Date: 06-17-2022

Case Style:

The People v. Tony P.

Case Number: NJ29020

Judge: John H. Ing

Court: Superior Court, Los Angeles County, California

Plaintiff's Attorney: Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office

Defendant's Attorney:

Description: Los Angeles, California criminal Defense lawyer represented Defendant charged with attempted murder by a juvenile.

At just after 8:00 p.m. on January 5, 2020, Lizet S. was in a car at 21st Street and Locust Avenue when she saw three people, each with a gun, running toward an alley. They wore dark clothing, and one or two of them were shooting guns. Soon thereafter, responding officers found Regina Towns in an open garage off an alley on Locust. Although she had been shot four to five times, she survived.

Two different caliber casings (14 in total) were recovered from the crime scene, suggesting that two guns were used. No DNA or fingerprint testing was conducted on the physical evidence.

Detective Carlos Del Real investigated the shooting. As part of his investigation, he obtained video surveillance from residences near where the crime occurred. The videos show three males, one of whom has a red bandana tied around his face and is wearing long black shorts, long white socks pulled up, and black shoes with white detailing. The other two men's faces are uncovered. The video also shows the car they arrive and leave in. The men go down an alley, fire guns, and run back to their car. Detective Del Real described to the court what he saw in the videos: three people walking in the alley and firing "indiscriminately" in a northeast direction, muzzle flashes, and the people arriving and leaving in a car.

And, as we discuss in greater detail below, Detective Del Real testified that he was familiar with Tony from prior contacts and recognized him as one of the individuals in the video. A second detective, Hector Cardiel, watched the video, and he too recognized Tony, as well as a second individual, Jose S. Detective Cardiel had previously seen Jose S. and Tony together. Also, in the months before the shooting, the detective had seen Tony in a car similar to the one used in the current shooting, an early 1990's or early 2000's model, dark blue or navy Honda Accord with missing hubcaps.

After Tony was identified as a suspect, officers searched his bedroom. A red bandana and Reebok Classic shoes similar to the ones worn by one of the men in the video were recovered, as were Tony's cellphone and a notebook containing handwritten rap lyrics. Officers discovered images on Tony's phone of him wearing a red bandana around his neck and a Raiders shirt and holding a loaded revolver. They also discovered Instagram images of Tony wearing Reebok Classic shoes and a red bandana.

In an Instagram image posted two days before the shooting, Tony is wearing a red bandana and has a revolver tucked in his waistband. According to a gang expert, bandanas, certain styles of Reebok shoes, and wearing shorts with high socks are common gang attire.

Tony's Instagram account referred to just one news article: an article about the shooting of Towns.[1]

II. The petition and adjudication

The juvenile court sustained one count of attempted willful, deliberate, and premeditated attempted murder (Pen. Code, §§ 664, 187, subd. (a)).[2] The juvenile court ordered Tony committed to the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Division of Juvenile Facilities, and set the maximum term of confinement at life.
People v. Tony P. (In re Tony P.) (Cal. App. 2022)

Outcome: The order adjudging Tony P. a ward of the court and sustaining the petition is affirmed.

Plaintiff's Experts:

Defendant's Experts:

Comments: