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Jury can’t decide if Pittsburg man killed exploited Oakley teen, but acquit him of first degree murder

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:21:39 GMT

OAKLAND — Nearly seven years after a 17-year-old girl was gunned down behind a recreation center along International Boulevard, her accused killer finally had his day in court.But at the end of a trial that spanned nearly two months, jurors were unable to reach a complete verdict for 28-year-old Pittsburg resident Darion Brown. They did acquit Brown of first degree murder, but couldn’t decide on second degree murder or manslaughter, according to court records.The partial result led to a mistrial in Brown’s case, which could now either be tried again, set for plea bargaining, or be dismissed outright. Brown is charged with murdering 17-year-old Alexis Leann Ervin, an Oakley girl who was shot a half dozen times a little before 7 a.m. on June 8, 2016, behind the Rainbow Recreation Center, 5800 International Blvd in Oakland.During Brown’s trial, which started in February, his attorney argued there were several other people present during the shooting, any one of ...

Police: Suspect shot hostages, killing one, after wounding officer

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:21:39 GMT

By Rich Pedroncelli and Stephania Dazio | Associated PressROSEVILLE — A man was arrested after he shot and killed one person and wounded two others, including a highway patrol officer, at a park Thursday in Northern California, authorities said.Multiple police agencies began to descend on Roseville, a city northeast of Sacramento, in the early afternoon.California Highway Patrol officers were serving a warrant to the suspect when he began shooting at them, Roseville Police Capt. Kelby Newton said. One CHP officer was struck by gunfire, he said.When police arrived, officers confronted the suspect, who was still carrying a gun and was seen running from officers at a city park, Newton said. The suspect took two hostages, then surrendered to officers on the scene.Both hostages were shot and one of them died, officials said. The condition of the surviving hostage wasn’t immediately known.The wounded officer was hospitalized in stable condition.The names of the victims were not disc...

Letters: Lockdowns’ role | Reshaping charges | Reparations deserved | Reject dividers | Racist tropes

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:21:39 GMT

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.Lockdowns drovebusiness closingsRe: “Empty storefronts go far beyond downtowns” (Page A1, April 1).In your recent article about empty storefronts in the Bay Area, you failed to mention that the Bay Area had some of the hardest lockdowns in the nation. The Bay Area was also at the top in the country for business closures during these COVID lockdowns. This is not a coincidence.The Bay Area health officials that implemented some of the most severe lockdowns in the nation are partially responsible for these business failures and no one seems willing to acknowledge this.Scott ManleySunnyvaleBill could reshapecharges of rapeRe: “Bill aims to bolster hate-crime charges” (Page B1, April 2).Assemblymember Evan Low introduced a bill to make it clear that one of the forms of bias that turns a crime into a hate crime is when the perpetrator perceives the victim to be “weak, worthless or...

Three get life sentences for killing rapper XXXTentacion

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:21:39 GMT

Associated PressFORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Three men were given life sentences on Thursday for the 2018 killing of star rapper XXXTentacion, who was shot outside a South Florida motorcycle shop while being robbed of $50,000.Michael Boatwright, 28, Dedrick Williams, 26, and Trayvon Newsome, 24, were each convicted last month of first-degree murder and armed robbery by a jury following eight days of deliberations.Prosecutors had not sought the death penalty, so life in prison was the only sentence that Broward County Circuit Judge Michael Usan could impose for the first-degree murder convictions.During the month-long trial, prosecutors linked Boatwright, Williams and Newsome to the June 18, 2018, shooting outside Riva Motorsports in suburban Fort Lauderdale through extensive surveillance video taken inside and outside the store, plus cellphone videos the men took showing themselves flashing fistfuls of $100 bills hours after the slaying.Prosecutors also had the testimony of a fourth man,...

Why is Alameda offering a $75,000 signing bonus for new cops?

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:21:39 GMT

The city of Alameda’s police department is offering what may be the biggest signing bonus in the country in an effort to attract new officers.But the $75,000 bonus, which dwarfs the amount offered by other Bay Area cities, is about more than just putting money in an officer’s pockets, says Alameda’s new police chief. It’s also their best shot at instituting the type of progressive, reform-minded policing that he hopes to achieve.“Community policing is about building relationships,” Alameda Police Chief Nishant Joshi said in an interview. “It’s hard to do that when you’re covering three or four neighborhoods because of a staffing shortage.”The $75,000 cash bonus is meant to help fill a number of long-standing vacancies within the police department. According to Joshi, the department is currently operating at a 30 % staffing deficit, a level that he called “dangerous.”Officers are now working mandatory overtime because of the shortfall. The city currently...

