Posted on 01/09/2007 8:16:36 AM PST by BoneHead
NORTH COUNTY(San Diego, county California) -- A 16-year-old boy arrested last week in connection with the shooting death of Officer Dan Bessant will be in a Vista courtroom this afternoon to face murder charges, authorities said Monday....
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Police have arrested three teenagers thus far in connection with the shooting.
One of the teens, 17-year-old Meki Gaono, pleaded not guilty two weeks ago to murder and other charges. Authorities said Gaono is an admitted gang member.
Another teen -- a 16-year-old who was arrested the day after the shooting -- has not been charged in connection with Bessant's slaying. He remains in Juvenile Hall on a probation violation.
The other 16-year-old boy, who is set to be arraigned today, was not arrested until more than two weeks after Bessant's shooting. Officers took the teen into custody Thursday at the boy's Oceanside home, according to a statement from the Oceanside Police Department. Police said they questioned the youth and then booked him into Juvenile Hall on suspicion of murder.
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(Excerpt) Read more at nctimes.com ...
>>>16-year-old to face charges as an adult >>>
But if this same 16 year old were to have sex with someone a few years older, he would be a CHILD.
I'm just saying...
Oceanside police arrest second teen suspect in officer shooting 2006/12/23 This is the kid arrested for probation violation
Oceanside police hope Internet records lead to 'other suspects' 2007/01/04 This is stuff from Meki's computer.
Third person questioned in officer slaying 2007/01/05 This is when the kid became a person of interest.
Oceanside police arrest second teen suspect in officer shooting 2007/01/05 This is just after the kid said something wrong
These hadn't been posted but they track the events since the funeral. You will see that NCTimes duplicated the story headline twice within two weeks.
Then these will introduce you to Dan Bessant.
Thanks for posting. Interesting.
Condolences to Officer Dan Bessant's family and friends.
Thanks for posting. Interesting.
Condolences to Officer Dan Bessant's family and friends.
Defendant Meki Gaono, whose face is not shown by order of the judge, is escorted from a Vista courtroom after his arraignment on Tuesday. BILL WECHTER Staff Photographer
VISTA -- A teenager accused of killing an Oceanside police officer last week told investigators that he peered through the telescopic sight of a rifle as he fired on police in the fatal shooting, a prosecutor said Tuesday.
Meki Gaono, 17, is accused of gunning down Officer Dan Bessant while the 25-year-old was responding to a call for backup from a fellow officer in the Margarita Mesa neighborhood of northeast Oceanside at about 6:30 p.m. Dec. 20.
Bessant, the father of a 2-month-old boy, was shot in his left armpit and died later that evening. Investigators believe the fatal shot, which struck Bessant near the edge of his bullet-resistant vest, was fired from about a half-block away.
Gaono, who is being charged as an adult, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to one count of murder in connection with the death of Bessant, as well as to two counts of attempted murder for allegedly shooting at a second police officer and a civilian who was accompanying police when the attack took place. Superior Court Judge David Brown agreed to set his bail at $5 million.
Deputy District Attorney Thomas Manning said that Gaono told investigators that he is a gang member.
Shackled with waist chains and handcuffs and dressed in an orange T-shirt signifying his status as an inmate at Juvenile Hall, Gaono did not speak during his short arraignment. At least once he glanced toward the crowd. Several of his friends and family members were seated in the back of the courtroom.
Several of Bessant's supporters were also in the courtroom.
After the hearing, Steve Bessant, the father of the slain officer, said his first thought on seeing the teenager accused of killing his son was "compassion."
"My heart goes out to his family and the ordeal they are going through as well," the elder Bessant said. "I hope he can find some redemption in this."
Gaono also faces a special allegation that he killed a police officer, making him eligible for life in prison without the possibility of parole if convicted. Because Gaono was not an adult at the time of the crime ---- his 18th birthday is six weeks away ---- state law prohibits prosecutors from pursuing the death penalty.
The three charges against Gaono include allegations that he used a gun and committed the crime for the benefit of the Oceanside gang to which he belongs.
No charges have been filed against a second suspect, a 16-year-old boy, who was jailed in Juvenile Hall for violating his probation, Manning said. The prosecutor said that suspect also has a "minor" criminal record. No further details were available on the boy.
