Last week, a popular Venice youth pastor was killed when a single bullet struck him. He was standing with his girlfriend on a street in Venice when a car with four males drove up to him. After jeering at his girlfriend, they shouted a gang name and killed 23-year-old O.D. with one shot. Authorities are saying that the act appeared to be random and are offering a large reward for anyone with further information. So far, there are at least two people in custody regarding this incident. His brother has stated that his death was unfair. He was not a member of a gang and did not have a criminal record and “died for something he stood against.”Click here to read more about this news story.
According to California Penal Code, Section 187-190, murder is defined as the unlawful killing of a human being with malice aforethought. This means that the killing was not accidental, but done with the express intention of taking the life of the victim. Under this law, malice can be express or implied. Express means that they deliberately intended to take the victim’s life and implied means that the circumstances surrounding the crime showed that the individual was acting malignantly.
If the four men in this case are found and prosecuted for the killing of O.D., they could be facing extremely serious penalties. Should they be convicted of first degree murder, they could be sent to prison for life without the possibility of parole or given the death sentence. The penalties for second degree murder are not as serious; however, it could still result in anywhere from 15 years in prison to life in prison. Murder, manslaughter, or any other violent crime is taken very seriously by law enforcement and so you need a strong representative on your side if you are facing these types of charges.
