TWO SUSPECTS CHARGED IN SHOOTING DEATH OF ACTOR.Byline: Michael Gougis Staff Writer Prosecutors filed murder and 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. charges Monday against two men accused of gunning down North Hollywood actor Merlin Santana, while relatives of one of the defendants insisted he was innocent. Attorneys for Damien Andre Gates, 20, and Brandon Douglas Brandon Douglas (born June 21, 1968) is an American actor. He first came to prominence in the television series Falcon Crest, in which he played Ben Agretti during the 1988-1989 season. Was previously married to actress Julie Condra. Bynes, 23, both entered not guilty pleas to the charges against the defendants, who appeared briefly in court but said nothing. Each was charged with a single count of murder and one count of attempted murder. If convicted on all charges, they face 25 years to life in prison. Bail was set at $2 million each. Santana, 26, was best known for his role as Romeo Santana on ``The Steve Harvey
De Niro movie ``Showtime.'' His mother had urged him to move to Southern California to escape his tough, violent New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of neighborhood, and he was nominated for awards that recognized Hispanic achievements in entertainment. He was shot at 2:45 a.m. on Nov. 9 as he sat in a parked car in the 3800 block of Victoria Avenue in the Crenshaw cren·shaw also cran·shaw n. A variety of winter melon (Cucumis melo var. inodorus) having a greenish-yellow rind and sweet, usually salmon-pink flesh. [Origin unknown.] area of Los Angeles, authorities said. Two days later, a 15-year-old girl - a habitual runaway from county custody, detectives said - was arrested in the case, accused of driving the getaway car for Gates and Bynes. She was being held in juvenile custody, but prosecutors are seeking a hearing to determine whether she will be tried as an adult. Because she is a juvenile, authorities have not released her name. Another girl, 14, who was in the car at the time of the slaying, likely will not be charged, prosecutors said. Several members of Gates' family were in the courtroom for the 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 Monday, and outside of the courtroom they tearfully insisted that authorities had arrested the wrong man. ``This is nothing like my son. Nobody's perfect, you know what I'm saying, but he's quiet, he'd help anyone, he doesn't do drugs, he doesn't even smoke cigarettes,'' said Gates' mother, Yolanda Neale, 46, of Los Angeles. ``This just doesn't add up. He has a home. He has a 3-year-old son.'' Family members said Gates was a generator operator for a company that provided electricity for concerts, movies and entertainment special events. Gates' girlfriend, Revonne Rallings, 18, of Los Angeles said she was certain authorities had arrested Gates in error. ``I send my condolences to the Santana family, I really feel for them, we've lost family members and I know how it feels. But if he's convicted, his mother loses a son, too. I feel like he's being framed, he's just not the type,'' she said. |
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