Mar 11, 2008 11:20 am US/Pacific
Man, 19, Charged In Football Star's Murder
LOS ANGELES
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Jamiel Shaw was gunned down by gang members just yards from his home.
CBS
A known gang member, 19, was charged with murder Tuesday for the March 2 shooting death of a Los Angeles High School football player, just as the victim's funeral service was set to begin.
Pedro Espinoza was scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday afternoon at the downtown Los Angeles courthouse on the capital murder charge in 17-year-old Jamiel Shaw Jr.'s slaying in the 2100 block of Fifth Avenue, just steps from his Arlington Heights home.
The charge includes the special circumstance allegation that the defendant was "an active participant in a criminal street gang and the murder was carried out to further the activities of the criminal street gang."
Prosecutors are expected to decide later whether to seek the death penalty against Espinoza, who was arrested last Friday by Los Angeles police.
Meanwhile, mourners gathered at the West Angeles Church of God in Christ for a funeral service for Shaw -- who was remembered Monday night at a public viewing as a young man with a promising future that was cut tragically short.
Police said Jamiel was a good student and not associated with any gang.
Jamiel's mother, Army Sgt. Anita Shaw, was serving in Iraq when her son was slain. She called for community action to stop gang violence.
"Jamiel Shaw was not only a star running back, he was a star human being," Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said Tuesday. "A great family -- his father and I planted a tree a couple of years ago the day after I was sworn in as mayor right on the block just in front of -- a few doors away from his house just about where he was shot and killed. So this has a real personal meaning, I think, for all of us. A good kid who died because of wanton gun violence."
(© 2008 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)
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