Trial begins in slaying of two men in Highland liquor store robbery

"Instead of speaking about what happened, I'm going to show you," Deputy District Attorney Dan Detienne told jurors. On a large video screen, Detienne played clips from an in-store surveillance recording of the robbery.

Wearing a gray sweat shirt, Gregorio is seen putting money from the cash register in a bag for the robbers. Lottery tickets were also taken.

One of the robbers, with a blue bandanna hiding his face, jumps on and over the counter. Outside of the recorded view area, Hall is shot in the face just below his left eye.

Gregorio is also clearly seen with his hands in the air. He is shot in the back of the neck, severing his brain stem, Detienne said.

The video drew tears from Gregorio's family members, who saw the video for the first time.

"I didn't want to watch it," Brian's mother, Evangeline Gregorio, said later. "I just wanted to see him for the last time."
Family members said the trial is one more step toward pursuing justice in the death of their kin and Hall.

"It's been agonizing, devastating, waiting for this trial to start," said Evangeline Gregorio, 60.

In the days following the shooting, family, friends and residents turned out for vigils at the liquor and video store to support the victims.

Defendants White and Richardson each have their own jury to hear evidence regarding his specific charges. A third defendant, Tristan Darnell Allan, is representing himself and awaiting a separate trial.

White, 21, is the alleged shooter, while Richardson, 22, is believed to be the getaway car driver, according to authorities.

The men are suspected of leaving the store with money and lottery tickets, which authorities said the defendants cashed at a convenience store in Corona two hours later.

If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of life in state prison without the possibility of parole, prosecutors said.

Richard Crouter, who represents White, told the jury he does not contest whether there was a robbery or shootings. Instead, Crouter pointed to intent, saying the evidence will show who did what.

"I believe the evidence will show what the intent was or was not," Crouter told jurors.

Prosecutors said White admitted to robbing the store and shooting both victims during interviews with Sheriff's detectives.

Richardson's lawyer, Gary Ablard, said prosecutors were not telling the whole story.

A key prosecution witness did not identify Richardson by photograph, and he did not cash lottery tickets from Cee Vee, Ablard told jurors.