After two deadlocked juries, man takes plea bargain in San Bernardino murder
Two different juries have deadlocked this year on murder charges against Edward Hernandez in the death of 22-year-old Jerry Hernandez in San Bernardino.
But Hernandez gave up the fight this week, when he took a plea bargain worth three years in state prison.
Hernandez, 50, pleaded guilty to one count of being an accessory, under the terms of the agreement with prosecutors, during proceedings Monday in San Bernardino Superior Court, according to court records.
Ramirez was beaten multiple times with a shovel outside an East Pumalo Street residence in San Bernardino midday on Nov. 18, 2005.
Still alive, the victim was then rolled up in blankets, put into the trunk of a car and taken from the home. His body, with gunshot wounds to the head, was later found dumped in Waterman Canyon.
Three other co-defendants have been convicted in the case, but jurors appeared to struggle with whether Hernandez had a role in the death. A jury found him not guilty of conspiracy and deadlocked on the murder count on July 25, court records indicate.
Prosecutors pursued the murder charge again, and a jury deadlocked again on Oct. 7.
Earlier this month, Edward Vincent Hernandez, 28, guilty of first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder and special allegations for using a gun. He is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 4.
The brother of Edward Hernandez, 52-year-old Benjamin Hernandez, was sentenced to 16 years to life in state prison. Alfred Rodriguez, 21, got 15 years to life, according to court records.
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