An Oct. 14 trial date was confirmed Wednesday for a young man accused of shooting a Palm Desert resident in the face in a conflict possibly stemming from an ongoing feud.
Jorge Arturo Morales Jr., 20, of Cathedral City is charged with attempted murder, firearm assault, stalking and sentence-enhancing gun and great bodily injury allegations for the 2023 attack.
During a trial-setting conference Wednesday at the Larson Justice Center in Indio, Riverside County Superior Court Judge Susanne Cho conferred with the prosecution and defense regarding scheduling, and both sides tentatively agreed to prepare for trial proceedings in mid-October. However, the date may be moved if either side is tied up on other matters, or a courtroom is unavailable.
Morales is being held without bail at the Robert Presley Jail in Riverside.
His co-defendant, Jaden Xavier Garcia, 22, pleaded guilty last year to gun assault and was sentenced to two years’ mandatory supervision.
According to Riverside County Sheriff’s Department investigators, Morales was at odds with a victim identified in court documents as “K.S.,” though the specific reasons were not stated, and for several weeks in February 2023, he had been harassing the man.
Shortly before 3 a.m. on Feb. 21, 2023, K.S. and a friend, identified only as “E.M.,” were walking in the 45300 block of Garden Square, near Larrea Street, when Morales and Garcia allegedly confronted them, sheriff’s Sgt. Daniel Milbrandt said at the time.
In the ensuing confrontation, Morales allegedly shot E.M. in the face, after which the defendant and Garcia fled, the sergeant said. K.S. was not hurt.
E.M. underwent surgery at a Coachella Valley trauma center, and he has since recovered from the gunshot wound.
Detectives quickly identified the two alleged assailants, culminating in a search warrant being served at Morales’ residence on 33rd Avenue in Cathedral City the same day.
Milbrandt said a SWAT team arrived to find the defendants attempting to flee the location. They were apprehended without incident.
A specific motive for the alleged shooting was not disclosed.
Morales has no documented prior felony adult convictions in Riverside County.
Garcia also did not have priors until his admissions last year.