Court testimony expected in teen's killing at Pomona party

LOS ANGELES - About a dozen witnesses are expected to testify next week in a preliminary hearing for several young men charged in connection with a man's killing last year at a party in Pomona.

Marquis LeBlanc, 18, of Diamond Bar, was beaten, stabbed and shot to death on April 17, 2009 outside a party in the 2200 block of Virginia Avenue, according to police.

Jessica Corde, LeBlanc's mother, said her son was robbed and his assailants stole his shoes after the attack.

LeBlanc was the only black person at a party of about 200, which consisted primarily of Latinos. Leblanc's family members believe race was a motive in his killing.

Prosecutors have charged seven men with murder, and three others face charges of assault or robbery.

A preliminary hearing, at which prosecutors must present evidence for a felony case to proceed to trial, was scheduled to begin this morning in the Clara Foltz Criminal Justice Center in downtown Los Angeles.

The hearing was postponed to Monday because several defense attorneys had scheduling conflicts. The hearing is expected to last five days.

A preliminary hearing for three of the 10 defendants was postponed to Nov. 2 because of scheduling conflicts.

Charged with murder in the case are Adrian Zuniga, 16; Luis Martinez, 19; Adam Delgado, 21; Edgar Cisneros, 20; Richard Vasquez, 18; Victor Guillen, 18; and Ralph Richard Alfaro, 18.

Efrain Prado, 21, and Martin Haro, 16, are charged with assault. Arturo Casas, 21, is charged with robbery.

Prosecutors allege that the seven defendants charged with murder committed their crimes to benefit a street gang.