Posted on 03/08/2013 12:36:56 PM PST by nickcarraway
A Gardena man was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter Monday for killing a businessman who laughed at him when the pastrami fell out of his sandwich at a Western Avenue doughnut shop.
Ronald Eugene Murray II, 26, appeared to sigh in relief as a Torrance jury first found him not guilty of second-degree murder, choosing the lesser offense of voluntary manslaughter.
"The defendant got a fair trial and we got a fair verdict," Deputy District Attorney Jennifer Turk said. "I think justice is served."
Murray could have faced 15 years to life in prison if convicted of the murder charge, but will now be sentenced to a maximum of 11 years in prison at a March 4 appearance at the Torrance courthouse.
Turk said Murray punched and kicked 56-year-old New Jersey resident Mun Jang so hard on Oct. 1, 2011, that Jang died in a hospital two days later. A kick to the head proved to be the fatal blow.
Neither man knew each other, but Murray and Jang had patronized Donut King, at 15032 S. Western Ave., at 3:30 that morning. Jang, who was visiting Los Angeles on business, went for an ice cream. Murray purchased a pastrami sandwich and was particular with his order, asking for tomatoes, lettuce and mayonnaise, but no onions or jalapenos.
Jang, who was with a friend, watched as Murray took a bite. Some of the meat fell out, Turk said.
"The real focus of his anger were the people who would not give him a sandwich," Turk said. "The only person he could take his rage out on was the victim."
Prosecutors said Murray sucker-punched Jang and then punched him repeatedly, inflicting the fatal blow with a kick to the head while Jang was on the ground. He then threw the sandwich so hard into Jang's head that mayonnaise and lettuce stuck in his ear.
Some of the crime was caught on video.
Testifying on his own behalf, Murray said he wasn't trying to hurt Jang. He said he acted in self-defense after he slipped on the sandwich meat and fell to the ground. Jang, Murray testified, stood over him with a fist, so he protected himself by fighting back, Turk said.
Jurors did not believe the self-defense argument, but decided he did not commit murder. He took the beating too far, kicking a defenseless man in the head, Turk said.
"Somebody lost his life because he laughed and had a normal human reaction to something that was pretty funny," Turk said. "It could have been anybody standing there."
Deputy Public Defender Haaris Syed, who represented Murray, was not available for comment.
Words fail me! 11 years for murder??/ and the Prosecutor is happy with that?
He said he acted in self-defense after he slipped on the sandwich meat and fell to the ground. Jang, Murray testified, stood over him with a fist, so he protected himself by fighting back, Turk said.
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Is there video of that? The article said some of the crime was caught on video. Not saying the deadly kick to the head was justified, but if Jang did laugh and stood over Murray with a fist, then....
Wow. What we need is pastrami control!
In my younger days, I would have been pissed, and maybe given a stinkeye. These days I would look down at the pastrami, looked over at the guy who was laughing, and join in with the laughter.
26 yr old sucker punches a 56 yr old, knocks him to the ground, kicks him in the head resulting in his death and gets 11 yrs.
Good thing Ronald didn’t do something dastardly like trim his beard, he could have gotten a hard 15 yrs. s/
“Wow. What we need is pastrami control!”
Background checks on anyone wanting to buy a loose-meat sandwich. If they have no sense of humor, no sandwich for them.
Back in the old west, John Wesley Hardin shot a man for snoring too loud, guess we ain’t changed all that much.
That must’ve been a really great sandwich. Clearly it was worth killing for!
Damn those crazy Amish!
“He then threw the sandwich so hard into Jang’s head that mayonnaise and lettuce stuck in his ear.” What purpose does this statement have in the story? Almost makes it feel like an article from The Onion.
Can I do this to one of the men who have caused me really bad problems in life and only get a few years in prison? Hey....
That's murder, pure and simple.
And this animal is going to be back out on the street someday soon.
Clearly, purchasers of large-capacity sandwiches should go to anger management classes and have a waiting period.
That's murder, pure and simple.
Yep, second degree right there. Bastard should get fifty years.
Normally it’s Florida Man Guilty of Killing Businessman Who Laughed at Him When Pastrami Fell Out of His Sandwich
He’ll have a “large-capacity” sandwich by the time he’s released!
In today’s world, I’m surprised they didn’t convict the Businessman posthumously for “hate laughter” and “provoking violence”.
In today’s world, I’m surprised they didn’t convict the Businessman posthumously for “hate laughter” and “provoking violence”.
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