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Calif. Appeals Court Reverses Murder Conviction

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Jul 17, 2009 1:44 am US/Pacific

Calif. Appeals Court Reverses Murder Conviction

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― A state appeals court has reversed a gang member's conviction for killing a teenager in Long Beach after finding errors made during his murder trial.

Three justices from the California Second District Court of Appeal ordered Thursday that Cesario Vasquez's case be sent back to Superior Court for retrial.

Vasquez was convicted two years ago of murdering 15-year-old Brian Cruz after the two got into an argument.

He was sentenced to 60 years to life in state prison.

The appeals panel found that the court should not have excluded testimony from the defense's gang expert, or given instructions to the jury that lacked evidentiary support.

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