Gang members’ lawyer told not to fight plight
DOWNTOWN LA — A jury on Wednesday chose the death penalty for two gang members who ignited a stand-off with police on the Santa Monica Pier five years ago, resulting in five people being shot and 15 taken as hostages.
The jury deliberated for one hour at the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center in downtown Los Angeles before returning with a death sentence for Oswaldo Amezcua, 29, and Joseph Conrad Flores, 34, both admitted gang members.
The two men were found guilty on Monday of nearly 50 total charges for a crime spree that began in April of 2000 and ended two months later on the Santa Monica Pier.
The five-hour stand-off began after midnight on July 4 and ended in the morning dawn with the surrender of Amezcua, a convicted felon wanted in connection with five other slayings. Three Santa Monica police officers and two civilians were shot amid the violence on the pier.
In his closing arguments on Tuesday, Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney Darren Levine made an emotional appeal to the jury to choose the death penalty for Amezcua and Flores.
“We hope that when we say good-bye to our loved ones, they don’t run into a Joseph Flores or Oswaldo Amezcua, because if they happen to offend their sensibilities, our loved ones will be shot and killed,” Levine said. “You’re stopped at a Circle-K and you run into your worse nightmare in Los Angeles County.”
The jury found Amezcua and Flores guilty of the April 11 murder of John Luis Diaz; the May 25 murder of Arturo Madrigal; and the June 19 double-murder of George Orlando Flores (no relation to the defendant) and Luis George Reyes.
Both defendants also were convicted of attempted murder, arson, second-degree robbery, shooting at an inhabited dwelling and possession of a firearm by a felon.
Amezcua also was convicted of multiple counts of attempted murder of a peace officer for the July 4, 2000, standoff at the pier.
The shoot-out began shortly after Santa Monica Police received a phone call around 1 a.m. from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department telling them Flores was on the pier. Investigators had located Flores by placing a call to his pager and tracing the call.
Police arrived and managed to take Flores into custody after an altercation. Amezcua, however, ran into the nearby Playland Arcade. He attempted to exit the rear of the arcade, but encountered officers and opened fire, according to police.
Amezcua then took 15 people hostage, finally releasing the last of the hostages and surrendering at 6:40 a.m. The pier was closed to thousands of tourists and visitors throughout the day.
Both men were acquitted of a fifth murder, that of another gang member who was fatally shot on June 7, 2000, as he answered the door of his Victorville home.
Amezcua and Flores, both with shaved heads and wearing orange prison jumpsuits, talked to each other during the trial. They had instructed their attorneys to not plead their case in the death penalty phase of the trial.
After the jury began deliberating on Tuesday, defense attorney James Bisnow, who represented Flores, announced to Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Robert J. Perry for the record some remarks Levine made that he would have contested, if his clients had so desired.
“It was his show,” Bisnow said, refer-ring to Levine.
Among his points, Bisnow disagreed with the fact Levine referred to Amezcua and Flores as “monsters” and “cowards.”
“I object,” Amezcua said after Bisnow’s remarks, the first time he had spoken openly during the trial.
“I object,” Flores said jokingly to Amezcua, as the two were taken away.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 24, 2005. Read the original PDF.