SUSPECT TO STAND TRIAL IN SLAYING.Byline: Don Holland Daily News Staff Writer A two-time felon An individual who commits a crime of a serious nature, such as Burglary or murder. A person who commits a felony. felon n. a person who has been convicted of a felony, which is a crime punishable by death or a term in state or federal prison. charged with shooting a Simi Valley Simi Valley (sē`mē, sĭm`ē), city (1990 pop. 100,217), Ventura co., SW Calif. in an oil, fruit, and farm region; laid out 1887, inc. 1969. man to death after a bar brawl was ordered to stand trial Wednesday after a witness recounted the fatal incident. After being granted limited immunity in exchange for his testimony, William Mansfield described how an acquaintance, defendant Thomas Shanti Shanti (from Sanskrit शािन्त śāntiḥ) can mean:
Regos, who had just left the bar, exchanged words with Blanks and the two quickly became embroiled em·broil tr.v. em·broiled, em·broil·ing, em·broils 1. To involve in argument, contention, or hostile actions: "Avoid . . . in a scuffle, Mansfield said. Regos ``was full out in a charge, bent down like he was going to nail (Blanks),'' said Mansfield. ``Once he hit and they started struggling, that's when I started hearing the pops.'' Blanks allegedly fired three or four shots from a .22-caliber pistol, striking Regos in the chest. Mortally wounded, Regos began chasing Blanks and Mansfield. As Blanks jumped into the passenger side of Mansfield's pickup truck, Regos tried to punch Mansfield through the driver's side window. Although there was no sign of blood, Mansfield said he noticed a small hole that looked like a small cigarette burn in Regos' shirt. Regos then broke the driver's window as the two drove away, said Mansfield, who is not facing charges in the Sept. 3 killing. Moments later when police pulled them over, Blanks told Mansfield to speed off, which Mansfield refused to do. ``He proceeded to keep telling me to (drive away) and he told me he was on parole,'' Mansfield said. ``Then he threw the gun in my lap. . . . He asked me to say it was my gun.'' When he refused, Blanks told me he was going to take me down, too, Mansfield said. Regos, a 25-year-old machinist from Simi Valley, was pronounced dead an hour after the alleged attack took place. If convicted, Blanks could be sentenced to up to 25 years to life in prison. He is set to be arraigned Dec. 16 in Superior Court. |
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