Bessant, a three-year Police Department veteran, was called to the scene to assist Officer Karina Pina, 28, who had requested backup during what began as a routine traffic stop at Gold Drive and Arthur Avenue. Pina had a woman riding along with her at the time; Manning declined to release the name of the woman.
Manning said Bessant was standing near the back of a patrol car when "a shot rang out." Pina, he said, turned and fired back.
The prosecutor said the shots came from 320 feet away, and that investigators found a number of gun-shell casings at the location.
Gaono "has made statements that he fired a rifle at a police officer (while) using a scope," Manning said.
Manning said he had requested a high bail amount because he considers the teenager "a flight risk."
Manning declined to say if Gaono gave investigators a motive for the shooting. The teenager has a "minimal" criminal record with no past violent crimes, and is a one-time student of El Camino High School who later transferred to a continuation school, Manning said.
Oceanside Unified School District spokeswoman Laura Chalkley said Tuesday that last year Gaono attended Ocean Shores High School, but that he has not attended Ocean Shores this year.
Wayne Godinet, a community activist in the neighborhood, said the Gaono family has been around for quite a while and that this is not a true reflection of the family.
The community is "absolutely outraged," Godinet said. "It's just horrifying to think this could happen."
Oceanside Mayor Jim Wood said that city and law enforcement officials knew that any juvenile charged with murder couldn't face the death penalty, but that "justice will be served."
"It sounds like they have a strong case or they wouldn't have filed charges, but we'll have to wait and see," said Wood, a retired police detective.
Councilman Jack Feller said the adults responsible for any juvenile convicted of a serious crime such as murder should be held accountable as well.
"I feel sorry for the parents (of the boy charged with the murder), but they have tolerated and allowed that type of behavior to thrive," Feller said. "We as a city can't allow that to be acceptable."
A public viewing of Bessant's body is planned for 5 to 8 p.m. tonight at the Ambassador Church, 1602 S. El Camino Real. Funeral services for Bessant will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at the New Venture Christian Fellowship, 4000 Mystra Way in Oceanside.
"Our family lost a great son, husband, brother and dad," Steve Bessant said Tuesday. "The community lost a good cop."
The elder Bessant said his son's widow is "shattered" by the loss. He also thanked a number of people who helped his son after the shooting, including the two fireman he said "drug him to safety and tried the best they could to work on him."
Community support, he said, has been a tremendous help to the family of the policeman who grew up in the coastal community and graduated from Oceanside High School.
"We've not gotten through this on our own," Steve Bessant said, as his 23-year-old son Drew Bessant stood next to him in the courthouse entryway. "It's your prayers that are getting us through.
Bessant is the second Oceanside policeman shot to death in the last 3 1/2 years. Adrian George Camacho, the man convicted of killing the other officer, Tony Zeppetella, now sits on California's Death Row. Camacho was 28 when he killed Zeppetella on June 13, 2003, in a surprise gunbattle that also began as a traffic stop.
Another court hearing in Gaono's case is scheduled for Jan. 9 and a preliminary hearing has been set for Feb. 6.
Read through the links in post 3 to fill out the details.
A search on Oceanside will retrieve the original posts about this happening 12/20/06.
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Or then again read VU4G10's post
He would have been a victim of some one older. Seems to be apples and oranges.
Please read everyting.
Keeping you informed.
This kid admits to looking through the scope and firing at the officer,but he pleads "Not Guilty" I suppose it wasnt his fault the rifle performed as it was supposed to.
Maybe he thinks its his right to fire at Police Officers.
It was. Sounds like it was a gang initiation. It's so sad. This officer was such a fine person and had a two-month-old son.
Sounds like Iraq.
That will be out in todays press releases.
Gang Bangers need to be treated as adults in punishment.
They may start to get a clue.
2007/01/09 Boy pleads not guilty to officer murder charges
The author says that P.J. "stayed stone-faced throughout his short arraignment hearing". I'll say.
Thank you, BoneHead. I wouldn't have known about today's development if you hadn't pinged me!
>>>He would have been a victim of some one older. Seems to be apples and oranges.
Please read everyting.>>>
OH, maybe I missed that part about being involved in this crime with some OLDER PEOPLE.
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