Toll plaza shooter gets death penalty

Nathan Burris, 49, was sentenced to death Tuesday in Contra Costa County Superior Court in Martinez for the double murder of Deborah Ann Ross, 51, and Ersie “Chuckie” Everette Jr., 58. For the families of the victims, the sentence brought to an end weeks of listening to taunts from the man who killed their loved…

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2009 Richmond-San Rafael bridge shooter found guilty of murder

After a two-week trial and one day of jury deliberations, Nathan Burris was found guilty Wednesday morning of two counts of first-degree murder in Contra Costa County Superior Court in Martinez. Burris murdered his ex-girlfriend Deborah Ann Ross, a tollbooth taker, and her friend Ersie “Chuckie” Everette Jr. in 2009 on the Richmond-San Rafael bridge.…

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County votes with state on most Props, differs on death penalty

Chart of prop results

Contra Costa voters generally sided with the rest of California Tuesday night, voting in favor of successful measures to harshen penalties against human traffickers and soften the Three Strikes law, while rejecting a genetically engineered food labeling bill and a proposition that would limit campaign contributions from unions and corporations.

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Last day on the stand for defendant in 2009 double homicide trial

From the beginning of questioning Monday in Contra Costa Superior Court it became clear that Nathan Burris, who is defending himself against charges he shot and killed two people at the Richmond San Rafael Bridge toll plaza in 2009, wasn’t going to cooperate with Senior Deputy District Attorney Harold Jewett. Jewett stood up to question…

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