• Facebook
  • Google Plus
  • Instagram
  • RSS Feed
  • Twitter

Menu

Skip to content
  • About
  • Staff
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • FAQ
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
Header image

MyNewsLA.comLogo

Breaking news for greater Los Angeles and Orange County

Menu

Skip to content
  • Crime
  • Government
  • Business
  • Education
  • Sports
  • Hollywood
  • Life
  • OC
  • U.S. Tops Developed Nations in Drug Overdose Death
  • Cold Storm Brings Snow Level Down to 1,500 Feet
  • Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz To Speak in Santa Monica
  • SpaceX to Launch Multi-Pronged Mission, Including Israeli Lunar Lander
  • Woman Killed, Two Children Injured in Hit-And-Run Near School in La Mirada

Home » Crime » This Article

OC Judge Rules New Murder Law Unconstitutional

Posted by Contributing Editor on February 11, 2019 in Crime | 584 Views | Leave a response
Share this article:
Facebooktwittergoogle_plusredditpinterestlinkedinmail
Orange County Superior Court. Photo by John Schreiber

An Orange County Superior Court judge has ruled a new state law regarding aiding and abetting a murder is unconstitutional, putting a case against two defendants in a robbery turned deadly in Buena Park in legal limbo.

The new law reduced the legal exposure of defendants accused of aiding and abetting a murder. Under the old law, someone along for a drive-by shooting, for instance, could be on the hook for first-degree murder, but the new law requires prosecutors to prove there was an intent to kill, the defendant was a major participant in the killing and behaved in a way that showed a reckless disregard for life.

Orange County Superior Court Judge Gregg Prickett on Friday ruled SB 1437 was unconstitutional in the case against Jeffrey Tuli, 35, Aaron Jackson, 37, and Dejon Griffin, 35, who are charged with killing 24-year-old Maher Youself of La Mirada, who was gunned down about 10:30 p.m., July 1, 2016, at a gas station at 5989 Beach Blvd., Buena Park.

The three are charged with murder with a special circumstance allegation of murder during a robbery.

Buena Park police have alleged Yousef was targeted because he and another person he was with at the time of the shooting worked at a check cashing business.

Tuli, who is the accused trigger man, is facing the death penalty. Tuli, who is being tried separately, is next due in court April 12 in the North Justice Center in Fullerton.

Prickett ruled that the special circumstances murder law was approved by voters in propositions, so to overturn those laws legislators had to do so with a supermajority tally instead of a simple majority as was done with SB1437.

Like this story? Don’t miss any breaking news from MyNewsLA.com. Sign up here for your free newsletter.

 

There have been conflicting rulings elsewhere in the state on the new law, so the state Supreme Court will likely have to decide the issue. Until that’s cleared up the case against Jackson and Griffin will remain stalled, but the case against Tuli can proceed.

OC Judge Rules New Murder Law Unconstitutional was last modified: February 12th, 2019 by Contributing Editor

>> Want to read more stories like this? Get our Free Daily Newsletters Here!

Follow us:
Facebooktwittergoogle_plusrss
Posted in Crime | Tagged Judge, murder, Rules, unconstitutional

Related Posts

Missing imageSuspect Arrested in 1973 Newport Beach Murder of 11-Year-Old Girl→

Missing imageSuspect Arrested in 1973 Newport Beach Murder of 11-Year-Old Girl→

Missing imageSuspect Arrested in 1973 Newport Beach Murder→

Suspect Arrested in 1973 Newport Beach Murder→

News from idealmedia.com

Advertisement

Get The Latest News by Email!

Sign up here for our free newsletters. We’ll send you the latest headlines every morning and every weekday afternoon.

 

FORECAST FOR DOWNTOWN LA

Partly Cloudy
Thursday
A mix of clouds and sun. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 57F. Winds NW at 5 to 10 mph.
Clear
Friday
Sunny. High 61F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph.
Wunderground.com
 

Most Popular Today

  • Worker Killed When Jet Bridge Tire Explodes at John Wayne Airport 600 views
  • Sentencing Due for L.A. Investment Adviser in Federal Wire Fraud Case 500 views
  • Gov. Newsom Endorses Sen. Holly Mitchell in L.A. County Board Race 400 views
  • Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz To Speak in Santa Monica 400 views
  • Cold Storm Brings Snow Level Down to 1,500 Feet 200 views

©2019 CalNews Inc.

Menu

  • About
  • Staff
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • FAQ
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service