Shooter of 14-month-old boy, charged
Youth, 15, will be tried as an adult
Bail was set at $3 million for a 15-year-old boy charged as an adult in a June 4 shooting that killed a 14-month-old boy and wounded his father in Watts.
Donald Ray Dokins made his initial court appearance Friday afternoon, but did not enter a plea. His arraignment was postponed to July 16 in Compton Superior Court.
Dokins faces one count of murder stemming from Angel Cortez’s slaying and one count of attempted murder for allegedly shooting the boy’s father, Mauro, in the shoulder.
The criminal complaint includes the allegations that the June 4 crime was “committed for the benefit of, at the direction of, and in association with a criminal street gang,” and that Dokins intentionally discharged a handgun.
The baby was in the arms of his father—who had no gang affiliation and was standing with a number of other people— when the shooting occurred on Hickory Street near 105th Street about 7:50 p.m., according to police.
Doctors were unable to save the boy, who underwent surgery and was declared dead at 10:20 p.m.
The next day, Mauro Cortez went before television news crews and reporters to ask for the public’s help in finding the shooter, who rode up on a bicycle and fired numerous shots before riding away.
The Los Angeles City Council and the Los Angeles Kings each offered $50,000 rewards for information leading to the assailant’s arrest and conviction.
Dokins was arrested Wednesday by Los Angeles police.
If convicted, the teen faces numerous life sentences, according to the district attorney’s office.
COMPTON, Calif. — A teenager was convicted today of murder and attempted murder for fatally shooting a 14-month-old boy and wounding the toddler’s father.
The Compton Superior Court jury deliberated about 1 1/2 hours before finding 16-year-old Donald Ray Dokins guilty of first-degree murder for the June 4, 2012, shooting death of Angel Cortez, along with the attempted murder of his father, who was shot in the shoulder, said Deputy District Attorney Danette Gomez.
COMPTON, Calif.—Bail was set at $3 million today for a 15-year-old boy charged as an adult in a June 4 shooting that killed a 14-month-old boy and wounded his father in Watts.
Donald Ray Dokins made his initial court appearance this afternoon but did not enter a plea. His arraignment was postponed to July 16 in Compton Superior Court.
Dokins faces one count of murder stemming from Angel Cortez’s slaying and one count of attempted murder for allegedly shooting the boy’s father, Mauro, in the shoulder.
COMPTON, Calif.—A 15-year-old boy being prosecuted as an adult in connection with a June 4 gang shooting that killed a 14-month-old boy and wounded the toddler’s father in Watts pleaded not guilty today to murder and attempted murder charges.
Donald Ray Dokins was arraigned in Compton Superior Court on charges stemming from the death of Angel Cortez and the wounding of the boy’s father, Mauro, who was shot in the shoulder.
He was held to answer to the charges on July 16 and is due back in court Nov. 28 for a pretrial hearing.
COMPTON, Calif.—A 15-year-old boy who has been charged as an adult was scheduled to be arraigned today on a murder charge stemming from a shooting that killed a 14-month-old boy and wounded his father in Watts earlier this month.
Donald Ray Dokins is scheduled to appear in Compton Superior Court this morning to enter a plea to one count of murder stemming from death of Angel Cortez on June 4 and one count of attempted murder for allegedly shooting the boy's father, Mauro, in the shoulder.
Members of the community and the family of Angel Cortez, the 14-month-old boy who was the victim of a suspected gang-related shooting, came together Saturday to hold a car wash to raise money for the child’s funeral.
“The turnout was really good,” said Marisol, Angel’s godmother. “The community has been very supportive of our family and I can’t even describe how good it feels to have that support.”
