CA High Court Upholds Death Sentence: The California Supreme Court upheld the death penalty of a Stockton quadruple murderer. Bob Egelko of the SF Chronicle reports that Louis James People, 53, killed four people over the course of two months in 1997 using a stolen gun in each of the shootings. This past Thursday, the High Court rejected People's arguments that at the time of the murders, his reasoning and self-control were impaired due to methamphetamine use. The justices also rejected his claim that his trial was unfair and his confession was unlawfully coerced during an interrogation session. Justice Goodwin Liu determined that during the interrogation, People's was given numerous breaks, food and drink, and was repeatedly offered the chance to speak with a lawyer, which he declined. The ruling was 7-0.
TX Cop-Killer Found Incompetent to Stand Trial: The man accused of shooting a Houston sheriff's deputy to death last year has been found mentally unstable to stand trial for capital murder. KPRC 2 reports that a psychological evaluation was completed Monday, in which state experts agreed that 31-year-old Shannon Miles was mentally unstable when he shot Deputy Darren Goforth 15 times while he was filling his patrol car with gas. Miles will remain at the Harris County jail until a vacant space is available at the state mental hospital, which could take months, though once he receives treatment and has his competency restored, his trial can move forward. Miles was indicted by a grand jury in November for killing Goforth, allegedly in retaliation of law enforcement officers. He faces a possible death sentence.
Baby Girl Fatally Shot in her Crib: A one-year-old Compton girl was fatally shot Tuesday night while lying in her crib, and authorities suspect the bullets were likely meant for her father. Nicole Santa Cruz, Cindy Chang and Matt Hamilton of the L.A. Times report that law enforcement are searching for two suspects her were seen driving up to baby Autumn Johnson's residence and firing into a converted garage where she lived with her parents. Authorities are unsure of an ongoing gang rivalry in the notoriously violent area of Los Angeles County, but believe Autumn's 24-year-old father, an admitted member of a local street gang, was the intended target of the shooting. Compton residents are shocked to hear of the girl's death, but admit that it's neither surprising nor uncommon for young children to get caught in the cross hairs of gang violence. In the last six months, the city has seen 475 violent crimes, eight of which were homicides.
TX Cop-Killer Found Incompetent to Stand Trial: The man accused of shooting a Houston sheriff's deputy to death last year has been found mentally unstable to stand trial for capital murder. KPRC 2 reports that a psychological evaluation was completed Monday, in which state experts agreed that 31-year-old Shannon Miles was mentally unstable when he shot Deputy Darren Goforth 15 times while he was filling his patrol car with gas. Miles will remain at the Harris County jail until a vacant space is available at the state mental hospital, which could take months, though once he receives treatment and has his competency restored, his trial can move forward. Miles was indicted by a grand jury in November for killing Goforth, allegedly in retaliation of law enforcement officers. He faces a possible death sentence.
Baby Girl Fatally Shot in her Crib: A one-year-old Compton girl was fatally shot Tuesday night while lying in her crib, and authorities suspect the bullets were likely meant for her father. Nicole Santa Cruz, Cindy Chang and Matt Hamilton of the L.A. Times report that law enforcement are searching for two suspects her were seen driving up to baby Autumn Johnson's residence and firing into a converted garage where she lived with her parents. Authorities are unsure of an ongoing gang rivalry in the notoriously violent area of Los Angeles County, but believe Autumn's 24-year-old father, an admitted member of a local street gang, was the intended target of the shooting. Compton residents are shocked to hear of the girl's death, but admit that it's neither surprising nor uncommon for young children to get caught in the cross hairs of gang violence. In the last six months, the city has seen 475 violent crimes, eight of which were homicides.
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