The trial of four people charged in the 2008 killing of an
18-year-old man in Gilroy
– originally scheduled to begin this week – will not start for
at least a month, according to the Santa Clara County District
Attorney’s Office.
The trial of four people charged in the 2008 killing of an 18-year-old man in Gilroy – originally scheduled to begin this week – will not start for at least a month, according to the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office.
Cristian Jimenez, Robert Barrios, Heather Ashford and Angel Solorzano have been charged in the murder of Larry Martinez, who was shot and killed Nov. 11, 2008 by a rival gang near Church and Sixth streets, according to police.
The trial start date was set for Monday but was pushed back until July 18, according to Amy Cornell, spokeswoman for the District Attorney’s office.
A pretrial hearing will be held at 8:30 a.m. in Dept. 24 in San Jose before being transferred to another courtroom, Cornell said.
Jimenez, 23, an alleged Sureno gang member, was charged with Martinez’s death, while Barrios, 22, Ashford, 20, and Solorzano, 21, will stand trial for murder and conspiracy charges even though they didn’t fire the gun that killed their cousin and friend, prosecutors said.
Deputy District Attorney Dolores Carr charged the three under the rarely invoked provocative act murder theory for contributing to Martinez’s death for the benefit of a criminal street gang.
Jimenez also faces a felony gun possession charge, according to court documents.
Roughly 30 minutes before the shooting, Jimenez and two other alleged Surenos who are still at large – Edgardo Centeno, 21, and an unnamed juvenile – threw a rock at a car Martinez and Solorzano were riding in while Ashford drove, according to police.
Ashford, Martinez and Solorzano later picked up Barrios and returned to confront the rival gang members, armed with a small wooden bat. Prosecutors said Martinez and his friends then snuck up on the Surenos from behind, causing them to turn and shoot.
The four were arrested June 8, 2009.
