By Deb Murphy
Judge Brian Lamb denied the prosecution’s request for a change of venue in the Raymond Bencoma trial. Adhering to the requirement that retrials have to begin within 60 days of a mistrial, Lamb set the date at August 28 at the courthouse in Independence.
Judge Brian Lamb
In addition to her written petition, assistant district attorney Dee Shepherd asked to provide additional information. She indicated flyers had been posted on the Bishop Paiute Reservation “asking for support (for Bencoma) and stating ‘come hear the truth.’” Citing a tainted jury pool, due to the media “and the community,” Shepherd felt Mono County was too close and the trial should be moved to San Bernardino or Fresno county.
Bencoma’s first trial ended in early May with a conviction on possession of ammunition and a firearm by a felon, a not-guilty on possession of stolen property and a hung jury on four charges of assault with a firearm on law enforcement. Jury selection for the retrial on the assault charges began June 26. By the afternoon of June 29, the jury pool was exhausted without seating the required 12 jurors and alternates.
“In my experience, it is not impossible to seat a jury,” Lamb said in denying the request to move the trial. “The defendant has a right to have the trial in this county… To be fair and impartial, you don’t have to know nothing” about the case.
The charges against the defendant stem from an incident in August of last year. Four officers approached Bencoma’s home to question the defendant on domestic violence allegations. According to the prosecution, Bencoma appeared from behind a shed with a firearm pointed at the officers.
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We all know you’re a libtard low-inyo
Your lack of understanding the Bill of Rights and The Constitution is clear! Crystal Clear
You desperately need to take the Red-Pill
Keep in mind, while they found him guilty on the weapon charge, the stolen property he was found not guilty of possessing was the alleged weapon. Also his finger prints were not found on the gun, the magazine, or any of the bullets or casings??????? Go figure
Mouthpiece…think kinda “double-talk” to got going there…my guess is found not guilty on the stolen weapon,probably because it couldn’t be “proved” he knew the weapon was stolen,not because he didn’t have the weapon…and not finding fingerprints(if true) really means nothing..fingerprints don’t appear on everything being touched,especially if gloves are worn,like all career criminals wear,knowing that can be used as a loop-hole in charges and convictions brought against them…
Trouble…..just out of curiosity,what do you think Bencoma should get,prison-time wise, for just the weapons charges he was found guilty on ?….since it’s like either strike-three or strike-four as far as violent felonies go….
Low, honestly I think he should be released and sue the hell out of our local law enforcement and possibly our DA for civil rights violations. I can’t stand what this guy did in his past, but it sure sounds to me like our local law enforcement tried to cover up what really happen that night.
Low-Please remember you asked for my personnel opinion.
Trouble….if sounds to me,if that scenario you’d like to see happens does happen,maybe what you should do is rent one of your rooms out to him in your house….the one right next to your daughters ….maybe helping him to get a “second” chance at life with his new found riches from his lawsuits…
Low, you asked me for a honest answer on my personal opinion. I gave it to you and everyone else. I said I cant stand the guy , then you down grade me for it. I’m not the one to blame for how our justice system really works.
Trouble….no,no,not downgrading you at all !!!…just hard for me to understand why anyone would want this guy walking the streets with pockets stuffed full of our money…our justice system tries to make it where those that offend and do wrong pay a price for it…and for public safety….just your opinion saying LE acted wrong that night…but not downgrading you for it….I still will buy you a beer if I ever meet you…
Seems to me like the DA should have tried to move the case the first time. Or stop trying to cover up the officers miss deeds.
Will members of Bishop Klu Kluxx Klan be on tha Jury this time?
Cant let it go, can you Inyo County? This isnt his first mistrial. Former Asst. D.A. Samuels had Bencoma on trial a few years back on differnt charges and it was a 11-1 decision for GUILTY.
Samuels was replaced by current D.A.Hardy and Hardy did trial # 2 and it was also a mistrial.
That trial was the opposite 11-1 for NOT – GUILTY
YOU HAVE A PARTIAL CONVICTION WHICH SHOULD BE PLENTY LONG ENOUGH..
SENSING A LITTLE BIT OF A [ WITCH HUNT]
So it’s okay for some violent methed out Freak to continue his criminal behavior? The community would have been better off if this character was 6 feet under!! Lamb has made a bad decision. The trial needs a change of venue. There is no way an impartial
Jury will happen in Inyo on this case. Bencoma needs to be put away for a very long time. The liberal cop haters and reservation residents will petition on his behalf. That’s a no brainer. If it was your family member that he let drown, that he continues to abuse, or that he provided drugs to, you would think differently no doubt!! How much can you libtards allow this creep to get away with.
Dirtdevil….I’m a “libtard”……but agree 100 % with what you say there….
This here turning into a joke…..isn’t the conviction on the weapons charges “strike FOUR “…for Bencoma anyway ??…why not just sentence him on that and be done with it (and him ) for many years to come…