Results tagged “mynisha” from Inland Empire Courts

The sentencing of two defendants found guilty in the gang slaying of 11-year-old Mynisha Crenshaw was postponed today in Victorville.

Michael Barnett Jr. and Sinque Morrison are now set to be sentenced Wednesday in Victorville Superior Court, said Deputy District Attorney Ron Webster. The delay was caused by a county Probation Department pre-sentecing report that was not received by the court at least five days before sentencing, Webster said.

At trial, Barnett was found guilty of second-degree murder, two counts of attempted murder, conspiracy, shooting at an inhabited dwelling and related allegations, including a special allegation that the crime was committed to promote a criminal street gang.

A sentencing for two defendants in the deadly shooting of Mynisha Crenshaw, who later became witnesses, was postponed to Dec. 8.

Defendants Shawn Davis and Patrick Lair have both taken plea bargains with jail time that is dependant on how truthful they testified during the three criminal trials in the case. The postponement occurred during proceedings Friday in San Bernardino Superior Court.

San Bernardino Police say the defendants were part of a group of armed gang members who went to an apartment complex near Mountain Avenue and Citrus Street in search of rival gang members on Nov. 13, 2005.

By Michael J. Sorba, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 11/13/2008 10:14:42 PM PST

SAN BERNARDINO - Close to 100 people held candles Thursday night on the steps of City Hall to commemorate the third anniversary of the death of Mynisha Crenshaw.
In 2005, gang bullets ripped through her apartment, fatally wounding the 11-year-old girl.

"It's been three years ... the truth is that the hurt of a senseless murder of anyone does not go away," said Hillel Cohn, rabbi emeritus at Congregation Emann El.

Other youths slain by gang violence also were remembered.

A High Desert jury has found the last two defendants on trial in connection with the gang slaying of 11-year-old Mynisha Crenshaw guilty of all charges today, according to the District Attorney's Office.

Court officials alerted lawyers in the case that verdicts were reached about 2:30 p.m. today for defendants Michael Barnett Jr. and Sinque Morrison, and they were read aloud shortly after in Victorville Superior Court.

Barnett was found guilty of second-degree murder, two counts of attempted murder, conspiracy, shooting at an inhabited dwelling and related allegations, including a special allegation that the crime was committed to promote a criminal street gang.

Superior Court officials have alerted lawyers that verdicts have been reached and will be announced shortly in the third criminal trial stemming from the slaying of 11-year-old Mynisha Crenshaw.

Deputy District Attorney Ron Webster confirmed about 2:30 p.m. today that lawyers are awaiting the veridcts on defendants Michael Barnett Jr. and Sinque Morrison in Victorville Superior Court.

Prosecutors say Barnett and Morrison were part of a larger group of suspected gang members who were seeking revenge against a rival gang when shots were fired into the San Bernardino apartment where Mynisha lived with her family in November 2005.

Inside the apartment, Mynisha was eating dinner with her family. Mynisha was struck once in the chest, while her then 14-year-old sister was shot in the right arm - severing the bone.

Prosecutors have insisted the girls' family had no gang ties and no weapons. The girls were unintended victims.

Two co-defendants, Sidikiba Greenwood and Harold Phillips, were convicted and sentenced to state prison earlier this year. Eight other defendants have taken plea bargains, of which three are awaiting sentencing.

A jury in the trial for two men charged with the deadly shooting of 11-year-old Mynisha Crenshaw is expected to continue deliberations Monday morning in Victorville Superior Court.

Jurors did not deliberate Thursday or Friday because the judge was not available, court officials said.

The two defendants, Michael Barnett Jr. and Sinque Morrison, were part of a larger group of suspected gang members who sought revenge against a rival gang when shots were fired into the San Bernardino apartment where Mynisha lived with her family in November 2005, according to prosecutors.

Lawyers' closing arguments in the trial for two men charged in the shooting death of 11-year-old Mynisha Crenshaw are expected to wrap up today in Victorville Superior Court.

Defense lawyer Marsha Fitzgerald, who represents Michael Barnett Jr., is scheduled to give her closing argument this morning, following those given Monday by defense lawyer Ron Powell and Deputy District Attorney Ron Webster.

After some final instructions from Judge Jon Tomberlin about applicable law, the case would then go to the jury for deliberations. Sources say the lawyers have been told be on stand-by in the High Desert to hear the verdicts, when they are reached.

Defense lawyers for two men rested this morning in the trial for the shooting death of 11-year-old Mynisha Crenshaw in Victorville Superior Court, according to the District Attorney's Office.

Authorities say the two men on trial, Michael Barnett Jr. and Sinque Morrison, were part of a larger group of suspected gang members who sought revenge against a rival gang when shots were fired into the San Bernardino apartment where Mynisha lived with her family in 2005.

Following the defense lawyers' cases, Deputy District Attorney Ron Webster briefly called a San Bernardino detective to testify in rebuttal. Closing remarks from the lawyers were scheduled for 9 a.m. Monday.

Testimony in the trial for two men charged in the shooting death of 11-year-old Mynisha Crenshaw has been postponed for a day because a defense lawyer was sick, court officials confirmed.

The trial for defendants Michael Barnett Jr. and Sinque Morrison is being heard before Judge Jon Tomberlin in Victorville Superior Court.

Defense testimony will resume Wednesday morning for witnesses called on behalf of Morrison. The prosecution rested its case on Thursday. The trial was dark Friday, and Monday was a court holiday.

Sources say at least one of the defendants may testify as part of the defense's case.

The two men on trial, Barnett and Morrison, were part of a large group of gang members who sought out rival gang members, say prosecutors, when shots were fired into a San Bernardino apartment where Mynisha was eating dinner with her family.

