4 sentenced for up to life in Long Beach (ESL)

[Christina Marie]

4 sentenced for up to life in Long Beach teen's stabbing death
By Tracy Manzer, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 10/08/2008 01:16:39 PM PDT


LONG BEACH - Three convicted murderers were sentenced to 25 years to life in prison, and a fourth murderer was sentenced to 50 years to life in connection with the 2006 stabbing death of an 18-year-old Long Beach youth Wednesday.

Benjamin Gonzalez received 50 years to life because of a previous strike on his record, which was logged just seven months before the murder of Norman Cox.

Cox was walking along Anaheim Street near Gundry Avenue in November 2006 when he was jumped by a group of gang members, according to his family.

Cox was with his 16-year-old brother and 14-year-old cousin at the time, and his younger brother - along with his parents - described the killing in a Press-Telegram interview that was published shortly after the stabbing.

The 16-year-old said a group of five Hispanic males and two Hispanic females began shouting gang names and threats at the victim from across the street.

Cox turned his head to see who was yelling, his mother said, and that is when several of the suspects, who called themselves Eastside Longos, ran across the street and toward the victims.

The 16-year-old and 14-year-old ran in one direction and Norman tried to flee in another. Because he suffered from a hernia, he couldn't move fast enough, his parents said.

The pack of gangsters caught up with him and surrounded him, yelling at him that they hated Crips, a rival gang.

Norman repeatedly denied being a gang member, and told the group he did not want to fight, his family said.

"Norman kept saying, 'I don't want a problem, I don't gangbang,"' his mother said at the time of the slaying. "They said they didn't care, then pulled out a screwdriver and began stabbing him in the back and in the side."

All the while, his 14-year-old cousin and 16-year-old brother watched helplessly, the family said.

After making obscene gestures at media cameras in the courtroom Wednesday morning, 22-year-old Gonzalez smiled and laughed throughout his sentencing at the Long Beach Superior Court.

He also laughed and bragged about "getting life" as he was led cuffed and shackled from the courtroom.

His co-defendants, 22-year-old Gilbert Gomez and brothers Gerson, 25, and Spencer Bazan, 17, were each sentenced to 25 years to life in state prison.

Spencer Bazan was also found guilty of using the knife in the attack, and all four defendants were found to have committed the slaying to further their gang.

The additional 10 year sentence for the gang allegation is not applied in the convicted murderers' indefinite sentence, which requires each defendant to serve the 25 years or 50 years, in the case of Gonzalez, before they can be found eligible for parole.

The defendants and their families steadfastly denied their guilt and claimed the victim was a gang member throughout the contentious trial.

Threats made against the prosecution's primary witness, a former neighbor of many of the defendants, required the witness to be relocated by county authorities for her safety.

None of the defendants offered an apology or explanation for the killing during their sentencing, and attorneys for two of the defendants said they were prepared to file appeals on behalf of their clients Wednesday.

The parents of the victim sat quietly in the back of the courtroom through the brief session.

Relatives of the defendants cried throughout the proceedings and some had to be admonished by the judge after reacting to news that Gonzalez's prior strike - which was for threatening a police officer - would be applicable to his sentence, doubling the time he faced in prison.

"I don't need any help," Long Beach Superior Court Judge Tomson Ong told the defendants friends and family. "If you want to make expressions like that you can leave my courtroom."

Gonzalez, who sported two relatively new tattoos above each eye - one which read Long and the other Beach - burst out during his sentencing as well, arguing with his attorney about his prior strike.

His attorney, David Ross, argued to the court that the strike should not apply because it was based on a crime Gonzalez committed at the age of 17.

"He did not use the knife, and he was was not convicted of using the knife," Ross also argued.

Deputy District Attorney LaChandra Wilkerson countered Gonzalez's strike was for a crime that occurred just seven months prior to the slaying, and that Gonzalez was given probation at that time - over the people's objections - but did not take the issue of his probation and avoiding criminal activity seriously.

"He engaged in activity ... that led to the death of Norman Cox," the the told the judge.

The judge agreed, denying the defense's request to waive the prior strike.

http://www.presstelegram.com/news/ci_10670003

[Christina Marie]

You know who I blame? The parents. What kind of environment must a child be in to become so emotionless? Sure they are young adults, but someone is responsible for forming them this way or allowing it to happen. Straight sad

[MILNATIVE]

Was the victim Black? Was this part of the Brown/Black war?

[Christina Marie]

Was the victim Black? Was this part of the Brown/Black war?

Do you read? Read it and tell me what you think it was motivated by. Its pretty transparent

[Old_man07]

While there may have been a racial aspect to this, it is interesting that they were threatening them by saying that they hated Crips. Maybe it's racist in that they assumed that some young Black males were by default Crips gang members?

[MILNATIVE]

Sorry I don't live in cali and not aware of the latest news or area populations. I would think it must not be too transparent since the next guy also wondered the same question indirectly. I would expect a little more professionalisim and a little less sarcasm by a moderator by the way.

Was the victim Black? Was this part of the Brown/Black war?

Do you read? Read it and tell me what you think it was motivated by. Its pretty transparent

[MILNATIVE]

BTW does not mention at all the victims race or the attackers use of any racial language.

Sorry I don't live in cali and not aware of the latest news or area populations. I would think it must not be too transparent since the next guy also wondered the same question indirectly. I would expect a little more professionalisim and a little less sarcasm by a moderator by the way.

Was the victim Black? Was this part of the Brown/Black war?

Do you read? Read it and tell me what you think it was motivated by. Its pretty transparent

[$outhPhillypuppet]

long beach = crip city
crip = black gang


unless there are a couple AB dudes with the last name Cox

[necron]

While there may have been a racial aspect to this, it is interesting that they were threatening them by saying that they hated Crips. Maybe it's racist in that they assumed that some young Black males were by default Crips gang members?

It's downright ignorance but as long as fools from all races act like this and get locked away for life, the big corporations will continue to profit off incarceration.

[Christina Marie]

Sorry I don't live in cali and not aware of the latest news or area populations. I would think it must not be too transparent since the next guy also wondered the same question indirectly. I would expect a little more professionalisim and a little less sarcasm by a moderator by the way.

Was the victim Black? Was this part of the Brown/Black war?

Do you read? Read it and tell me what you think it was motivated by. Its pretty transparent

Ok so let me answer your first questions. Yes and yes. Its no big secret that ESL hates Crips in LB and have tried to run them out for years. Do some reading on here you will understand that. Less sarcasm from me? You dont know me very well...lol

[MILNATIVE]

I guess in hindsight if I really studied that area and the gangs I would have figured it out, that kind of thing doesn't happen here so still an amazing phenomemon to me.
Your right I don't know you, but I was going to compliment you before if I did, on your interest and defense of American Indian issues. Guess it still stands.

[Christina Marie]

I guess in hindsight if I really studied that area and the gangs I would have figured it out, that kind of thing doesn't happen here so still an amazing phenomemon to me.
Your right I don't know you, but I was going to compliment you before if I did, on your interest and defense of American Indian issues. Guess it still stands.

I guess I am just desensitized to it

[atm//TONE]

chongos

[1santo]

You know who I blame? The parents. What kind of environment must a child be in to become so emotionless? Sure they are young adults, but someone is responsible for forming them this way or allowing it to happen. Straight sad

I agree. Having kids without the right psychological tools and right enviorment to raise them is a dangerous thing. Ignorance, irresonsibility and a brutal world where prison politics spills into the streets is no time to be having kids.