Be interesting to see how this one plays out with the ex-Assembly speaker's son on trial for murder

[dick thompson]

Our Region - AP State News Comments (11) | Recommend (0) | Print Ex-Assembly speaker's son ordered to trial ShareThis The Associated Press Published: Wednesday, Apr. 8, 2009 - 5:45 pm Last Modified: Wednesday, Apr. 8, 2009 - 7:15 pm SAN DIEGO -- The son of former Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez and three other men were ordered Wednesday to stand trial on murder and other charges in the stabbing death of a college student near San Diego State University. Esteban Nunez, Rafael Garcia, Ryan Jett and Leshanor Thomas are charged in the Oct. 4 death of Mesa College student Luis Santos. After a 5 1/2-day preliminary hearing, a Superior Court judge ruled that there is enough evidence for the defendants to stand trial. Prosecutors said Luis Santos bled to death, another man was stabbed in the back and stomach, a third victim was stabbed in the shoulder and a fourth was punched in the eye and had to undergo plastic surgery. Defense attorneys say their clients acted in self defense. Esteban Nunez's attorney, Brad Patton, has said the slaying victim claimed before the fight that he was armed. Patton noted that Jett was stabbed in the leg. John Murray, 20, a friend who was not present at the time of the fight, testified earlier this month that Esteban Nunez, 20, and Jett, 23, burned bloody clothes and discussed throwing knives in a river as the group returned to Sacramento. Murray said Garcia, 19, ran away when the fight broke out and shouldn't be held responsible. The four face more than 25 years in prison if convicted. Esteban Nunez and Garcia are free on bond, but their co-defendants remain in custody. ShareThis Comment Guidelines Dear Readers, Thank you for coming to sacbee.com. We welcome your participation in our commenting boards and forums, but we ask that you follow a few simple rules to keep the boards open and the discourse civil. We reserve the right to delete comments that contain inappropriate links, obscenities or vulgarities, spam, hate speech, personal attacks, plagiarism or copyright violations. You can help notify us of potential abuses by flagging comments that you find offensive. Action will be taken against users who repeatedly or flagrantly violate the rules. Keep it clean and you should have no problems. Add a comment (max 1000 characters) Comments: 11      Showing: Oldest first Newest first Most-recommended first Least-recommended first okdcodyjr wrote on 04/08/2009 08:38:54 PM: Good thing daddy is a weak on crime Dem. He has so weakened the judiciary and the prison system, sonny boy will walk with time served. Recommend (0) Report abuse mcardenas wrote on 04/08/2009 08:05:22 PM: Tomace, you're obviously very shallow and I feel sorry for you. Recommend (0) Report abuse babyboobie wrote on 04/08/2009 08:04:45 PM: Best news I've heard all week! Recommend (1) Report abuse duckncover wrote on 04/08/2009 08:04:34 PM: tomACE states the following, "Mexicans yeaahhhh!!! Look at them go! Gangs, gangs, murders... What a culture of dirtbags" REPY; It's funny how you mention Mexicans right way being that two of the suspects have Spanish last names and yet no mention of the two other suspects given the fact that one is Causcasion and the other is African-American. Your a racist dirtbag! Recommend (1) Report abuse knowrespect13 wrote on 04/08/2009 07:58:06 PM: What do you expect from the spawn of someone named Fabian? I mean I can see someone naming their kid after Elvis or Frank Sinatra or John Lennon but freaking Fabian? No wonder kid this ain't no good. Recommend (1) Report abuse ajetboatman wrote on 04/08/2009 07:49:29 PM: How do you know when a lawyer is lying? When he opens his mouth. I bet Nunez skips the country when he is found guilty before the sentencing. Recommend (0) Report abuse frustrateddriver wrote on 04/08/2009 07:43:16 PM: This is not a story. They should be held to account for murder. The story is if they weren't held to account. Recommend (0) Report abuse Beggar wrote on 04/08/2009 07:27:02 PM: No, it can't be. They're good boys, remember? It was all just a silly misunderstanding... remember? Recommend (1) Report abuse PrisonReform wrote on 04/08/2009 07:26:17 PM: LOL...Bubba is waiting for this pretty boy. His papa can send us both care packages. Recommend (1) Report abuse starkeyy wrote on 04/08/2009 06:50:27 PM: four armed against one is called self defence by these four? Recommend (1) Report abuse More comments on this story: 12