MAN ADMITS TO KILLING FRIEND VICTIM'S MOM'S TESTIMONY ELICITS GUILTY PLEA.Byline: Naush Boghossian Staff Writer PASADENA - By all accounts, Daniel Camargo is a calculating, coldblooded killer. But the man who committed the premeditated murder Premeditated murder is the crime of wrongfully causing the death of another human being (also known as murder) after rationally considering the timing or method of doing so, in order to either increase the likelihood of success, or to evade detection or apprehension. of his childhood friend was moved to do the unexpected last week: After hearing the tearful testimony of his victim's mother, Guadalupe Cesena, Camargo turned to his attorney and stopped the trial. The 24-year-old agreed to plead plead v. 1) in civil lawsuits and petitions, the filing of any document (pleading) including complaints, petitions, declarations, motions, and memoranda of points and authorities. guilty to first-degree murder and the special circumstance of robbery, guaranteeing for himself a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole parole (pərōl`), in criminal law, release from prison of a convict before the expiration of his term on condition that his activities be restricted and that he report regularly to an officer. . ``He buckled under some human emotion. He had a very tough upbringing, and I think that's why he liked the victim's mom - because she treated him nice and was one person who showed a tough street kid genuine emotion,'' said case supervisor Sgt. Ian Grimes Grimes is a surname, that is believed to be of a Scandinavian decent and may refer to
``If you're facing a maximum sentence like that, most defendants would take a roll of the dice and put the burden on the prosecution to prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt.'' The guilty plea stunned stun tr.v. stunned, stun·ning, stuns 1. To daze or render senseless, by or as if by a blow. 2. To overwhelm or daze with a loud noise. 3. seasoned professionals, including the judge, deputy district attorney and police. Normally, plea bargains plea bargain n. in criminal procedure, a negotiation between the defendant and his attorney on one side and the prosecutor on the other, in which the defendant agrees to plead "guilty" or "no contest" to some crimes, in return for reduction of the severity of the lead to defendants admitting to lesser crimes, and those negotiations take place well before a jury is picked and a trial begins. But no offers had ever been made to Camargo. ``I think that not only was it her statement testifying, but he knew police also had all the evidence against him,'' Deputy District Attorney Shelly Torrealba said. ``I think he was willing to take a chance until he heard her testimony.'' Glendale police had what they considered an airtight air·tight adj. 1. Impermeable by air. 2. Having no weak points; sound: an airtight excuse. airtight Adjective 1. case against Camargo, a drug runner who police said admitted the crime within hours of his arrest. A disgruntled dis·grun·tle tr.v. dis·grun·tled, dis·grun·tling, dis·grun·tles To make discontented. [dis- + gruntle, to grumble (from Middle English gruntelen; see Camargo had been living with longtime long·time adj. Having existed or persisted for a long time: a longtime friend; a longtime resident of Detroit. longtime Adjective friend Heriberto Otero, a drug dealer, at the time of the East Lomita shooting last July, when he decided to kill Otero because he felt he wasn't getting paid on time. When the 24-year-old Otero had fallen asleep, Camargo took Otero's gun from under his bed, covered his face with a pillow and shot him numerous times. Camargo grabbed a few hundred dollars from Otero's bed and left the Glendale apartment, only to come face to face with Glendale police who had already responded to the scene after neighbors called reporting hearing shots fired. He told police, ``What does a guy have to do to get paid?'' ``For him it was all about respect, and he didn't feel like he was getting the respect from the victim,'' Grimes said. Given the opportunity to express remorse Remorse See also Regret. Ayenbite of Inwit (Remorse of Conscience) Middle English version of medieval moral treatise, c. 1340. [Br. Lit. for the killing during the videotaped confession, Camargo refused. He had told police when he was arrested that he was on his way to kill one more person - the only other person who knew that he had been living with Otero, Grimes said. Those familiar with the case believe Camargo probably still does not feel remorse for killing Otero - that his guilt stemmed from hurting a kind woman who took care of him when he'd visit Otero as a young boy. The man who lived in foster homes and served time for a gang-related shooting foreshadowed his concern for the mother during his confession, Grimes said. ``That was the only thing he felt bad about - that she would find out he did it,'' he said. At Camargo's sentencing last week, Guadalupe Cesena said she was not dealing well with the death of her only child, her life. ``I cry every day. ... I don't have much concentration because I think a lot of my son every day,'' she said in Spanish; an interpreter translated. ``I have feelings for Daniel and also for my son, Heriberto. Heriberto Manuel Otero rest in peace.'' Camargo then requested the opportunity to address Cesena. ``Madam, I would like you to forgive me. I'm really sorry,'' he said in Spanish. Cesena responded: ``I'm also really sorry.'' In the end, only Daniel Camargo knows why he decided to take his fate in his own hands, but police psychologist Kris Mohandie said even criminals have a specific moral code. ``What you have here is a guy who said, forget it; this is my way of making this right in my moral code. Her testimony was probably the last straw last straw n. The last of a series of annoyances or disappointments that leads one to a final loss of patience, temper, trust, or hope. [ for him,'' Mohandie said. Naush Boghossian, (818) 546-3306 naush.boghossian(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: CAMARGO |
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