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Halloween Attackers Confess to Police
From left, Alejandro Gonzalez, 10, Lucas Ramirez, 7, and his sister, Amanda, 10, participate in a community vigil at Story and King Roads in San Jose Thursday Nov. 5, 2009 in memory of the two young boys attacked on Halloween night by alleged gang members
San Jose Mercury News via YellowBrix
November 06, 2009
SAN JOSE – The four gang members accused of shooting a 12-year-old boy and stabbing his 13-year-old friend on Halloween night all confessed to police that they carried out the attack, protecting their gang turf even though they had no evidence the young trick-or-treaters belonged to a gang, according to a report released Thursday by San Jose police.
Now, the three teenagers and an 18-year-old Milpitas man face attempted murder charges, appearing briefly Thursday afternoon in Santa Clara County Superior Court, bearing tattoos and wearing jail garb. The stakes could yet escalate to murder charges for some of the defendants, as the 12-year-old shooting victim is clinging to life in a hospital. The 13-year-old victim is now recovering at home.
With community outrage over the attacks swirling around the case, District Attorney Dolores Carr announced she would try the three juvenile defendants as adults, a move applauded by Mayor Chuck Reed.“I think that’s a good thing,” Reed said. “We want justice to be done. And it will be done.”
The three juvenile suspects are: Hugo Torres, 15, Erik Diaz, 16, and Diego Gutierrez, 16. The fourth suspect is Eduardo Cristobal. Judge Jerome Nadler postponed their arraignments until Nov. 12 so they can enlist public defenders to represent them.
The defendants appeared to have some supporters during Thursday’s brief hearing, including two young women who wept and clutched each other when the purported gang Advertisement members were ushered into court by bailiffs.
Carr said her office chose to charge the juveniles as adults because of a combination of factors, including their gang membership and the fact it was “an unprovoked group attack” on the two trick-or-treaters. The defendants face a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The suspects all admitted carrying out the crime in statements to police in the days following the attacks, according to police documents made public Thursday.
The defendants said they were Sureño gang members who attacked the young victims while on the hunt for rival Norteño gang members. The San Jose police report says the two victims were “not wearing Norteño gang indicia.”
Baxter2
16 days ago
1032 Comments
Maximum adult punishment is fully deserved. Show no mercy.
I hope both victims recover fully.
fox5775
16 days ago
424 Comments
Take al the street gangs in Ca., put them all in the sports arenas, sell tickets, amd let them kill each other. Then, those that are left standing, send them to some war zone, so they can really fight for thier lives. Take all the money collected, and use it for the victims, and to help the police. That will take care of alot of problems. If it works good, have other states do the same.
avictor
16 days ago
368 Comments
Gangs are terrorist groups and they belong in Guantanamo Bay.
Throw the wanna-bees in too, the whole lot of them.
avictor
16 days ago
368 Comments
This is why the SJ PD has so many excessive force complaints.
The crowd in general is unpredictable and the city is chalked full of punks.
It has gotten rougher and rougher in SJ. Even in high school 1990's- and far away from King and the 7 Trees area.
I lived in a the suburbs a nice middle class area and the cops had to have at least 3 patrol cars everyday waiting across the street when school got out and in the morning and one at all times driving around.
I hated high school because the other kids were such bastards.
You always had to be 'ready' to fight.
The things my daughter complains about at her school - it is sad to think mine was still worse, in terms of violence and drugs.
I was born there I left - I would never go back.
aussie4
16 days ago
3726 Comments
Since these pos's like to protect their turf, send them to mexico so they can learn what protection is all about working with the Mexican Army, doing good for once.
IceM
16 days ago
38 Comments
Same old story...Kids looking for trouble ...Went too far, now pays for that mistake for the rest of their lives.
Whalewatcher
17 days ago
1450 Comments
Gang activities are killing our children and the futures of those involved in the gangs. Sending the right message by charging them as adults. Kudos to the San Jose Officers Association for setting up the fund for the victims !!!
Sheriff_1
17 days ago
6834 Comments
Well with all the gang activity everywhere each one of them should be tried as adults and given max sentences. Juvenile status should be totally discounted if gang activities and random stupidity like this is the case.
chiefdennis
17 days ago
7832 Comments
Yes, adult court. Young scumbags.
natasha74
17 days ago
296 Comments
I think these little gang kids need to be punished. A dose of prison would wake them up hopfully.
fplasencia
17 days ago
5342 Comments
Halloween Punks all over again... No News here...
headbrer
17 days ago
2978 Comments
This is an outrage and the perps should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Daysend
17 days ago
156 Comments
I hope the two lads recover with minimal scarring, both emotional and physical.
I remember reading about a small town in asian that was over ran with gangs.
The parents finally got tired of it, and ate the little bastards. Served em all up for soup.
They finally got to enjoy safe quiet streets. Until their arrest.
I'm not suggesting, I'm just sayin... I'm suggesting..
"munch munch munch."
Irishcop1961
17 days ago
15364 Comments
I hope for a speedy recovery to the kids. Hope they are tried as adults and recieve the max.
Jesskaashley_061
17 days ago
72 Comments
Its so horrible what this world has come to I cannot imagine what I would do if my little boy was the victim of violence like this or violence of any type for that matter! As a mother it breaks my heart!