Thread: Nunez, friends given Oct. 5 trial date UPDATED

Nunez, friends given Oct. 5 trial date

Oct. 5 trial date
4:22 p.m. April 22, 2009

SAN DIEGO – A Superior Court judge on Wednesday scheduled an Oct. 5 trial date for four young men accused in the fatal stabbing of a college student on the San Diego State University campus last year.

The defendants – including the son of former state Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez – appeared in court for a second arraignment, during which they pleaded not guilty to charges including murder and assault with a deadly weapon.

If convicted, they each face a prison term of more than 25 years to life.
Esteban Nuñez, 20; Rafael Garcia, 19; Ryan Jett, 23; and Leshanor Thomas, 20, are accused of participating in a street fight during which 22-year-old Mesa College student Luis Santos was killed and three others were wounded.

The fight occurred in the early morning hours of Oct. 4 on 55th Street near Peterson Gym.

Defense lawyers have argued that the group acted in self-defense. They've noted that Jett was stabbed in his right leg during the fight.
Nuñez and Garcia have posted bail and returned to their homes in Sacramento. Jett and Thomas remain in jail.

http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/ ... ndex=86835

Co-defendant in San Diego murder case that involves Fabian Nuñez's son pleads guilty to a lesser charge

September 17, 2009 | 5:21 pm

One of four young men charged in the fatal stabbing of a San Diego college student pleaded guilty Thursday and agreed to testify against the others, including the son of former state Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez.

Rafael Garcia, a college student in Northern California, pleaded guilty to felony conspiracy to destroy evidence, including a bloody shirt. In exchange, prosecutors dropped a murder charge against him in the Oct. 4 death of Luis Santos.

As part of a plea bargain, Garcia agreed to testify against three co-defendants: Ryan Jett, Esteban Nuñez and Leshanor Thomas.

Garcia's attorney, Paul Pfingst, said there was no evidence that his client took part in a street brawl that led to the stabbing.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Jill DiCarlo said Garcia was considered the least culpable of the four. No other plea bargains are anticipated, she said.

The district attorney's recommendation on whether Garcia should go to prison and, if so, for how long, will await his testimony, DiCarlo said.

The four were charged with killing Santos, a student at Mesa College, after a night of drinking and parties near San Diego State.

Prosecutors allege that the three remaining defendants attacked Santos after being rebuffed in their attempt to crash a fraternity party. Defense attorneys say their clients acted in self-defense.

Of the four, only Jett remains in jail, unable to meet a $1-million bond.

—Tony Perry in San Diego

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2 ... uilty.html

New trial dates set for 3 in fatal SDSU stabbing

By Dana Littlefield
Union-Tribune Staff Writer
1:38 p.m. October 5, 2009

A judge set new trial dates Monday for three young men charged in the fatal stabbing of a 22-year-old college student on the campus of San Diego State University last year.

San Diego Superior Court Judge Robert O'Neill scheduled a Nov. 5 trial for Ryan Jett and a March 29 trial for Esteban NuÌ