L.A. Criminal Cases
Rodney Alcala Gets Death Sentence
Posted by: David Ring
March 10, 2010
Serial killer Rodney Alcala will get the death sentence for killing several women and girls in the 1970s. A jury took only one hour to hand down the sentence of death rather than life in prison for the 66 year old Alcala.
Alcala's crimes were notorious. Originally, many years ago, he was only charged with the murder of a young girl in Orange County. Alcala was convicted, appealed and obtained a new trial, and then was convicted a second time, appealed, and again obtained a new trial. This was the third trial, but this time Alcala was charged with the murders of several other women after DNA testing linked him to those unsolved murders as well.
Alcala represented himself in this final trial, which made for bizarre proceedings in court.
Deputy District Attorney Matt Murphy prosecuted Alcala this time around. I know Matt personally. He is an outstanding lawyer and was the perfect D.A. to take on Alcala in this case. Matt had to interact with Alcala for months on the case since Alcala was acting as his own lawyer. Not an easy task for any prosecutor in any case, much less in a case involving a rapist and serial killer of women and girls. Yet Matt handled it perfectly, professionally, and obtained the conviction and the death penalty.
In the past couple of years, Matt Murphy obtained convictions of all those involved in the horrific murders of Thomas and Jackie Hawks, who were literally thrown overboard from their yacht while out to sea by men who were posing as buyers of the yacht but who simply wanted to steal the yacht.
It's A Wrap - Jesse James Hollywood Gets Life In Prison
Posted by: David Ring
February 10, 2010
The murder case against Jesse James Hollywood sounds like something that could only happen in the movies. But, since this is L.A., the case was actually made into a movie -- "Alpha Dog," starring Bruce Willis, Emile Hirsch, and Justin Timberlake. Ten years ago Jesse ordered the murder of a 15-year old boy whose brother owed Jesse a drug debt. Now, this week, Jesse James Hollywood was sentenced to life in prison without parole. The sentencing brings an end to the incredible murder case that started ten years ago.
Jesse grew up in the Valley and played youth sports like any other kid. By high school, however, he was involved in drugs and eventually started dealing drugs. In 2000, when Jesse was 20, he was owed a drug debt by Benjamin Markowitz. A feud developed. Jesse and his drug buddies were going to confront Benjamin again one day when they say Benjamin's half-brother, Nicholas Markowitz (age 15) walking along the street. They kidnapped Nicholas and held him for ransom - the drug debt. Nicholas thought all along he'd be let go soon enough. The posse took Nicholas to a Santa Barbara hotel and partied with him. But then things went bad.
Once Jesse figured out he and the others had truly kidnapped Nicholas and could go to prison for a long time for doing so, Jesse decided to have Nicholas killed. He ordered some of the posse to take Nicholas to a deserted location in Santa Barbara County and shoot him. They did. They left him in a shallow grave, which was soon discovered by hikers.
Jesse fled the country. For years he couldn't be found. Finally, in 2005, authorities arrested him in Brazil.
In 2006, the movie Alpha Dog was released based on the events of the case up to that point. Another twist in the actual murder case came about when the prosecutor was thrown off the case because he had cooperated extensively with the producers making Alpha Dog.
Finally, a jury convicted Jesse of murder for his role in ordering the killing of Nicholas. Jesse got life in prison, rather than the death penalty. And ten years after Nicholas' murder, the Markowitz family obtained some sense of justice.
Real Life "Crash" Plays Out In Road Rage Case
Posted by: David Ring
February 03, 2010
The defense lawyer for Defendant David Jassy, a Swedish rapper charged with 2nd degree murder in a Los Angeles road rage case, told the jury that the events leading up to the altercation between Jassy and a pedestrian was a real-life version of the movie "Crash" because intertwined events and people led to a horrific tragedy.
Jassy stopped his SUV well into a crosswalk at a stop light in November 2008. John Osnes, a jazz musician who was an advocate for pedestrian rights and had a pet peeve for inconsiderate drivers, happened to be crossing in the crosswalk and took exception to Jassy's SUV being in his way. Osnes pounded the hood of the vehicle. Jassy lost it, got out of his SUV, and punched and kicked Osnes so violently he killed him. Jassy then fled in the SUV, running over Osnes' body in the process.
At Jassy's February 2010 criminal trial, he took the stand and claimed he acted in self-defense. The jury didn't buy it. It convicted him of second degree murder.
Two lives that intersected in a flash; two men lost their cool; one ended up dead, the other will be in prison for years to come. Crash, indeed.
