A LONG, LONG PRISON TERM SNOOKY'S ROBBER GETS 147 YEARS TO LIFE.

Byline: Karen Maeshiro Staff Writer

LANCASTER - A 24-year-old Carson man convicted for a violent 2003 takeover robbery of a Lancaster bikini bar was sentenced Thursday to 147 years to life in prison.

Marshawn Jackson was found guilty of attempted murder, kidnapping for the purpose of robbery, and robbery in the incident in which Snooky's owner was beaten and two employees and a customer were shot.

Still awaiting sentencing are Terrence Dunson, 23, of Carson and Brian McDonald, 23, of Long Beach, both convicted of attempted murder, kidnapping for the purpose of robbery and robbery.

``I look forward to finishing the case and sentencing everybody,'' Deputy District Attorney Hayden Zacky said. ``These guys are really bad guys and deserve to go away for the rest of their lives and are really a liability for society.''

The judge wanted the defendants sentenced on separate days for security reasons.

Zacky said Jackson cried at the sentencing in downtown Los Angeles. Dunson's twin sister, Amber Dunson of Carson, who was accused of being the getaway car driver, was acquitted of attempted murder and kidnapping but found guilty of robbery and evading a police officer.

The Los Angeles Superior Court jury also found that Jackson personally used and discharged a firearm, resulting in great bodily injury to the victims, prosecutors said.

Amber Dunson, who faces between 10 years and 15 years in prison, is scheduled to be sentenced today. Terrence Dunson and McDonald each face multiple life terms and are scheduled to be sentenced Monday.

Terrence Dunson and McDonald are ex-convicts who got out of prison months before the holdup. Terrence Dunson's girlfriend used to work at the bar and may have been a dancer there, officials said.

The holdup started after three men entered the bar and drank and played pool for 15 minutes to 20 minutes, Zacky said. They were then asked to leave by the owner because they didn't have proper identification.

The three men walked out but, in a second or two, re-entered the bar.

``Terrence Dunson hit the owner with a bar stool, causing him to fall to the ground,'' Zacky said. ``Jackson put the bouncer down on the ground and shot him point-blank in the hip, through and through.''

Terrence Dunson grabbed the owner and dragged him into a back room, where he was forced to open a safe. Along the way, McDonald punched the owner in the face, knocking out his teeth, Zacky said.

A customer and a female bartender were forced to sit in the back room, and the bouncer was bound with duct tape and also taken to the back room.

After grabbing money out of the safe and trying to disable the surveillance system, Terrence Dunson ordered that the four victims be shot, Zacky said.

Jackson fired three additional shots, striking the bartender and the customer but missing the owner, Zacky said.

``They (the victims) were complying. There was no reason to shoot these people,'' Zacky said.

The men sped off in a car driven by a woman. On the Antelope Valley Freeway, the car was spotted by a California Highway Patrol officer near Acton. Officers chased the car to the border of Pacoima and San Fernando, where the occupants jumped out.

Officers captured three of them almost immediately. The fourth was apprehended nearly two hours later. Money, several handguns and clothing were found in the car, officials said.

According to court records, Dunson had been sent to prison at age 18 in June 2000 on a two-year sentence for attempted robbery. He was paroled in 2001, then sent back to prison and released again in January 2003.

McDonald was sent to state prison at age 19 in July 2001 for being an ex-felon in possession of a firearm. He was then repeatedly in and out on parole, and then was released again on parole in June 2003.

Karen Maeshiro, [phone]

karen.maeshiro(at)dailynews.com