"I shot the gun"
A teary-eyed accused murderer, Carlos Palma, took the stand yesterday in his first-degree murder trial and said those words, the Glendale News-Press writes. The trial continues today for Palma and a second reputed Echo Park gang member accused of doing a drive-by shooting on a 16-year-old Glendale boy in 2004. Palma said he fired in self defense. But prosecutors said Palma, now 20, and Julian Martinez, now 21, killed Carlos Pinon as a way to earn their stripes in a local street gang, though there also may have been a beef over a girl. Martinez is expected to take the stand today. Read the partial copy of the charges.