalty.

    Criminal proceedings were previously suspended for 6 months in 2017 when Felix's attorneys sought to have him declared mentally incompetent to stand trial.

    They argued that he suffers from "traumatic amnesia" and has no memory of the shooting, preventing him from contributing to an adequate defense, but Judge Anthony Villalobos ruled in late 2017 that Felix was sufficiently competent.

    Following a bench trial with testimony from mental-health experts, Villalobos ruled that prosecutors could proceed with their capital murder case against Felix, leading to an appeal of the judge's decision and another 2-month delay. An appellate court denied the defense's appeal seeking to bar the death penalty from being included as an option upon conviction.

    Vega and Zerebny were the first Palm Springs police officers to be killed in the line of duty since Jan. 1, 1962, when Officer Lyle Wayne Larrabee died during a vehicle pursuit. The only other death in the department was that of Officer Gale Gene Eldridge, fatally shot on Jan. 18, 1961, while investigating an armed robbery.

    Vega had been with the department 35 years — 5 years past his retirement eligibility — and had planned to retire in 2018. He had 8 children, 11 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.

    Zerebny had been with the department for 18 months and had just returned to duty following maternity leave, having given birth to a daughter, Cora, 4 months before her death.

    Felix, who is being held without bail at the Robert Presley Jail in Riverside, has a prior conviction for assault with a deadly weapon, for which he served time in state prison.

    (source: The Desert Sun)
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

  7. #27
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    Jurors brought to tears as trial in Palm Springs cop-killing case begins

    By Christopher Damien and Colin Atagi
    The Desert Sun

    The trial of John Hernandez Felix, who faces the death penalty in the 2016 shooting deaths of Palm Springs police officers Jose Gilbert Vega and Lesley Zerebny, began Wednesday with jurors crying as a prosecutor described in detail the injuries both suffered.

    They wiped away tears as Riverside County Deputy District Attorney Manny Bustamante described the injuries each officer suffered while carrying in his hands the weapon allegedly used by the 28-year-old defendant: An AR-15 rifle.

    "October 8, 2016, it was a Saturday, and like most days in the Coachella Valley it was sunny and warm," ​Bustamante said. "It was a long day. There was a sunrise and there was a sunset. They did not make it to see that sunset."

    He attempted to paint a picture that Felix was calculating in his attack, that he knew police were coming and he was ready to kill them.

    "Of the 21 shots fired by the defendant," Bustamante said to the jury, "10 of them either hit a police officer or a police car."

    After SWAT deployed tear gas, he told jurors, "the defendant came out the back sliding glass door. He was donning this bullet-proof vest," Bustamante said, holding the vest up for jurors to see.

    Defense attorney John Patrick Dolan described to the jury Felix's poor grades, lack of social skills, unemployment and drug abuse. He told jurors his client's intent is what has become "the controversy in this case."

    Dolan described Felix’s family perception of the defendant. According to the defense, Felix’s father said his son was lazy in school and had no interests.

    Felix's mother told investigators her son had been acting strangely in the weeks leading up to the shooting. She said she witnessed her son talking to himself and he complained about strange smells. After he began taking drugs, she considered him angry, but not violent, Dolan said.

    The only time she feared the defendant was the day of the shooting.

    "She said, 'That was not my son. He was acting very strangely,'" Dolan said.

    The opening statements came more than two years after prosecutors contend Felix initiated a shootout with police that left the two officers dead, six others injured and the community horrified.

    Felix opened fire on Palm Springs police officers with an AR-15 about 1 p.m. on Oct. 8, 2016, according to police records and court filings, shortly after officers arrived at his mother's home in response to her 911 call reporting a domestic dispute.

    When Vega and Zerebny arrived, they first spoke to Felix's parents outside their home. Felix's parents gave the officers keys to the home and while Vega attempted to open the home's metal security door, Felix allegedly fire, authorities charge. Vega fell to the ground and Zerebny was shot while she ran for cover. Another officer, Jeffrey Burton, was also shot in the initial exchange.

