Second man convicted of two murders in drug-related killing
Innocent bystander killed
LOS ANGELES, Calif.—An Inglewood man was convicted today of the Easter Sunday 2009 slayings of two men on Skid Row, including an innocent bystander killed in a drug-related murder-for-hire plot.
A Los Angeles Superior Court jury found Lamont Ward, 43, guilty of first-degree murder for the April 12, 2009, shooting deaths of Tommie Hayes, 33, and Kevin Cohen, 49, at a hotel at Stanford Avenue and East 7th Street in downtown Los Angeles.
The seven-woman, five-man jury also found true the special circumstance allegations of murder for financial gain and multiple murders.
Co-defendant Richard Luna, 31, was convicted Tuesday by a separate jury, which found that he had personally discharged a handgun during the commission of the crime. Jurors in his case also found true the special circumstance allegations of multiple murders and murder for financial gain involving Hayes’ killing.
Both men are facing life in prison without the possibility of parole when they are sentenced Aug. 23 by Judge Lance A. Ito.
Authorities said shortly after Luna and Ward were arrested that Hayes—described by police as a rival drug dealer to Ward—appeared to have been the only target and that Cohen appeared to have been an unplanned victim.
Hayes was shot eight times and Cohen once, apparently by a stray bullet.
“He (Ward) was the one who hired the shooter,” said Deputy District Attorney Scott Marcus, who worked with colleague Dan Akemon on the case.
LOS ANGELES, Calif.—Two gang members were sentenced today to life in prison with the possibility of parole for the August 2006 shooting death of an Inglewood woman.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Curtis B. Rappe denied the defense’s motion for a new trial for Clifton Gregory Brown, 26, and Casey Lee Rowland, 32.
TORRANCE, Calif.—A man was sentenced today to a pair of life prison terms without the possibility of parole for the murders of two people inside an Inglewood insurance office more than five years ago.
Torrance Superior Court Judge Steven Van Sicklen also tacked on another life term plus 74 years and four months for Julius Laulu, according to Deputy District Attorney Greta Walker.
A man charged with the 1981 stabbing death of a former Inglewood city councilman is scheduled to be arraigned Monday.
Calvin Miller, 52, is due in Inglewood Superior Court on a murder charge stemming from the Feb. 22, 1981, slaying of William Alberty, who was found dead in the 500 block of West Regent Street in Inglewood.
Alberty’s body was discovered by a friend in the hallway of an apartment complex where he had been staying, according to Sandi Gibbons of the District Attorney’s Office.
The family and friends of Frederick Martin have put together a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever shot and killed the 28-year-old Inglewood father as he shielded his 8-year-old son from gunfire.
Martin, 28, was shot about 7 p.m. April 3 in the 3200 block of West 109th Street, and died at a local hospital.
Inglewood Mayor James Butts announced the reward at a City Hall news conference attended by Martin’s family.
INGLEWOOD, Calif.—A $10,000 reward will be offered today for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whoever killed a 28-year-old man in Inglewood as he shielded his 8-year-old son from gunfire.
Fredrick Martin, 28, was mortally wounded April 3 in front of his home on West 109th Street, just west of Crenshaw Boulevard.
“Fredrick Martin was killed shielding (his) son from gunfire,” said family spokeswoman Jasmyne Cannick, adding that his family is now “on a mission to find his killers.”
