PAIR OF ALLEGED DEALERSHIP SNIPERS TO STAND TRIAL DEAF MAN AND REPUTED GANG MEMBER CHARGED IN ATTACK ON SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES.

Byline: KAREN MAESHIRO Staff Writer

LANCASTER -- A deaf middle-aged convicted killer and a reputed teenage gang member face trial on charges they attempted to murder sheriff's deputies in a sniper attack last January.

Val Smith, 36, and Samuel Martinez, 19, lived in neighboring apartments within sight of the Lancaster car sales lot where more than a dozen shots were fired the night of Jan. 6 by someone with a semiautomatic rifle.

``People have their own reasons for what they do. In this day and age, some people do really evil things because they think it's fun,'' Deputy District Attorney John Evans said. ``Based on their conduct, it suggests to me they have no respect for life.''

Smith and Martinez were bound over for trial Friday on three counts of attempted murder on a peace officer, three counts of assault on a peace officer with a gun, shooting at an inhabited dwelling, shooting at occupied motor vehicles and assault with a firearm, in reference to a man who was in the dealership.

Both men have pleaded not guilty and were each being held in lieu of $2 million bail.

Sheriff's officials believe the first shot was fired into the Mazda dealership showroom window to draw out sheriff's deputies, then the snipers waited until most of the deputies who arrived drove off and fired at least a dozen shots at three remaining deputies standing in the sales lot.

``That is one reasonable interpretation of the evidence. That would explain why they didn't bother to shoot again until after deputies arrived,'' Evans said.

No one was hit.

``One deputy felt the air displaced at his head when a bullet went by because it was so close. Another deputy heard it go by,'' Evans said.

After his arrest, Evans said, Martinez told detectives he shot a rifle at a dirt mound in a field between the apartment complex and the dealership, and that Smith was with him.

``Martinez maintains that he did everything except intend to shoot anybody. He held a gun and fired the gun in the direction of dealership. He never intended to shoot at anybody or hurt anyone,'' Evans said.

Martinez said the dirt mound was silhouetted by light from the dealership, but detectives found no such mound, Evans said.

Smith initially told investigators he didn't know about the shooting and was out of town that night, Evans said.

When deputies reminded him that they had seen him at the apartment complex, Smith said he was there but had nothing do with the shooting, Evans said.

After being told about what Martinez said, Smith revised his story again.

``When confronted with Martinez's confession, as to the shooting at least, Smith said he was with Martinez at the wall, but it was Martinez who had the gun and Martinez was showing him how the gun worked,'' Evans said.

Smith served six years behind bars for a 1992 killing at a Van Nuys apartment. Deputies identified Martinez as a gang member. Sheriff's deputies said the men were neighbors and friends, despite their age difference and Smith's deafness. Authorities said they believe the men communicated in writing.

karen.maeshiro(at)dailynews.com

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