LONG BEACH -- The case of three gang members, one an adult and two teens, charged with the murder of a California Highway Patrol officer's son in 2008 went to the jury Thursday morning.
Defendants Glenn Martin Cox, Christopher Weddle, and Desmond Weddle are each charged with one count of murder for the Jan. 1, 2008, slaying of Jonathan Fernandez, who was shot at point-blank range in the head in the backyard of a duplex near 19th Street and Pine Avenue.
Fernandez was not the only person hit by gunfire at the New Year's party. Three others were maimed, including one woman critically wounded when a bullet struck her in the head, but survived.
Attempted murder counts were added to the charge for each of the surviving victims.
The suspects were tracked to three different cities within a week of the shooting and all three are documented gang members, according to former Police Chief Anthony Batts.
Cox, who was 21 at the time of the killing, is from Compton. Christopher Weddle, who was 17 back in 2008, was found in Victorville and Desmond Weddle, then 15, was arrested in Long Beach.
Though Christopher Weddle and Desmond Weddle were minors at the time they are being tried as adults.
Batts described the 25-year-old's killing as a tragic case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
"You always worry about your kids, if they're going to be at the wrong place at the wrong time," the chief said in 2008, "and unfortunately that's what happened in our city."
Batts also credited one of the surviving victims, a 20-year-old male who lives at the duplex where the shooting occurred, with trying to stop the shooting.
That victim told the Press-Telegram he was shot a second time in the lower back after he chased after the suspects, grabbing one of the accomplices.
The shooting began a few minutes after midnight after the gunman crept through the gate of a neighboring property and took aim from behind a 4-foot-tall fence, reaching over the fence with a handgun and pulling the trigger, police said.
All three defendants face the possibility of life in prison without parole if convicted on all counts.
Jury deliberations are scheduled to resume today.
Defendants Glenn Martin Cox, Christopher Weddle, and Desmond Weddle are each charged with one count of murder for the Jan. 1, 2008, slaying of Jonathan Fernandez, who was shot at point-blank range in the head in the backyard of a duplex near 19th Street and Pine Avenue.
Fernandez was not the only person hit by gunfire at the New Year's party. Three others were maimed, including one woman critically wounded when a bullet struck her in the head, but survived.
Attempted murder counts were added to the charge for each of the surviving victims.
The suspects were tracked to three different cities within a week of the shooting and all three are documented gang members, according to former Police Chief Anthony Batts.
Cox, who was 21 at the time of the killing, is from Compton. Christopher Weddle, who was 17 back in 2008, was found in Victorville and Desmond Weddle, then 15, was arrested in Long Beach.
Though Christopher Weddle and Desmond Weddle were minors at the time they are being tried as adults.
Batts described the 25-year-old's killing as a tragic case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
"You always worry about your kids, if they're going to be at the wrong place at the wrong time," the chief said in 2008, "and unfortunately that's what happened in our city."
Batts also credited one of the surviving victims, a 20-year-old male who lives at the duplex where the shooting occurred, with trying to stop the shooting.
That victim told the Press-Telegram he was shot a second time in the lower back after he chased after the suspects, grabbing one of the accomplices.
The shooting began a few minutes after midnight after the gunman crept through the gate of a neighboring property and took aim from behind a 4-foot-tall fence, reaching over the fence with a handgun and pulling the trigger, police said.
All three defendants face the possibility of life in prison without parole if convicted on all counts.
Jury deliberations are scheduled to resume today.
these kids were trialed and convicted before they even got to court i know that desmond weddle had nothing to do with the murders the boy just went get his older brother an now his young life has been takin away, justice was not serverd! I know that glen cox pulled the trigger and killed that boy, u let a parolee tell his side over minors who were scared of this man due to what happen to his own younger brother an due to the gang activities on the eastide of long beach. i belive these kids deserve another chance at life especially desmond weddle an i will see to justice will be severd desmond weddle! I promise to the world an everyone who reads an listens an watches the news desmond weddle is innocent an those that know what happen also know including glen cox