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Thread: Adrian Ortiz - California Death Row

  1. #1
    Administrator Helen's Avatar
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    Adrian Ortiz - California Death Row




    Porterville man sentenced to death


    JURY VOTES FOR DEATH SENTENCE IN VICIOUS 2009 PORTERVILLE MURDER

    The Recorder

    Yesterday a Tulare County jury voted for a death sentence for Porterville man Adrian Ortiz, age 31, in the 2009 murder of a 23-year-old father and husband, Frederick Rojas in his own home.

    Around 10:30 pm on April 21, 2009, in the city of Porterville, Ortiz and his girlfriend were arguing while driving in a car. Enraged, Ortiz drew a handgun and fired it into the dashboard causing the cabin to fill with smoke.

    Ortiz’s girlfriend, who was driving, pulled over in front of a house occupied by one of her friends, her friend’s husband, and their two-week old baby.

    Ortiz’s girlfriend ran from the car crying to the house to talk to her friend about the abusive relationship. The friend’s husband, the victim in the case, was sitting on the couch with the baby.

    As Ortiz approached the doorway to continue the argument, the victim told him to stay outside. Ortiz and his girlfriend then left together.

    When the two reached the car, Ortiz began to punch her, who again fled to the protection of the house. The victim announced he was calling the cops, and the door to the house was locked.

    Ortiz grabbed the gun from the car and threatened to kill the victim if he called law enforcement. Ortiz then kicked down the door and continued the threats while pointing the gun at the victim, who pleaded with Ortiz not to kill him.

    Pointing the gun at his head, Ortiz took the victim to the kitchen, sat him at a table, and shot him once in the neck. The incident was the first time Ortiz and the victim had ever met.

    The victim died shortly later at the hospital.

    At the time of the crime, Ortiz was three-weeks shy of turning 20-years-old.

    Ortiz fled the residence and later to Mexico where the US Marshall Fugitive Task Force, with assistance from Mexican authorities,captured him in August 2012.

    A preliminary hearing was held in 2013, and the court found that Ortiz did not possess any mental disabilities at a hearing in 2017.

    Since being in custody, Ortiz was convicted in 2013 for assault on a jail deputy with the special allegation that the crime was gang related.Evidence at trial showed that in 2015 Ortiz attempted to smuggle out a letter threatening to kill the victim’s wife if she testified against him.

    The criminal trial began on October 13, 2020, and concluded with a verdict on October 27. Ortiz was found guilty of first-degree murder with the special circumstance of burglary and the special allegation of willful discharge of a firearm, burglary, witness intimidation, negligent discharge of a firearm, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and misdemeanor domestic violence.

    The penalty phase of the trial began on November 2, 2020. A jury of six men and six women voted for a death verdict on November 5.

    A motion to overrule the jury’s decision will be heard in Superior Court on December 11, 2020.

    “Time and time again, California voters have supported the death penalty, and time and time again, juries in Tulare County have affirmed that decision. In this horrific case, members of our community listened to the evidence and found that death was the ultimate and appropriate punishment. We thank the jury for their service during these unprecedented times,” said Tulare County District Attorney Tim Ward. “This was an execution of a man in the sanctity of his own home in front of his family. I pray for the healing of his family and all those deeply impacted by this vicious act of violence.”

    The case was prosecuted by Supervising Deputy District Attorney Mikki Verissimo with assistance from TCDA prosecution assistant Patty Wagner, and was investigated by the Porterville Police Department.

    https://www.recorderonline.com/news/...eb196fa64.html
    "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. #2
    Administrator Helen's Avatar
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    Porterville man sentenced to death

    The Recorder

    A Porterville man has been sentenced to death for the 2009 murder of a 23-year-old father in his own home.

    Adrian Ortiz, 31, was sentenced to death on Friday in Tulare Superior Court, Visalia Division.

    Around 10:30 a.m. on April 21, 2009 in Porterville, Ortiz and his girlfriend were arguing while driving in a car. Enraged, Ortiz drew a handgun and fired it into the dashboard causing the cabin to fill with smoke.

    Ortiz’s girlfriend, who was driving, pulled over in front of a house occupied by one of her friends, her friend’s husband, and their two-week old baby. Ortiz’s girlfriend ran from the car crying to the house to talk to her friend about the abusive relationship.

    The friend’s husband, the victim in the case, was sitting on the couch with the baby. As Ortiz approached the doorway to continue the argument, the victim told him to stay outside. Ortiz and his girlfriend then left together.

    When the two reached the car, Ortiz began to punch her, who again fled to the protection of the house. The victim announced he was calling the cops, and the door to the house was locked.

    Ortiz grabbed the gun from the car and threatened to kill the victim if he called law enforcement. Ortiz then kicked down the door and continued the threats while pointing the gun at the victim, who pleaded with Ortiz not to kill him. Pointing the gun at his head, Ortiz took the victim to the kitchen, sat him at a table, and shot him once in the neck. The incident was the first time Ortiz and the victim had ever met. The victim died shortly later at the hospital.

    At the time of the crime, Ortiz was three-weeks shy of turning 20-years-old. Ortiz fled the residence and later to Mexico where the U.S. Marshall Fugitive Task Force, with assistance from Mexican authorities, captured him in August 2012.

    A preliminary hearing was held in 2013. The court found Ortiz didn't possess any mental disabilities at a hearing in 2017.

    While in custody, Ortiz was convicted in 2013 for assault on a jail deputy with the special allegation the crime was gang related. Evidence at trial showed in 2015 Ortiz attempted to smuggle out a letter threatening to kill the victim’s wife if she testified against him.

    The criminal trial began on October 13, 2020, and concluded with a verdict on October 27. Ortiz was found guilty of first-degree murder with the special circumstance of burglary and the special allegation of willful discharge of a firearm, burglary, witness intimidation, negligent discharge of a firearm, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and misdemeanor domestic violence.

    The penalty phase of the trial began on November 2, 2020. A jury of six men and six women voted for the death penalty on November 5. At the sentencing, District Attorney Victim Advocate read two victim impact statements written by the victim’s family into the record.

    Ortiz’s priors include felony convictions for carrying a concealed dirk or dagger (2008) and evading (2008), as well as numerous misdemeanor convictions since 2007.

    “As I said before, this was a vicious act of violence. The patience of the victim’s family is commendable and we applaud the jury and the court for recognizing their loss and deciding the proper punishment,” said Tulare County District Attorney Tim Ward.

    Ortiz will join 14 other men sentenced in Tulare County who are currently on death row.

    The case was prosecuted by former Supervising Deputy District Attorney Mikki Verissimo with assistance from TCDA prosecution assistant Patty Wagner, and was investigated by the Porterville Police Department.

    https://www.recorderonline.com/news/...b942c47de.html
    "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. #3
    Moderator Ryan's Avatar
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    Ortiz entered California's death row on 3/24/21.

    https://www.cdcr.ca.gov/capital-puni...ecure-request/
    "How do you get drunk on death row?" - Werner Herzog

    "When we get fruit, we get the juice and water. I ferment for a week! It tastes like chalk, it's nasty" - Blaine Keith Milam #999558 Texas Death Row

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