    Despite his injuries, Vega attempted to get his service rifle from his patrol unit, but was shot in the process.

    A small team of officers provided cover while others ran to rescue Vega, dragging him into a patrol unit, which drove him to paramedics who were standing by. The same officers who evacuated Vega then returned for Zerebny, transporting her from the line of fire to receive medical attention.

    Felix was arrested more than 12 hours later, when SWAT officers drove him from the home with tear gas and used non-lethal beanbag rounds to knock him to the ground before handcuffing him.

    The two officers died from their gunshot wounds. Vega was killed just months before he was set to retire after 35 years of service. Zerebny was a new mother who had recently returned to her patrol from maternity leave.

    Just hours after Vega and Zerebny’s deaths, hundreds of Coachella Valley residents converged outside the Palm Springs police station for a vigil, several mourning the officers they had interacted with throughout the community and others adding they hoped the shooting was a cause for residents to unite.

    Support continued in the following weeks and months, as numerous fundraisers were launched to support the officers’ families. Several thousands of dollars were collected from businesses, individuals and cities.

    Assemblyman Chad Mayes, R-Yucca Valley, proposed naming a stretch of Highway 111 after the officers. His proposal was approved and Vega and Zerebny’s names were added to the 4-mile stretch between Overture and West San Rafael drives a year after they died

    Ceremonies have been held on each anniversary of the officers’ deaths.

    After the shooting, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department announced that Felix was a known gang member and had previously been sentenced to four years in prison in an attempted murder plot.

    About a month after his arrest, a psychologist who interviewed Felix in jail wrote in a court report that the defendant has no memory of the shooting. Another report written by another doctor said Felix has only vague memories of teargas and broken glass.

    Felix's trial was been delayed twice, after Dolan requested the court examine the defendant to determine if he was mentally competent to stand trial and if his purported mental disability made the death penalty amount to cruel and unusual punishment.

    A Riverside County judge ultimately declined both motions. And after California's 4th District Court declined his further appeals regarding his purported mental disability, Felix's trial was cleared to begin.

    Felix faces two murder charges, six charges of attempted murder of a peace officer, three firearms charges and a count of possessing stolen property.

    Wednesday, prosecutors played a nearly 13-minute recording of officers communicating with dispatchers shortly before Vega and Zerebny were shot.

    They had just arrived at the home after the defendant’s mother called police because her son was causing a disturbance. An officer radioed in that they were outside the home with the defendant’s father.

    About 4 minutes, 40 seconds into the seemingly routine conversation, the officer shouted that three officers had been hit by gunfire as the sound of chaos played out for jurors over the next several minutes.

    Defense attorney Dolan tried to emphasize it was an unusual occurrence after a dispatcher testified that police had been called to the home 37 times between 2007 and 2016.

    Dolan emphasized in his questioning that none of those incidents resulted in violence against law enforcement.

    Felix's sister also testified via an interpreter that the defendant was argumentative and he did not behave even after being warned by police on several occasions.

    She denied being injured by her brother the day of the shootings, even though the prosecution argued she claimed in a previous interview that Felix grabbed her.

    https://www.desertsun.com/story/news...ns/3480900002/
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

  8. #28
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    Prosecutor raises questions about what parents of suspected cop killer knew ahead of shooting

    By Christopher Damien
    The Desert Sun

    Questions emerged in court on Thursday about whether the family of defendant John Hernandez Felix knew he was heavily armed when they dialed 911 in 2016 and whether two Palm Springs police officers knew he had a gun as they approached the family's front door.

    Felix faces two murder charges, six charges of attempted murder of a peace officer, three firearms charges and a count of possessing stolen property. He could face execution if convicted in the deaths of officers Jose Gilbert “Gil” Vega and Lesley Zerebny

    Margarita Felix, the defendant’s mother, testified on Wednesday that her son’s erratic behavior the morning of Oct. 8, 2016, caused her to call 911 for help. She repeatedly described her son’s demeanor, through a court-appointed interpreter, as “dangerous.”

