DEFENDANT IN FATAL 1996 SHOOTING RELEASED IN PLEA DEAL TIME SERVED MAY ALLOW ONETIME PARTY BOUNCER TO BECOME FREE MAN AGAIN.Byline: Karen Karen Any member of a variety of tribal peoples of southern Myanmar (Burma). Constituting the second largest minority in Myanmar, the Karen are not a unitary group in any ethnic sense, as they differ among themselves linguistically, religiously, and economically. Maeshiro Staff Writer LANCASTER - After spending more than 18 months in jail awaiting trial in a 1996 murder, a 24-year-old defendant has pleaded no contest to a lesser charge and will be released, officials said Wednesday. Tomas Estrella was ordered released Tuesday after he pleaded no contest to being an accessory after the fact Noun 1. accessory after the fact - a person who gives assistance or comfort to someone known to be a felon or known to be sought in connection with the commission of a felony accessary, accessory - someone who helps another person commit a crime in the June 29, 1996, slaying of 19-year-old Serafin Herrera of Lancaster. Herrera was fatally fa·tal·ly adv. 1. So as to cause death; mortally: fatally injured. 2. So as to result in disaster or ruin. 3. According to the decree of fate; inevitably. Adv. 1. shot during a fight outside a pay-to-enter party near the California Aqueduct The California Aqueduct is a 444 mile (715 km)-long[1] aqueduct in the United States that carries water from Northern California to Southern California. . According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. authorities, Estrella and co-defendant CO-DEFENDANT. One who is made defendant in an action with another person. Roger Neufeld were working as bouncers at the event. Neufeld, 25, the accused shooter, is still awaiting trial on murder charges. Estrella faces two years in prison when he is sentenced later this month, but he has served enough time since being arrested on May 26, 1999 that he could receive a sentence of time already served, officials said. ``With the amount of time he has done, he will get credit for back time,'' Deputy District Attorney Carlos Chung said. Chung said there was not enough evidence to take the case against Estrella to trial. ``I reviewed the evidence and in terms of identification, I didn't believe we really had enough to take it to trial. ``Based on the fact he was not the shooter, based on his lack of past criminal history, based on problems of proof in his case, I just felt this was the correct disposition,'' Chung said. Defense attorney Walter Urban said Estrella was ordered released on Tuesday. Authorities said Herrera and three friends went to the party about a half-mile south of Lake Elizabeth Lake Elizabeth may refer to
They were standing by a car when a group approached them and a fight broke out. Guns were drawn by both sides, and Herrera was shot twice as he ran for cover, officials said. |
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