Justin Heath Thomas
Facts of the Crime:
Thomas was convicted of shooting Rafael Noriega to death during a September 15, 1992 drug deal in Moreno Valley and was sentenced to death in Riverside County on March 12, 2008.
Justin Heath Thomas
Facts of the Crime:
Thomas was convicted of shooting Rafael Noriega to death during a September 15, 1992 drug deal in Moreno Valley and was sentenced to death in Riverside County on March 12, 2008.
Justin Thomas Sentenced to Death
Justin Thomas' wish that he be sentenced to death for the 1992 murder of a man during a botched drug deal has been granted.
Riverside Superior Court Judge Terrence Boren sentenced the Moreno Valley man to death Friday, following the December recommendation of a jury that determined Thomas committed the crime and deserved to die for the killing of Rafael Noriega during a methamphetamine deal in Moreno Valley.
Assistant District Attorney Chuck Hughes, who prosecuted the case, said Boren rejected a defense motion for a new trial and then reaffirmed the jury's recommendation, ruling the mitigating factors in Thomas' favor did not outweigh the aggravating circumstances of the case.
Neither defense attorney Peter Scalisi or Darryl Exum could be reached for comment.
Hughes said Boren noted that Thomas, a former student at Canyon Springs High School, had no criminal record at the time of the killing, was relatively young and was introduced to drugs and alcohol at a young age. The judge, however, said those factors in Thomas' favor were not sufficient to outweigh the circumstances of the crime.
Prosecutors said Thomas was a drug dealer and killed Noriega, his methamphetamine dealer, fearing Noriega would inform police about him. Thomas shot Noriega five times, stole money and drugs and then buried the body in the Moreno Valley foothills, prosecutors said.
Thomas, who took the stand during the penalty phase of the trial, continued to deny the killing and urged that he be sentenced to death so his case would be more closely scrutinized on appeal.
At one point, Thomas said: "The whole thing has been a mockery of what it's supposed to be."
Thomas was previously convicted of killing a Texas woman in 1996, a charge he still denies, and was sentenced to life in prison. He was extradited to Riverside in 2000 for the 1992 slaying of Noriega and has been in jail since.
Hughes said Thomas will be transferred to San Quentin, where he will be housed as the appeal winds its way through the criminal justice system.
Until his trial, Thomas had been waiting longer than any other Riverside County inmate for a trial.
(Source: The Associated Press)
Counsel was appointed to represent Thomas on direct appeal on July 8, 2011.
http://appellatecases.courtinfo.ca.g...doc_no=S161781
On January 28, 2015, Thomas filed his opening brief on direct appeal before the California Supreme Court.
http://appellatecases.courtinfo.ca.g...doc_no=S161781
Thomas' direct appeal has been fully briefed before the California Supreme Court since April 7, 2017.
http://appellatecases.courtinfo.ca.g...doc_no=S161781
On November 2, 2022, oral argument will be heard in Thomas' direct appeal before the California Supreme Court.
https://supreme.courts.ca.gov/sites/...%20posting.pdf
On November 23, 2022, Thomas filed a habeas petition before the California Supreme Court.
https://appellatecases.courtinfo.ca....9SUCAgCg%3D%3D
In today's opinions, the California Supreme Court AFFIRMED Thomas' guilty verdict and sentence on direct appeal.
https://www.courts.ca.gov/opinions/d...ts/S161781.PDF
An uninformed opponent is a dangerous opponent.
"Y'all be makin shit up" ~ Markeith Loyd
Distributed for conference 5/25/2023.
https://www.supremecourt.gov/search....c/22-7233.html
Thank you for the adventure - Axol
Tried so hard and got so far, but in the end it doesn’t even matter - Linkin Park
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In today's orders, the United States Supreme Court DENIED Thomas' petition for certiorari.
Lower Ct: Supreme Court of California
Case Numbers: (S161781)
Decision Date: January 26, 2023
https://www.supremecourt.gov/orders/...23zor_d18f.pdf
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