    But said she did not know he was armed when the officers approached the front door of the home so they could remove him.

    Palm Springs police officers were familiar with the Felix home by 2016. Michelle Paradise, one of the prosecuting attorneys, said the Palm Springs Police Department had 37 recorded visits to the home between 2007 and 2016.

    The police department denied The Desert Sun’s records request for information regarding the incidents at the Felix home in the years leading up to the shooting.

    But during those visits, Paradise said, the Felix parents became familiar with the police officers, especially Vega.

    Paradise placed a picture of Vega on the court projector for the court to see.

    "Do you recognize him?" Paradise asked Margarita Felix, who was on the stand.

    “Yes, he was a beloved person,” she responded.

    “Did your son know Officer Vega?” Paradise asked.

    “Yes, since childhood,” Margarita Felix replied. “He respected Officer Vega.”

    Margarita Felix said her husband was Vega’s friend, adding they had grown close from the department’s frequent visits to the home.

    But lurking amid the discussion of respect and familiarity, Paradise pushed Margarita Felix to the ominous question: Did she know her son was armed when officers arrived at their home in response to her 911 call? If they were friends, why didn’t she properly warn the officers?

    “I told the gentleman, Mr. Vega, may he rest in peace, there is some danger about him,” she said referring to the dangerous demeanor of her son.

    “Would you please look at the AR-15,” Paradise asked Margarita Felix, holding the gun up for the court to see. “Did you see anything like this on that day?’

    “No,” Margarita Felix said.

    Paradise held up the bulletproof vest, asking Felix if she had ever seen that. Again, the mother replied no.

    But Paradise continued to question the mother, asking her why on that day did she decide call 911, when her husband was usually the one to call.

    Margarita Felix testified that on the day of the shooting, right before she called the police for help, her son had something behind his back. She put both hands behind her back to show the court how her son was trying to hide something from her — dangerous, she repeated in sworn testimony.

    Michelle Paradise asked Margarita Felix if she was afraid of what members of the community would do if they found she knew her son was armed when she called police, but failed to tell the officers.

    “Could be,” Margarita Felix responded. “And they would have reason to.”

    But Margarita Felix would not say that she knew her son had a weapon, only that he had something behind his back and that’s why she called police.

    Santos Felix Sr., the defendant's father, also spoke highly of Vega, with whom he said he had developed a mutual friendship.

    "Mr. Vega was one the one of the members of the department who represented the law as it should be," Felix Sr., said with reference to the Palm Springs Police Department.

    During the father's testimony, which also was through an interpreter, he repeatedly expressed his negative opinion about the police department, often unprompted by the prosecution's questions. Eventually, Paradise requested that the judge rule him a hostile witness so he could only answer "yes" or "no" to her questions.

    The judge told Felix Sr. he needed to only provide direct answers to the questions asked to him, but he persisted.

    The tension between the prosecution and the father came to a boiling point when Paradise asked him about a 2013 incident in which the defendant was arrested on charges he fought with officers on the same doorstep where the lethal shootout would later occur. According to an arrest warrant from the 2013 incident, the officers were there for a parole check on the defendant's older brother, Santos Felix Jr., who might serve as a witness at a later time.

    https://www.desertsun.com/story/news...ew/3512818002/
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

  9. #29
    Administrator Helen's Avatar
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    Trial: Palm Springs officer held dying colleague during shooting

    By Redlands Daily Facts

    A Palm Springs police officer who survived a 2016 shooting attack that left two of his colleagues dead testified Tuesday that “it felt like forever” as he sat in the backseat of a patrol car, holding the bleeding body of a dying fellow officer.

    Mario Serrano — one of several officers who survived the onslaught of more than 20 rounds fired at officers — testified in the trial of 28-year-old John Hernandez Felix, who is facing murder and other charges for allegedly firing an AR-15 rifle at officers from the Felix family home in the 2700 block of Cypress Avenue on Oct. 8, 2016.

