A 28-year-old man was sentenced Friday to five years in prison for stabbing another man following a dispute at a Costa Mesa nightclub.
Tremere Robert Armani Mason was convicted in August of a single felony count of assault with a deadly weapon. Jurors acquitted him of assault with a deadly weapon charges involving two other men wounded in a fight with the defendant and rejected sentencing enhancements for inflicting great bodily injury.
Mason was given credit for 780 days behind bars.
Mason faced up to seven years in prison, but Deputy District Attorney Lance Cotton recommended six years as the defendant’s attorney requested two to three years. Mason had no prior criminal history, his attorneys said.
In a letter to Orange County Superior Court Judge Robert Knox, Mason expressed his remorse for the assault.
“I understand I almost killed someone,” Mason wrote. “I understand I harmed people, but, sir, you must understand I am not a bad person.”
Mason said he would accept whatever punishment Knox handed down “and learn from it and appreciate it.”
Mason said he acted out of “fear and anger” and understands he needs further counseling to address personal issues.
He also apologized to the victims.
“Words can’t describe how truly sorry I am,” he said.
Mason said he has a “young daughter,” with another baby on the way.
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 on 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?”’ 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 approached Catalan and he was 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 fight.”
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.