A 26-year-old man told a man he got into an argument with in a Costa Mesa nightclub, saying “I’m from Long Beach and I kill people” before stabbing the victim in the heart and wounding two of his friends, a prosecutor argued Monday as the defendant’s attorney told jurors his client was acting in self-defense.
Tremere Robert Armani Mason is charged with one count of attempted murder and three counts of assault with a deadly weapon with a sentencing enhancement for inflicting great bodily injury on the victims.
The violent fracas happened about 11:15 p.m., Aug. 2, 2022, in a parking lot of The Triangle at 1870 Harbor Blvd.
Kevin Catalan, who was stabbed in the chest, had gone out with his friends to La Vida Cantina that night to get some drinks, dance and buy tacos from a food truck nearby, he testified.
“My buddies and I wanted to go out and I wanted tacos,” he testified. “And then it all went south.”
At some point, Mason and Catalan had some sort of disagreement in a patio of the nightclub.
“He just kept staring. It was kind of weird,” Catalan testified. “He looked like an angry little kid starting at me.”
Catalan said he “told him I’m not looking for trouble. I’m just here for a good time.”
Mason replied, “I’m from Long Beach and I kill people,” Catalan testified. “He said it with a smile.”
Catalan said he alerted a security guard and added he was “absolutely” concerned.
From there he said, “I was basically just trying to forget what happened,” and resumed socializing with his friends.
Later that night on the dance floor the two bumped into each other.
“Someone bumped me from behind,” Catalan testified.
“He did kind of shove me and I shoved him back,” Catalan testified.
Catalan denied wanting to battle with the defendant.
“I was never looking for a fight,” he said.
“I was asking him what’s your problem?” he said.
When Mason put hands on him, “I shoved him.”
Catalan acknowledged he became “frustrated” with the defendant and shoved him again.
In a video shown to jurors a security guard approaches Catalan and he is escorted out of the club. Catalan denied being kicked out and added, “We were leaving.”
Mason followed Catalan and his three friends out of the club into the parking lot where the fight started, Deputy District Attorney Lance Cotton said.
Cotton argued that Mason took the first swing, sparking a brawl among all four. Marcus Blevins suffered a stab wound to his right buttocks and Abraham Lee was stabbed in his right wrist, Cotton said.
“The defendant introduced a knife into a fist fight,” Cotton argued.
Cotton also said Catalan and the other men sought to “de-escalate” the situation.
Catalan’s girlfriend, who was there to pick them up, rushed Catalan to a hospital where he underwent surgery and survived.
Mason’s attorney, James Harrington, showed jurors video of Catalan shoving the defendant so hard he goes sprawling and knocks another dancer down.
Harrington also said Catalan can be seen motioning to Mason to “come on, let’s right.”
Mason did not follow them, but was leaving at the same time and was followed by the others, Harrington argued.
Harrington said Catalan and Mason “squared off” to fight and that Mason threw just one punch. Then he was punched, kicked and dragged by the four men, Harrington argued.
Mason pulled out the knife only when he was “jumped by four men,” Harrington argued.
The defense attorney downplayed Mason’s statement about being from Long Beach and killing people.
“They didn’t take it seriously,” Harrington said. “They didn’t put much stock in that.”
Catalan and his friends continued partying, Harrington said.
Also, “maybe it was just a way of saying leave me alone” to Catalan and his friends, Harrington argued.
Later, Catalan was “looking for problems — he was looking for a fight” on the dance floor, Harrington said.
Harrington also accused Catalan of being dishonest in his testimony.