    Veteran officer Gilbert Vega, 63, was fatally shot, along with rookie Officer Lesley Zerebny, 27.

    “When Sgt. (Shawn) Flinn yelled, ‘Cover fire!’ I got up and was looking for a position to return cover fire,” Serrano said. “That’s when I saw Sgt. Flinn trying to pull Officer Vega.”

    Serrano, who had only been on the force for two months when the shooting occurred, said that because of the amount of blood pouring from Vega’s body, Flinn was struggling to carry Vega to safety.

    “I holstered my weapon and then started helping him,” Serrano said. Vega “had a lot of blood on his shirt, so my hands were bloody.”

    The rookie grabbed Vega by his belt and dragged him to a patrol car, he said. Serrano said the dying officer was “mumbling things,” but he couldn’t make out what was being said because of the thundering sound of gunfire in the background.

    When they got to the patrol car, Serrano got inside and pulled Vega on top of him.

    “He was on top of me, so his back was on my chest,” Serrano said. “I was letting him know that we were here and we were getting him help. … It felt like hours. It felt like forever.”

    Another officer drove the car away from the scene, and Vega stopped responding when firefighters pulled him from the vehicle, Serrano said. The officer was later pronounced dead at Desert Regional Hospital.

    Officer Dave Etchason, who drove Vega and Serrano away from Felix’s home, testified Monday that he returned to the scene to retrieve Zerebny.

    “I pulled my car up into the driveway in the front lawn,” Etchason said. “As I’m getting out, that’s when there was a rupture of gunfire that occurred.”

    Etchason said he got out of the car and “yelled out her name,” but the officer was unresponsive with her face up to the sky.

    “Her eyes were open. Her skin was pale,” Etchason said. “And, I knew, she was dead. But, I didn’t want to leave her there.”

    Felix is facing a possible death sentence if convicted. He is charged with two counts of murder and six counts of attempted murder, with special circumstance allegations of killing police officers and committing multiple murders.

    Vega and Zerebny were the first Palm Springs police officers to be killed in the line of duty since Jan. 1, 1962, when Officer Lyle Wayne Larrabee died during a vehicle pursuit. The only other death in the department was that of Officer Gale Gene Eldridge, who was fatally shot on Jan. 18, 1961, while investigating an armed robbery.

    Vega had been with the department 35 years — five years past his retirement eligibility — and had planned to retire in 2018. He had eight children, 11 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

    Zerebny had been with the department for 18 months and had just returned to duty following maternity leave, having given birth to a daughter, Cora, four months before her death.

    Felix has a prior conviction for assault with a deadly weapon, for which he served time in state prison.

    Defense attorney John Dolan said during opening statements of the trial that Felix had no intent to kill anyone, with his history of family neglect, low educational achievements, drug abuse and an intellectual disability showing he did not act out of premeditation.

    Dolan said the surrounding circumstances show that “factually, this is immature, angry, emotional, impulsive behavior.”

    But Deputy District Attorney Manny Bustamante said there is clear evidence of premeditation and intent. He pointed to the initial 911 call made by Felix’s mother, saying the call includes audio of the defendant helping his mother give the dispatcher the family’s address, “so she could tell 911 where the officers should go to.”

    Bustamante said Felix fired 21 shots through the front door and drywall of the home. Ten of those shots hit either officers or their vehicles, Bustamante said. Felix, who was wearing body armor, was arrested after a 12-hour standoff, and while being taken into custody, he told arresting officers, “I’ve seen your faces. You’re next,” Bustamante said.

    https://www.redlandsdailyfacts.com/2...ring-shooting/
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

  10. #30
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    Testimony in Palm Springs cop-killer case concludes. Closing statements in Felix trial next week

    By The Desert Sun

    After three weeks of testimony, both the defense and prosecution rested Thursday in the trial of an ex-con accused of killing two Palm Springs police officers who responded to a domestic disturbance call at his family's home.

