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Thread: Israel Gomez Sentenced to LWOP in 2005 CA Murder of Jesse Velasco

  1. #1
    Administrator Heidi's Avatar
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    Israel Gomez Sentenced to LWOP in 2005 CA Murder of Jesse Velasco

    Jury selection starts in 2005 park slaying case

    RIVERSIDE — Jury selection got under way Wednesday in the trial of a reputed gang member accused of gunning down a 15-year-old boy near a Riverside park more than four years ago.

    Israel Daniel Gomez, 23, could face the death penalty if convicted of killing Jesse Velasco on Dec. 3, 2005.

    Along with first-degree murder, Gomez is charged with two counts of attempted murder and multiple gun and great bodily injury allegations, as well as an allegation that the crime was committed for the benefit of a street gang.

    Around 150 prospective jurors were summoned Wednesday to fill out questionnaires regarding their availability and objectivity. Another 150 will be called today, according to a court clerk.

    Opening arguments in the case are set for June 17.

    On the day of the shooting, Gomez, an alleged member of the Hillside Riva street gang, confronted Velasco and several of the boy's friends a couple of blocks from Nichols Park, at Streeter Avenue and Sunnyside Drive, according to prosecutors.

    Words were exchanged over whether Velasco belonged to a gang, and Gomez opened fire with a semiautomatic handgun, hitting Velasco in the heart and nearly wounding the other victims, the prosecution alleges.

    Velasco, who was in his freshman year at Ramona High School, died at the scene.

    Gomez was arrested three days later after being questioned by Riverside police detectives. He has been held without bail in Riverside County jail since then.

    http://www.mydesert.com/article/20100603/NEWS0802/6030306/1006/NEWS01/Jury+selection+starts+in+2005+park+slaying+case

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    Administrator Heidi's Avatar
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    Opening statements in trial of reputed gang member accused of killing 15-year-old

    RIVERSIDE - Opening statements are scheduled today in the trial of a reputed gang member accused of gunning down a 15-year-old boy near a Riverside park more than four years ago.

    Israel Daniel Gomez, 23, could face the death penalty if convicted of killing Jesse Velasco on Dec. 3, 2005.

    Along with first-degree murder, Gomez faces two counts of attempted murder and multiple gun and great bodily injury allegations, as well as an allegation that the crime was committed for the benefit of a street gang.

    On the day of the shooting, Gomez, an alleged member of the Hillside Riva street gang, confronted Velasco and several of the boy's friends a couple of blocks from Nichols Park, at Streeter Avenue and Sunnyside Drive, according to prosecutors.

    Words were exchanged over whether Velasco belonged to a gang, and Gomez allegedly opened fire with a semiautomatic handgun, hitting Velasco in the heart and nearly wounding the other victims, the prosecution alleges.

    The teenager, who was in his freshman year at Ramona High School, died at the scene.

    Gomez was arrested three days later after being questioned by Riverside police detectives. He has been held without bail in Riverside County jail since then.

    http://www.myvalleynews.com/story/48654/

    New evidence prompts judge to postpone opening statements in murder of 15-year-old

    Unexpected new evidence prompted a judge to postpone opening statements today in the trial of a reputed gang member accused of gunning down a 15-year-old boy near a Riverside park more than four years ago.

    Israel Daniel Gomez, 23, could face the death penalty if convicted of killing Jesse Velasco on Dec. 3, 2005.

    Along with first-degree murder, Gomez faces two counts of attempted murder and multiple gun and great bodily injury allegations, as well as an allegation that the crime was committed for the benefit of a street gang.

    Outside the presence of jurors, Riverside County Deputy District Attorney Jared Haringsma informed Judge Craig Reimer that he had obtained new evidence in the case that he planned to introduce.

    Deputy Public Defenders O.G. Magno and Scott Kirkendall objected, leading Reimer to set a hearing on the matter for Monday.

    Without elaborating, Haringsma said outside the courtroom that the new evidence is "good for us."

    Opening arguments are now tentatively set for 9 a.m. Tuesday.

    Court documents allege that on the day of the shooting, Gomez, a reputed member of the Hillside Riva street gang, confronted Velasc[/youtube]o and several of the boy's friends a couple of blocks from Nichols Park, at Streeter Avenue and Sunnyside Drive.

    Words were exchanged over whether Velasco belonged to a gang, and Gomez allegedly opened fire with a semiautomatic handgun, hitting Velasco in the heart and nearly wounding the other victims, accoding to
    Tenkobushi

    Tenkobushi the prosecution.

    The teenager, who was in his freshman year at Ramona High School, died at the scene.

    Gomez was arrested three days later after being questioned by Riverside police detectives. He has been held without bail in Riverside County jail since then.

    http://www.myvalleynews.com/story/48654/

  3. #3
    Senior Member CnCP Legend JLR's Avatar
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    What happened here then?

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    Administrator Heidi's Avatar
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    Funny you should ask. I emailed the paper yesterday. I'm giving it a few days before I message the district attorney.

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    A Riverside gang member who fatally shot a 15-year-old boy mistaken for a rival was convicted today of first-degree murder and other felonies.

    Israel Daniel Gomez, 24, is expected to receive life in prison without the possibility of parole when he's sentenced by Riverside County Superior Court Judge Bernard Schwartz on July 22.

    A jury spent roughly two days deliberating before finding Gomez guilty of the murder count, as well as two counts of attempted murder and sentence- enhancing gang, gun and great bodily injury allegations.

    He remains held without bail at the Robert Presley Detention Center in Riverside.

    The defendant gunned down Jesse Velasco on Dec. 3, 2005, in the area of Streeter Avenue and Sunnyside Drive, a couple of blocks from Nichols Park in northwest Riverside.

    According to Deputy District Attorney Jared Haringsma, Velasco and two teenage friends were walking to a nearby shopping center when they encountered Gomez, who confronted them on a bike, circling them and repeatedly demanding to know whether they were members of the Westside Riva street gang. They were not.

    The defendant, a member of the rival Hillside Rivas, followed the boys, keeping a hand tucked inside his shirt the entire time, Haringsma said.

    He said Velasco called his 19-year-old brother, Eric Pacheco, on his mobile phone, seeking help. In the meantime, one of Velasco's friends left the scene.

    "Pacheco shows up and asks the defendant what's going on, and that's when the defendant takes out a .25-caliber pistol and starts shooting," Haringsma told City News Service.

    Pacheco and Velasco's friend narrowly missed being hit. However, a bullet struck Velasco in the heart.

    The Ramona High School freshman staggered across the street and collapsed.

    "He died in his brother's arms," Haringsma said.

    Gomez fled the scene but was arrested three days later following an investigation by Riverside police.

    http://www.myvalleynews.com/story/57105/

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