TWO L.A. TEENS CHARGED IN ROBBERY, FATAL SHOOTING OF CHATSWORTH\COUPLE.Byline: Steven J. Gorman Daily News Staff Writer Two Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. teen-agers were charged Friday with murder in the shooting deaths of a Chatsworth couple during a robbery at their home Jan. 2. Rickey rick·ey n. pl. rick·eys A drink of soda water, lime or lemon juice, sugar, and usually gin. [Probably from the name Rickey.] Noun 1. Smith Jr., 19, would face the death penalty or life in prison without parole if convicted in the killings of film industry landscaper Richard Landau lan·dau n. 1. A four-wheeled carriage with front and back passenger seats that face each other and a roof in two sections that can be lowered or detached. 2. A style of automobile with a similar roof. and his wife, Donna Landau. At the behest of detectives, prosecutors said they will seek to charge the 17-year-old suspect as an adult because of the nature of the crime. The juvenile, who is Smith's cousin and was not identified by police because of his age, is expected to be arraigned Jan. 16. "We think the crime is so vicious, he deserves to be treated as an adult and go to prison rather than be incarcerated incarcerated /in·car·cer·at·ed/ (in-kahr´ser-at?ed) imprisoned; constricted; subjected to incarceration. in·car·cer·at·ed adj. Confined or trapped, as a hernia. in the California Youth Authority," said Los Angeles police Lt. Bob Normandy. The Landaus' 15-year-old son, Jonathan Landau, was wounded during what court records show was a robbery that netted jewelry, money, credit cards and checks from the home on Owensmouth Avenue. At a brief appearance in Van Nuys Municipal Court on Friday, a judge granted the request of Smith's attorney to delay his arraignment A criminal proceeding at which the defendant is officially called before a court of competent jurisdiction, informed of the offense charged in the complaint, information, indictment, or other charging document, and asked to enter a plea of guilty, not guilty, or as otherwise permitted until Jan. 19. Smith is charged with two counts of murder, one count of attempted murder In the criminal law, attempted murder is committed when the defendant does an act that is more than merely preparatory to the commission of the crime of murder and, at the time of these acts, the person has a specific intention to kill. , three counts of robbery and one count each of burglary and conspiracy to commit robbery and burglary. 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. the 11-page complaint, Smith "personally used" a blue-steel revolver in the killings. Also, prosecutors contend that because more than one murder was committed and they were carried out in the commission of a burglary and robbery, Smith is eligible for the death penalty or life in prison without parole. Smith's cousin was charged separately Friday in Juvenile Court juvenile court Special court handling problems of delinquent, neglected, or abused children. Two types of cases are processed by a juvenile court: civil matters, often concerning care of an abandoned or impoverished child, and criminal matters, arising from antisocial in Sylmar. He faces the same charges as Smith, except for burglary. Deputy District Attorney Richard Taklender said he didn't lodge a burglary charge because he felt it was covered by the conspiracy charge. Authorities said they believe robbery was the motive for the killings. Police have said Jonathan Landau had let Smith, an acquaintance, into the home. Smith subsequently let in the second suspect, who the complaint says was wearing a ski mask. The complaint said both suspects had staked out the Landau home beforehand. Authorities said that after Jonathan Landau was shot in the leg, he feigned feigned adj. 1. Not real; pretended: a feigned modesty. 2. Made-up; fictitious. Adj. 1. death and then managed to hide on the roof until the arrival of his brother, Jason, 18. Authorities also said Smith had routinely walked to school with the Landaus' two sons about two years ago and had visited the home before but had no contact with the family "in recent times." Taklender said the younger suspect had no apparent ties to the family. CAPTION(S): PHOTO Photo Rickey Smith Jr. Could face death penalty |
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