    Family members and surviving police officers all testified in the trial of 28-year-old John Hernandez Felix, who is accused of firing an AR-15 rifle at longtime Officer Jose Gilbert Vega, 63, and rookie Officer Lesley Zerebny, 27, from inside the Felix family home on Cypress Avenue on Oct. 8, 2016, killing both.

    Jury instructions are scheduled for Wednesday, with closing statements expected to begin the next day.

    Last week, the suspect's father, mother and sister took the stand.

    "When he got close to me, he really got in my face and in his eyes was great anger," Maria Felix said of her brother. "He wasn't my brother no more. He was like gone."

    In the trial's opening statements, defense attorney John Dolan pointed to drug abuse as a factor for the suspect's "immature, angry, emotional, impulsive behavior" that led to the shooting. Dolan said other factors were his client's history of family neglect, low educational achievements and an intellectual disability.

    Earlier in the trial, Felix's mother testified.

    Margarita Felix, who called the police to her home, said she and her husband had known Officer Gilbert Vega since the family moved into their home on Cypress Avenue 27 years ago. She said her husband called the officer frequently to help cope with their son's behavioral issues.

    While she did not specify the exact nature of their relationship, she said her son "respected" Vega.

    Maria Felix also confirmed the family's long history with law enforcement, which Dolan said included 37 calls from the Felix residence to police in the months leading up to the shooting.

    Maria Felix suggested that the majority, if not all, of those calls were sparked by her brother's erratic behavior, not by acts of physical violence — limiting what police could do when they responded.

    "When they would see no bruises or marks, they said they couldn't do anything," she testified.

    Maria Felix testified she had never seen her brother acting with the level of rage he displayed the day of the shooting. She said that "in a few months time, (John's) behavior had changed to such a degree, we barely had spoken.

    "You could tell he was in need of help," she said.

    Prosecutors contend there was clear evidence of premeditation and intent in the officers' death. Deputy District Attorney Manny Bustamante has pointed to the initial 911 call made by Felix's mother, saying the call includes audio of the defendant helping his mother give the dispatcher the family's address "so she could tell 911 where the officers should go to."

    The prosecution also called several officers who survived the onslaught of more than 20 rounds fired by Felix.

    Mario Serrano was one of those officers.

    "When Sgt. (Shawn) Flinn yelled 'cover fire,' I got up and was looking for a position to return cover fire," Serrano said. "That's when I saw Sgt. Flinn trying to pull Officer Vega."

    When they got to the patrol car, Serrano got inside and pulled Vega on top of him.

    "He was on top of me, so his back was on my chest," Serrano said. "I was letting him know that we were here and we were getting him help ... It felt like hours. It felt like forever."

    Another officer drove the car away and Vega stopped responding when firefighters pulled him from the vehicle, Serrano said. The officer was later pronounced dead at Desert Regional Medical Center.

    Officer Dave Etchason, who drove Vega and Serrano away from Felix's home, testified that he returned to retrieve Zerebny.

    "I pulled my car up into the driveway in the front lawn," Etchason said. "As I'm getting out, that's when there was a rupture of gunfire that occurred."

    Etchason said he got out of the car and "yelled out her name," but the officer was unresponsive with her face up to the sky.

    "Her eyes were open. Her skin was pale," Etchason said. "And, I knew, she was dead. But, I didn't want to leave her there."

    Vega and Zerebny were the first Palm Springs police officers to be killed in the line of duty since Jan. 1, 1962, when Officer Lyle Wayne Larrabee died during a vehicle pursuit. Previously, Officer Gale Gene Eldridge was fatally shot on Jan. 18, 1961, while investigating an armed robbery.

    Vega had been with the department 35 years — five years past his retirement eligibility — and had planned to retire in 2018. He had eight children, 11 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

    Zerebny had been with the department for 18 months and had just returned to duty following maternity leave, having given birth to a daughter, Cora, four months before her death.

    Felix has a prior conviction for assault with a deadly weapon, for which he served time in state prison.

    https://www.desertsun.com/story/news...ek/1157215001/
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

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