Letters: Rain gauge | Unfair scrutiny | No excuses | Anger, despair | Reality of shootings

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:21:39 GMT

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.Paper should ditchairport rain gaugeWhy does The Mercury News continue to use the San Jose airport rain gauge to report the amount of rain daily?Today (March 31) the paper showed our total rain for the season as 14.78 inches. San Jose State University’s Meteorology Department’s rain gauge showed 22.92 inches for the total season, which is more in line with neighboring cities’ results.One wonders if it’s possible to change to SJSU’s rain gauge.Dorothy CarlsonSanta ClaraScrutiny of adviseris uncalled forRe: “Mayor’s adviser draws scrutiny” (Page B1, April 6).The recent discussion regarding the role of Kirk Vartan in Santa Clara public affairs is truly a tempest in an espresso cup.I have known Vartan for 20 years as a political opponent, and I regard him as a dedicated, ethical council watcher. Having reviewed a mountain of texts over the past three years between Councilmembers Antho...

Suspect shoots two hostages, CHP officer in Roseville before being detained, officials say

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:21:39 GMT

(KTXL) -- A shooting in Roseville on Thursday afternoon left one person dead and two people with gunshot wounds, including a CHP Officer, according to law enforcement. One suspect is now in custody.At around 12:30 p.m., a CHP Officer was shot while attempting to serve an arrest warrant near Mahany Park and Woodcreek High School, according to Roseville Police Captain Kelby Newton. These are the non-emergency phone numbers for law enforcement agencies in the Sacramento area The suspect fled on foot and began shooting at responding officers. While fleeing from officers the suspect took two hostages. FOX40FOX40FOX40FOX40FOX40Both of the hostages were struck by the suspect's gunfire, resulting in the death of one of the hostages, according to Newton. During the shootout between law enforcement and the suspect, nearby Woodcreek High School the Riley Library and the Mahany Athletic Center were placed on lockdown at around 1 p.m., according to the Roseville Police Department and the Ros...

Officials say Martinez Refinery had problems worth reporting days before discharge

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:21:39 GMT

Local health officials told the Martinez City Council on Wednesday that the Martinez Refining Company (MRC) should have reported events leading to the Nov. 24 discharge of more than 20 tons of "spent catalyst" days before the discharge actually started. Phil Martien from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District said a mechanical failure four days earlier started a chain of events leading to the Thanksgiving night discharge that lasted into the next day. Councilmember Satinder Malhi asked Martien whether there was any communication between MRC and the air district between Nov. 20, when problems started, and Nov. 24, when the discharge began. "I believe that there was not great communication during that period," Martien said. "Under law are they required, to typically, to notify?" Malhi asked. Contra Costa County water district to end drought restrictions, surcharge "They are required and that's part of the investigation that's ongoing," Martien said. MRC community relati...

Sunnyvale couple arrested with large stash of weapons and stolen vehicles

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:21:39 GMT

SUNNYVALE, Calif. (KRON) -- A husband and wife were arrested in Sunnyvale on Wednesday after police found a large haul of weapons and stolen vehicles at their home, the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety (DPS) said.Police received word that Anthony Gilbert, a convicted felon, was manufacturing weapons and currency at his home. After investigating Gilbert for months, police served a search warrant at his home on Waverly Street on Wednesday. 2 injured after late-night shooting near Napa apartment complex DPS found a stash of handguns, shotguns, rifles and a grenade launcher. An image from police (above) shows more than a dozen weapons, high-capacity magazines, ammunition and body armor. Police also found drugs, paraphernalia, and "several" vehicles confirmed to be stolen. Gilbert and Melissa Stansberry were arrested and jailed for weapons and vehicle code violations and child endangerment. KRON ON is streaming news live now.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56...

Napa County supes vote to keep 'pro' and 'con' supporters off measures on ballots

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:21:39 GMT

The League of Women Voters of Napa County said they support a recent decision by the Board of Supervisors to keep the names of both pro and con supporters of local measures off ballots, though the chair of the Napa County Republican Committee decried the move. The supervisors on March 28 unanimously approved barring pro and con supporters for local measures from being listed on ballots. "The complete information about a measure including the supporters and opponents will still be in the information booklets," said League of Women Voters of Napa County president Bernadette Brooks. "We are ok with this decision." Elon Musk says violent crime in SF is ‘horrific.’ Is it? County Registrar of Voters John Tuteur argued that adding the additional verbiage would be expensive compared to only having pro and con supporters of local measures published in voter guides sent to residents, likening it to real estate. "The voters' information guide is very, very cheap real estate, you ca...