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West L.A. Gangster Mocks Mother of Teen He Murdered
LA Weekly ^ | Fri, Jan 10, 2014 | Dennis Romero

Posted on 01/12/2014 3:30:11 PM PST by nickcarraway

A West Los Angeles gangster who killed two people and tried to murder 12 others was warned by a judge to "stop smiling" during sentencing yesterday, but that didn't stop him from smirking and chuckling as one of the victim's mothers deplored his crimes in court.

See also: Jose Zapien, West L.A. Gangster, Convicted for Murdering 2 Santa Monica Youths.

The dark side of a longstanding rivalry between West L.A. and Santa Monica gangs played out in the sentencing of 25-year-old Jose Zapien, who headed west from his Sawtelle neighborhood to kill a 15-year-old high school football player and a young man in separate shootings nearly eight years ago.

Zapien was a teenager when he committed the Feb. 28, 2006 murder of 15-year-old Eddie Lopez and the Dec. 27, 2006 killing of 20-year-old Miguel Martin in Santa Monica.

See also: 3 West L.A. Gangsters Arrested in Santa Monica Murder Case.

Prosecutors alleged that Zapien's attacks, including the attempted murders of 12 others, were retaliation for the 2004 shooting death of a fellow Sotel gang member at the hands of a Santa Monica 13 gang rival.

The Los Angeles Times, which reported that Zapien emitted a "dismissive chuckle and smirk" during the address of Lopez's mother in court, published a menacing photo of the gangster in which his "Sotel" and "WLA" head tattoos were on display.

He was sentenced to life in prison without parole plus an additional 95 years.

Santa Monica police worked with LAPD gang detectives to crack the case and bring it to the District Attorney's Hardcore Gang Division.

Zapien's "strongest and most despicable trait," Deputy District Attorney Andrew Cooper said, is his "lack of reverence for human life.''


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Extended News; US: California
KEYWORDS: california; eddielopez; josezapien; losangeles; miguelmartin; santamonica; sawtelle
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1 posted on 01/12/2014 3:30:11 PM PST by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway

is his “lack of reverence for human life.’’

Whatever. If it doesn’t cost him anything, why not do it?


2 posted on 01/12/2014 3:31:39 PM PST by AppyPappy (Obama: What did I not know and when did I not know it?)
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To: nickcarraway

Explain to me why this man should not be executed?

The “culture of death” is really working the wrong side of the street.


3 posted on 01/12/2014 3:31:54 PM PST by jocon307
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To: nickcarraway

Fry his thug a$$.


4 posted on 01/12/2014 3:32:02 PM PST by TBP (Obama lies, Granny dies.)
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To: nickcarraway

This is why we have the death penalty. We need to use it more often and with more haste.


5 posted on 01/12/2014 3:33:36 PM PST by marron
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To: nickcarraway

If Obama had a son......


6 posted on 01/12/2014 3:33:43 PM PST by TruthWillWin (The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other peoples money.)
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To: nickcarraway

“lack of reverence for human life.’’ Then why not take his life instead of waste taxpayer money preserving his?


7 posted on 01/12/2014 3:34:00 PM PST by Fungi
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To: Fungi

Exactly!


8 posted on 01/12/2014 3:36:49 PM PST by winner3000
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To: jocon307
Are you kidding? In CA, by the time he's about to be executed, he'd have already served his life sentence plus the 95 years.

What is the state gonna do, lethal inject his bones?

9 posted on 01/12/2014 3:37:15 PM PST by Extremely Extreme Extremist (15 years of FReeping! Congratulations EEE!!)
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To: nickcarraway

It’s a shame he wasn’t put in Pelican Bay max, he could smirk by himself in his cell 23 1/2 hours a day for the rest of his life.


10 posted on 01/12/2014 3:37:41 PM PST by jazusamo ([Obama] A Truly Great Phony -- Thomas Sowell http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3058949/posts)
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To: nickcarraway

The “plus thirty-five years” were for smirking?


11 posted on 01/12/2014 3:37:48 PM PST by lightman (O Lord, save Thy people and bless Thine inheritance, giving to Thy Church vict'ry o'er Her enemies.)
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To: nickcarraway
A West Los Angeles gangster who killed two people and tried to murder 12 others was warned by a judge to "stop smiling" during sentencing yesterday.

Wow, I'll bet that really put the fear of God into him. Not. These criminals don't fear California law. The worst punishment this chump will ever get, is from other inmates.

12 posted on 01/12/2014 3:39:36 PM PST by Mark17 (Chicago Blackhawks: Stanley Cup champions 2010, 2013. Vietnam Veteran, 70-71a)
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To: Fungi

Exactly!


13 posted on 01/12/2014 3:41:19 PM PST by winner3000
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To: nickcarraway

Come the revolution we will storm some of these many Bastilles, only not to let the prisoners out but to make the Bastards PAY.


14 posted on 01/12/2014 3:41:33 PM PST by Fightin Whitey
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To: marron

Or make prison so horrible that the rest of his life will be spent begging for death.


15 posted on 01/12/2014 3:42:38 PM PST by Yorlik803 ( Church/Caboose in 2016)
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To: jazusamo

It’s a shame he wasn’t put in Pelican Bay max, he could smirk by himself in his cell 23 1/2 hours a day for the rest of his life.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
I will ‘see your sentence’ and raise you to 22 in isolation.

1/2 hr. in early AM spent in the exercise yard with the Skinheads.
1/2 hr. in early PM spent in the exercise yard with the Muslims.
1 hr. in early evening with his ‘Latino’ Brethern WITH the exception of ANY of his gang members.

That should prove to be an interesting however long he survives.


16 posted on 01/12/2014 3:52:27 PM PST by xrmusn (6/98 --STUPIDITY?: Lets remove warning labels so we can level the playing field.)
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To: marron
This is why we have the death penalty. We need to use it more often and with more haste.

In CCW states, criminals are much more at risk of dying from being shot by an armed citizen, than by being executed. Which is why we need more CCW.

17 posted on 01/12/2014 3:55:41 PM PST by PapaBear3625 (You don't notice it's a police state until the police come for you.)
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To: nickcarraway

Garbage like this creature need to be executed immediately after conviction.


18 posted on 01/12/2014 3:59:33 PM PST by Mister Da (The mark of a wise man is not what he knows, but what he knows he doesn't know!)
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To: Mark17

Let’s pray for jailhouse justice to wipe the smirk and the breath from him.


19 posted on 01/12/2014 4:01:57 PM PST by itssme
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To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Berosus; bigheadfred; Bockscar; cardinal4; ColdOne; ...
A West Los Angeles gangster who killed two people and tried to murder 12 others... nearly eight years ago. Zapien was a teenager when he committed the Feb. 28, 2006 murder of 15-year-old Eddie Lopez and the Dec. 27, 2006 killing of 20-year-old Miguel Martin in Santa Monica... Prosecutors alleged that Zapien's attacks, including the attempted murders of 12 others, were retaliation for the 2004 shooting death of a fellow Sotel gang member at the hands of a Santa Monica 13 gang rival.
Thanks nickcarraway.
20 posted on 01/12/2014 4:02:19 PM PST by SunkenCiv (http://www.freerepublic.com/~mestamachine/)
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