Mynisha was struck once in the chest, while her then 14-year-old sister was shot in the right arm - severing the bone. The girls were unintended victims, according to prosecutors.

Prosecutors rested their case Thursday against two men charged in connection with the 2005 shooting death of an 11-year-old girl in San Bernardino.

Deputy District Attorney Ron Webster finished called witnesses in the case against defendants Michael Barnett Jr. and Sinque Morrison in Victorville Superior Court, Webster confirmed in a telephone conversation.

The two men on trial, Barnett and Morrison, were part of a large group of gang members who sought out rival gang members when shots were fired into a San Bernardino apartment where Mynisha was eating dinner with her family, according to prosecutors.

Prosecutors could conclude presenting their case and calling witnesses this week in the third Mynisha Crenshaw trial in Victorville Superior Court.

Deputy District Attorney Ron Webster called key witness and co-defendant Patrick Lair, who wrapped up his testimony today in the trial for Sinque Morrison and Michael Barnett Jr., according to court records.

Webster has a few more witnesses to be called for testimony Thursday before closing his case. That paves the way for the defense to begin calling witnesses next week. The trial is dark on Friday, and the court is closed Monday for a holiday.

One of three key witnesses in the 2005 shooting death of 11-year-old Mynisha Crenshaw will resume his testimony on the witness stand Monday morning in Victorville Superior Court.

Shawn Davis, a co-defendant who has taken a plea bargain in Crenshaw's death, began his testimony Thursday. The trial was dark on Friday.

Davis followed the near day-long testimony of co-defendant Alonzo Monk, who has also taken a plea bargain in the little girl's death at a San Bernardino apartment in November 2005.

Jurors in the Mynisha Crenshaw trial on Tuesday saw a hospital video and heard from the sister of a man, Barry Jones, whose death authorities believe inspired the gang retaliation that took Mynisha's life in November 2001.

Barry Jones, who died four days before and a few apartment buildings away from Mynisha, was gunned down during a drug buy at an apartment building in the area of Lynwood Drive and Mountain Avenue, according to San Bernardino Police.

Barry Jones' sister, Sarah Jones, testified during the trial for defendants Sinque Morrison and Michael Barnett Jr., who face charges in Mynisha's death in Victorville Superior Court. Jurors also saw a two-minute video from St. Bernardine's Hospital showing Morrison taking Jones into the emergency room, court records indicate.

Lawyers delivered their opening remarks as testimony got underway Monday for two suspected gang members in the third criminal trial stemming from the 2005 deadly shooting of 11-year-old Mynisha Crenshaw.

The two men on trial, Michael Barnett Jr. and Sinque Morrison, were part of a large group of gang members who sought out rival gang members when shots were fired into a San Bernardino apartment where Mynisha was eating dinner with her family, Deputy District Attorney Ron Webster explained to the jury in Victorville Superior Court.

Mynisha was struck once in the chest, while her then 14-year-old sister was shot in the right arm - severing the bone in two. The girls were unintended victims.

Opening statements begin Monday morning in Victorville Superior Court for the third trial in the 2005 deadly shooting of 11-year-old Mynisha Crenshaw in San Bernardino.

Prosecutors confirmed last week that testimony was set to begin in the trial for defendants Sinque Morrison and Michael Barnett Jr. before Judge John Tomberlin.

Morrison and Barnett are the last two, of 12 total defendants charged in the case, who are awaiting resolutions. This will be the second trial for Barnett and the third for Morrison.

The third criminal trial in connection with the San Bernardino shooting death of 11-year-old Mynisha Crenshaw will begin Monday in Victorville Superior Court, a judge ruled Friday.

Trial proceedings for defendants Michael Barnett Jr. and Sinque Morrison will be heard before Judge John Tomberlin in Victorville because of the lack of an available courtroom in San Bernardino.

Lawyers for the two men, as well as Deputy District Attorney Ron Webster, confirmed they were ready for trial during proceedings Friday before Judge Brian McCarville in San Bernardino Superior Court.

Mynisha Crenshaw

The last two defendants in the deadly shooting of 11-year-old Mynisha Crenshaw will find out Friday if they are going to trial Monday.

Additionally, the trial for defendants Michael Barnett Jr. and Sinque Morrison may not remain in San Bernardino Superior Court if a courtroom is not available.

Court officials have quietly said the case could get moved to Victorville Superior Court if the trial is to start right away. A decision from Judge Brian McCarville is expected Friday.

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The Cedarwood Apartments where 11-year-old Mynisha Crenshaw was shot when members of a local street gang sought out a rival gang in San Bernardino in November 2005.

A trial for the two men in the 2005 shooting that killed 11-year-old Mynisha Crenshaw is moving forward, even as one of the men declared that he wanted to represent himself.

Sinque Morrison and Michael Barnett Jr. are the last two defendants, of the 12 total who were charged in the deadly shooting, awaiting resolutions to their cases. This will be the second trial for both men, and the third total, in connection with Mynisha's death.

On Friday, defense lawyers joined Deputy District Attorney Ron Webster in announcing their readiness to go to trial later this month, during proceedings before Judge Brian McCarville in San Bernardino Superior Court.

The two remaining defendants in the deadly shooting of 11-year-old Mynisha Crenshaw are scheduled to appear for a pretrial hearing Friday in San Bernardino Superior Court.

At the hearing, lawyers for the two men, Michael Barnett Jr. and Sinque Morrison, are expected to decide whether they are ready for trial in the little girl's death, according to prosecutors.

Deputy District Attorney Ron Webster has announced that he is ready for trial, which was scheduled to start Sept. 22 before Judge Brian McCarville.