A mistrial was declared Tuesday when jurors failed to reach a verdict in the trial of a 59-year-old man charged with fatally shooting a neighbor at an Anaheim motel.
Amir Karkehabadi of Anaheim was charged with murder with a sentencing enhancement for the discharge of a gun causing death. Jurors acquitted him of first-degree murder and were deadlocked 11-1 for acquittal on second-degree murder. Jurors told attorneys after the mistrial they were split on voluntary manslaughter as well.
A pretrial hearing was scheduled for Jan. 9 with a retrial scheduled in February. Prosecutors can no longer try the defendant for first-degree murder, but Karkehabadi still faces second-degree murder or voluntary manslaughter.
Karkehabadi is accused of killing 66-year-old Steven Hawkins on June 14, according to the criminal complaint.
Police were called to the Villa Inn, 733 S. Beach Blvd., at 6:12 p.m. that day regarding the shooting, Anaheim police Sgt. Matt Sutter said. Hawkins, who was shot once, was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead an hour later, Sutter said.
The two were living next door to each other at the motel and had run-ins prior to the shooting.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Mark Birney argued it was first-degree murder because Karkehabadi shot Hawkins in the back as he was running away. Defense attorney Lee Stonum argued it was a case of self-defense because Hawkins was a pimp who frightened the defendant.
Karkehabadi had called Hawkins’ girlfriend a “whore,” prompting Hawkins to kick the defendant’s door, Birney argued in the trial. The defendant brandished a gun and then shot Hawkins, Birney said.
The defendant had also allegedly called Hawkins a “black monkey” and “banana eater,” Birney argued.
Karkehabadi was charged with a racially motivated attack on a man and woman in Stanton Jan. 13, 2023, according to court records.
He was accused of hitting and shoving a woman in a park, and when the man confronted him, Karkehabadi called him racial slurs and threatened to “stomp his face,” according to court records.
When the woman asked him why he struck her, he said, “Because you bumped into me,” according to court records.
Issues were raised by defense attorneys regarding his mental health, but his attempts to have his case diverted failed, according to court records.
Defense attorneys were successful in having the charges dismissed May 16 of last year.