Jul 8, 2009 11:21 am US/Pacific
Gang Members Get Life In Deaths Of Sailor, Friend
LOS ANGELES (CBS) ―
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Two gang members have been sentenced to life in prison for the shooting deaths of a Navy sailor and his friend.
CBS
Two gang members were sentenced to life in prison Wednesday for the shooting deaths of a Navy sailor, who had recently returned from a tour of duty in the Persian Gulf, and one of his friends.
Aaron Robinson, 21, and John Williams, 28, were both sentenced to two life terms, as well as an additional 50 years to life.
The two were convicted in separate trials of first-degree murder for the slayings of Brian Butler Jr., 25, of Gardena, and Melvin Deonte Knowles, 25, of Lakewood.
Jurors also found true the special circumstance allegation that the murders were carried out to further the activities of a criminal street gang.
The two victims, who were longtime friends, had no gang affiliations and were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time when they were attacked in the Hyde Park area of South Los Angeles on May 24, 2004, according to Deputy District Attorney Victor Avila.
Authorities believe Robinson was behind the wheel of an SUV with Williams and another man who fired on the two victims as Butler -- who had returned about two months earlier from the Persian Gulf and was preparing to ship out again -- left a bar with Knowles.
Authorities believe the defendants went into rival gang territory in the area of Ninth and Florence avenues in retaliation for Robinson being shot himself three days earlier.
Butler was shot 11 times, while Knowles suffered nine gunshot wounds.
Robinson, who was 16 at the time of the crimes, was charged as an adult and sentenced to the maximum term he could face.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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