A judge is expected to decide Monday whether to go along with a jury’s recommendation of a death sentence for a convicted killer, who murdered a worker at a Subway sandwich shop in Whittier and a man in a San Gabriel parking lot during robberies a decade ago.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Ronald S. Coen is also expected to consider an automatic motion to reduce the jury’s May 23 recommendation of the death penalty for Leonardo Alberto Cisneros, 30, to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Cisneros was convicted May 7 of first-degree murder for the Dec. 10, 2004, killing of Pasadena City College student Joseph Molina, 22, during a heist at the Subway store in the 5400 block of Norwalk Boulevard, along with the Aug. 4, 2004, shooting death of Dianqui Wu, 50, of Rowland Heights, who agreed to turn over his money before he was killed in the 1800 block of South Del Mar Avenue in San Gabriel.
Jurors also found true the special circumstance allegations of murder during the course of a robbery and multiple murders, along with finding Cisneros guilty of 16 counts of robbery and one count of attempted robbery, some involving armed robberies at other businesses in the San Gabriel Valley area.
In his closing argument, Deputy District Attorney Frank Santoro told the eight-man, four-woman panel that Cisneros “does not deserve to walk around a prison or be in prison.”
“He turned into a monster, a ruthless, brutal killer,” the prosecutor said, asserting that a verdict of death is the “justified and appropriate verdict for this man who ruined so many lives.”
He had called the evidence against Cisneros “overwhelming,” and said the defendant “chose this life of crime.”
One of Cisneros’ attorneys, Nancy Sperber, implored jurors to spare her client a death sentence.
She told jurors that life without the possibility of parole — the other sentence jurors could have recommended — was “not something to treat lightly.”
“It is serious,” she said. “It’s not a sentence to a country club.”
Four others were charged in connection with some of the crimes.
Mitzie Ann Oso, 35, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in both killings and was sentenced to eight years in prison.
Jose Resendez, 37, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and robbery involving Wu’s death, while Bernadette Corvera, 33, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and robbery involving Molina’s death. They were each sentenced to 15 years to life in state prison.
Sara Lopez, 32, pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact in Wu’s death. She was sentenced to three years probation.
– City News Service