Chavez brothers make an impression
By Andre Coleman 05/04/2006
It was easy to tell when Ramon and Ignacio Cervantes Chavez were on their way into Superior Court Monday for their preliminary hearing in the murder of a Pasadena store owner and an armored car messenger.
Long before you could see the brothers you could hear the chains that shackled their legs dragging against on ground.
The brothers are already doing life for murder with special circumstances for killing bystander Owen Alexander Wolf, a 29-year old “CSI” cameraman and father of one, during a botched armored car robbery at a Costco in Van Nuys during a shootout with police in 2000.
The sound of the chains stopped all conversation in the courtroom, and everyone watched the door waiting for the brothers to appear.
The preliminary hearing was being held to see if there is enough evidence to bring the brothers to trial for the shooting death of Pasadena store owner Olivia de la Torre on May 15, 2000 and the Jan. 14, 1999 murder of Brinks employee Eleazar Jaramillo.
De la Torre was shot in the head when she refused to cooperate during a robbery which occurred as she and her husband Jacinto opened La Guadalupana, a market owned by the family.
On Jan. 14, 1999, Jaramillo was gunned down during another armored car robbery at Jetro Cash and Carry in Vernon. Detectives in that case testified Monday.
“Witnesses said the suspect walked up from behind and shot him without saying a word,” Deputy Matthew Siedleheim said. “They said the suspect was grabbing the money bag before his body hit the floor.”
Siedleheim also testified that when he arrived on the scene Jaramillo was laying a pool of blood and brain matter was coming out of his head.
“He was shot behind the right ear,” Siedelheim said.
According to Deputy Eric Leibrich, the Chavez brothers are classified as K-10 inmates, which means that they are “keep aways” and are considered a danger to other inmates. Leibrich said the brothers attained that status when Sheriff’s Deputies monitoring conversations between Ramon and a visitor taped the 53-year-old revealing his plan to escape by kidnapping and killing a female deputy.
Ignacio’s lawyer Joe Borges addressed the court claiming that his client Ignacio objected to being shackled because he had never been a flight risk or a danger to anyone.
District Attorney Marian Thompson tried to add her two cents, but was told by Judge Michelle Rosenblatt that she wasn’t a part of the decision because the escape attempt had nothing to do with the current charges or the severity of past crimes.
Authorities said the escape was planned after the brothers were apprehended shortly after a botched armored car robbery on Aug. 13, 2000, in Van Nuys.
Rosenblatt had no doubts about Ramon’s efforts in the escape plan, but didn’t see how it applied to Ignacio.
“This shows there was an interest in a plan to escape,” said Rosenblatt. “There is some showing that there is a need for protection for all in the courtroom to have him shackled … I do not believe there has been a tie in with Ignacio and the conversation to escape. So I think I would suggest the level of shackling be reduced.”
Interpreters backed away, lawyers leaned in the other direction and deputies stood ready as Ignacio’s waist shackles were removed and his hands were freed. Seconds later Rosenblatt held up her forearm, signaling the deputy to handcuff Ignacio to the chair.
Moments later, Ignacio’s interpreter slid her chair away from him when he was given a sharpened pencil to take notes.
Ramon will remain restrained during the hearing, which is expected to continue through today.
DIGG | del.icio.us | REDDIT