Pineda pleads guilty in beating death

A 34-year-old San Bernardino man took a plea bargain Friday in the 2004 beating death of his girlfriend's father John Velasquez during an argument.
James Paul Pineda pleaded guilty to one count of voluntary manslaughter, one count of robbery and he admitted having a prior felony conviction under the terms of the plea bargain, according to San Bernardino Superior Court records.
Pineda returns to court Aug. 29 for sentencing.
An argument between Pineda and the 53-year-old Velasquez apparently led to a confrontation at 1:43 a.m. at a West 11th Street apartment, in San Bernardino, in April 2004, according to San Bernardino Police.
Velasquez later died at a local hospital.