Defendants in orange and red from the left, Armondo Hernandez, 20; Roberto Arias, 19, with an interpreter; and Martin Flores, 21. Glenn Moore/Tracy Press
Roberto Arias Jr., 19, Martin Flores, 21, and Armondo Hernandez, 20, appeared before Judge Thomas Harrington in a short hearing at which the defendants were appointed attorneys, and read the charges against them. Flores and Arias used court-hired interpreters during the hearing.
All three are charged with homicide, intentional discharge of a firearm, street terrorism, and a “special circumstance” charge they killed the man to “further the activities of a criminal street gang.”
They’re due back in court on at 9 a.m. Monday.
Attorney Gary Hickey will represent Arias; Doug Jacobsen is the attorney of Hernandez; and Ralph Cingcon will represent Flores.
The three are accused of shooting Sampson as he was walking down the sidewalk on his birthday with his sister and a friend on East Street across from Tracy High School.
Three men stopped as they drove by and asked of one of them was Spencer Sampson, said Sampson’s wife, Angie Sampson.
“Who wants to know?” Sampson said, according to his wife.
Harsh words were exchanged, she said, and there was a fistfight, during which he was shot. He died at bout 1 a.m. Saturday.
Sampson’s supporters lined about two rows of seats in the courtroom today, several wearing T-shirts that bore a photo of the victim smiling. One woman was crying as she walked into the courtroom, and Sampson’s friends and relatives quickly left.
Several supporters of the defendants sat in seats on the other side of the aisle.
About six of Flores’ relatives lingered somberly in the hallway outside the courtroom for some time after the hearing.
His uncle, Francisco Flores, said the defendant had been in Tracy for six years, and all that time worked at a plaster company in Hayward. His nephew had no criminal record, and stayed out of trouble.
“He doesn’t drink or do drugs,” Francisco Flores said. “He doesn’t do anything. We don’t understand.”
Contact Tracy Press City Editor Eric Firpo at 830-4223 or efirpo@tracypress.com.
Suggestion: Why don't we amend the DP to where once someone is handed down the sentence, they have ONE YEAR to prove their innocence. After 365 days, the DP is actually carried out.
I don't even want to think about how much money we spend on prisoners on DP when that $$ should be used for more important things like schools to keep these pinks out of trouble.
Why is this not feasible? What would it take for us to get to that point?
There are only 3 ppl who NOBODY should feel sorry for..enough said
BUBBA..you can have em'
Sincerely,
The Grammar Police..
Well DeltaJim, you sure cracked me up on that one. I was trying to be a good girl all day today, but I found great enjoyment and laughter from your comments. Thanks for the chuckle. Good night and have a wonerful holiday to all. I hope and pray 2010 is a much better year for our city.
LOL
I hope their PUNK vato friends are reading this, cuz they're NEXT....!
Nicceeeeee.....
I listened to this all happen on my police scanner (realistic pro-2052) the night it happened. The victims family members were at the hospital and became unruly when they were told of the passing. The S/O responded to the call and calmed the situation.
What a shame.....
I hear a lot of the crime that goes on that the Tracy Press does not report on.
WHAT A BUNCH OF PUNKS..... I hope they get it in the poop shoot....
F-this, they need to do hard time on the ROCK PILE, awaiting their execution date. No more of this B/S appeal cr@p, ZAP THE B@STARDS.
I mean, thats what I think.. ZAP-EM.
Hey, I'd even volunteer, at "no charge, to Flip the switch...!
Oh DARN, that's right, we dont have a chair.... Well heck, I'm all for a tax to get one....!
« 7ofusnomore wrote on Tuesday, Dec 22 at 08:00 PM »
Don't waste tax payers money just execute these mother f***ers. Going around town causing all this nonsence for they can become some kind of shot caller! Of course Uncle Francisco is going to sugar coat his nephew's behavior they all don't want to get deported.
THEY ALL DON'T WANT TO GET DEPORTED??! WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THEIR ILLEGAL HERE JUST BECAUSE THEIR MEXICANS, BECAUSE THEY ARE LATINOS YOU THINK THEIR ILLEGALS?!
What are gangs for? Let me ask that, are they for anything good?
And would this young man be dead right now if it wasn't for these honor less pukes?
Veronica say good bye to your cousin. He made the choice to do what he did. He and the others involved are a disgrace to humanity.
To anonymous: I'm curious what it is that would qualify for you as 'bad person'? If you're in a gang, you accept, promote, and participate in quite a few illegal and immoral activities on a mass and on-going basis. Please tell me???
I have trouble with this remark from your post.
“Its really sad how people can talk so much when the people being accused are Mexicans but if they are Americans’ its ok?”
Knock Knock anyone home. The Mexican race like all races living in America are AMERICANS.
I have a real problem with all this Mexican American, Black American, White American or what ever. We should be all American’s.
Now if you wish to talk about people that are here Illegally. Then you are correct, they are not American’s