Isaac Stephen Ross took the witness stand in Martinez Superior Court Tuesday to testify against Nathaniel Burris in the 2009 double homicide on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge in which Ross’s sister Deborah and her friend Ersie “Chuckie” Everette Jr. were killed. Burris, who is representing himself, is facing first-degree murder charges and Senior Deputy District Attorney Harold Jewett has said he’ll seek the death penalty. Leaning heavily on a wooden cane Ross slowly made his way to the stand, escorted…
West County school leaders are anxiously awaiting the vote on the state’s Proposition 30, a tax increase proposal written by Governor Jerry Brown that if passed would mean millions of dollars for the West Contra Costa Unified School District — money the district says it desperately needs. “If the election is not successful for Prop 30 we estimate that the cuts will be $12 million for our school district,” said Sherri Gamba, the district’s associate superintendent of business services. That’s…
Trial began Wednesday in Contra Costa Superior Court in Martinez for a 2009 double homicide at the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. Nathaniel Burris is accused of killing his ex-girlfriend Deborah Ann Ross, and Ross’s friend Ersie Everette III on August 11, 2009. Senior Deputy District Attorney Harold Jewett has announced he will seek the death penalty for Burris. Before jurors were allowed in the courtroom, Burris, who is representing himself with the assistance of private attorney Larry Barnes, asked that Judge…
Maria Madrid sits at the back of a cluttered and worn classroom, in an annex building of St. Mark’s Parish on Harbour Way. In the back corner of the room a woman tries to keep a half dozen wiggly kids quiet and coloring so they won’t disturb the students. The brightly painted walls look faded, and there are holes in them that have yet to be repaired. A large crucifix is propped up in the left front corner. Madrid leans…
On a cloudy, misty evening in Albany, nearly two years of waiting—and losing—finally ended. The Richmond Oilers bolted to a decisive win over the Albany Cougars — 38-18. The Oilers have long been plagued with a small varsity team, which gets smaller as the season wears on and players are sidelined due to injuries and grade problems. This night there were only 18 suited up to play, many of them took turns on offense and defense—making the long awaited victory…
The first of six defendants in the Richmond High gang rape of 2009 was sentenced in Contra Costa County Superior Court in Martinez today to 32 years in prison. The sentencing was a formality after Manuel Ortega, 22, plead guilty last month to counts of rape, rape by a foreign object, forced oral copulation resulting in great bodily injury and robbery. The Contra Costa County District Attorney was about to start jury selection earlier this year when Ortega approached Senior…
Richmond is a city that celebrates its history. On Saturday, the sixth annual Home Front Festival in the Craneway Pavilion at Ford Point, paid homage to the importance of World War II in the shaping and growth of the city. Hundreds came and went throughout the sunny day, enjoying the interactive history booths, live music, and displays.
Jury selection began Tuesday in Contra Costa County Superior Court in Martinez for a double homicide inside a Richmond restaurant in 2009. Four men have each been charged with two counts of murder plus gang offenses for the shooting and killing of Alvaro Garcia, 23, and Intaz Ahmed, 32, on Aug. 30, 2009 at the Pitt Boss Barbeque on San Pablo Avenue. The jury will consider the case of two of the defendants, Steven Miranda, 23, and Ignacio Ruiz, 31,…
More than 100 young undocumented immigrants cycled through Grace Lutheran Church in Richmond on Saturday to meet with volunteers and lawyers, and fill out applications to apply for deferred action. Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals is a federal program implemented over the summer that allows immigrants to apply for worker’s permits and offers safety from deportation for two years at a time. The program requires a variety of qualifications, many of which can be hard to prove. The applicants at…
As an advocate for non-violence, Dr. Joseph Marshall had devoted the better part of his adult life to teaching others how to answer tough questions. Questions like: How thin is the line between killing someone and turning the other cheek? What would it take for you to justify murder? Can you conquer your instincts when those instincts were shaped from years of fighting on the streets? But it wasn’t until a few years ago that he had to face the…
Kennedy High girls volleyball team walked into the gym for their first game of the season clad in brand new bright red jerseys, that arrived an hour before the game. The team’s new coach has never played volleyball and many on the team were still untested, but in spirit they were well prepared to face their cross-town rivals Richmond High. Gathered on the court just before the game, the cry rang out through the gym, “Eagles! Eagles! You know!” The…
Richmond resident Demariee Lewis, an 18-year-old male, was found dead in San Francisco’s Bayview district early on Saturday morning.
Ismael Carrillo and Erika Carrillo were charged in a Richmond court Friday with first-degree murder in the killing of Javier Campos. Campos was shot and killed on Sept. 1 in the Taco Bell parking lot at 23rd Street and Barrett Avenue around 8:30 p.m. following a family dispute, said Richmond Police Department spokesperson Detective Nicole Abetkov. Ismael Carrillo was arrested shortly following the shooting. A warrant was issued for the arrest of Erika Carillo on Tuesday, and Abetkov said Carillo…