weapon

Published on: May 8, 2014

Juvenile Brings Loaded Gun to Garden Grove Middle School

On Monday, police received an anonymous tip that a student at Jordan Intermediate School in Garden Grove had a weapon. They responded and discovered an eighth grade student at that school had a .38 caliber semiautomatic handgun in his possession along with a loaded clip in his pocket. Nobody was injured.

The child was arrested and sent to Orange County Juvenile Hall on weapons charges. Police discovered that the handgun was registered to a member of his family. They quickly obtained a warrant and searched his home, where they found a .22 caliber firearm that was not registered. The owner of that gun was cited and released.

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Published on: April 18, 2014

Prison Sentence For Man Who Fired Shots In Fashion Island Parking Lot

by Staycie R. Sena

Only one day after the deadly Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting that took the lives of 20 children and six teachers in Newtown, Connecticut, Marcos Gurrola allegedly took out a .40-caliber Glock handgun in a crowded Orange County mall parking lot and fired 54 rounds toward the Macy’s building. He stopped shooting and surrendered when two Newport Beach police officers on bicycles arrived. Gurrola was in possession of six magazines for his handgun, with even more in his car.

He was charged with 54 felony counts of firing a weapon at an inhabited dwelling, 2 counts of assault, plus two firearm enhancements. The reasons for Gurrola’s actions are inconclusive. He reportedly claimed that when he fired his gun, it made him feel better. Police said in 2012 that Gurrola told a detective he fired his gun because he was angry, but was not aiming at anybody.

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Published on: September 11, 2012

Police Use Technology To Predict Crimes

by Staycie R. Sena

Most police stations around the country lag behind the times. Often, VHS recorders are used in patrol cars and carbon copy forms are still widely distributed. In fact, it was only last year that the San Francisco police department got email addresses.

Some progressive (and well-funded) police departments are getting some new toys to help fight crime. For example, portable fingerprint scanners that cost about $2500 each are being used in the field to identify suspects and bring up outstanding warrants for arrest on the spot.

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Published on: August 15, 2012

Domestic Violence Death Hours Before Wedding

by Staycie R. Sena

Police arrived at an apartment in Pennsylvania very early in the morning to find a man bleeding from chest wounds on the second floor landing. Emergency personnel immediately transported Billy Brewster to the hospital where he died from his injuries less than two hours later.

The suspect responsible for stabbing the man was his fiancée, Na Franklin. During the night, they began an argument, which escalated into domestic violence. At one point during the argument, Ma allegedly grabbed a kitchen knife and stabbed him twice. Unfortunately, one of the stab wounds punctured his heart.

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Published on: March 9, 2010

Rapper Jailed for Possession of a Deadly Weapon

by Staycie R. Sena

The rapper Lil’ Wayne started a one year jail sentence for possession of a deadly weapon yesterday. More precisely, he was convicted in New York for having a loaded gun on his tour bus. (As a side note, his sentencing was delayed twice. Once so that he could have his diamond-studded braces removed [probably a good thing before going into custody] and yet again because of a flood at the Manhattan courthouse.) This plea-bargain was not rash. He presumably had good attorneys and the case was fought for several years. Lil’ Wayne was originally arrested on this charge back in 2007. What is surprising is the severity of the sentence. As an Orange County criminal law attorney or criminal defense lawyer, I have represented numerous defendants charged with possession of a deadly weapon and many of those weapons have been loaded guns. Never have I had a client sentenced to such a lengthy jail term, however.

While it is possible that authorities are intent on making an example of him, it may also be the case that something warranted such a large sentense: Lil’ Wayne’s background or RAP sheet. Prior convictions will ALWAYS increase the penalties for future trangressions. I don’t know if Lil’ Wayne had ever been convicted before, but the fact that he still faces felony weapon and drug charges in Arizona suggests that he is not new to run-ins with the law.

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