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Oxnard man pleads guilty to drug killings
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More from Other NewsErnesto Charles Hall of Oxnard pleaded guilty on Monday in Ventura County Superior Court to voluntary manslaughter in connection with the drug-related slaying of three people in the summer of 2003.
Hal is a co-defendant with Ivan Dean Stine of Bakersfield in two of the slayings Larry Joseph Barrios on July 11 and Jorge Lopez Cervantes on Aug. 16.
Hall, 30, also pleaded guilty to robbery and a weapon charge and committing the crime for the benefit of the Colonia Chiques, a criminal street gang, according to prosecutor John West. He also admitted to a prior felony conviction.
Hall is facing 61 years in prison when he is sentenced on June 15.
West said Hall must do 85 percent of his sentence before he is eligible for parole.
On Monday, Hall also admitted to his role in the robbery and shooting of drug dealer Karl Wenrich in 2003. Wenrich died more than a year later from medical complications of the shooting
West said Hall wasn't the "actual killer" in any of these homicides.
Hall is representing himself in court. Attorneys had commented on how articulate and well prepared he was during court hearings.
Stine, 34, is facing murder charges in connection with the killing of Barrios and Cervantes along with special allegations, including lying in wait, committing a crime for the purpose of financial gain and committing a crime for the benefit of a criminal street gang, according to prosecutors.
West refused to say whether Hall would testify against Stine as part of the plea bargain, citing protecting Stine's constitutional rights.
Posted by MIKA on July 28, 2007 at 3:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
NO MATTER HOW MUCH TIME HE GETS IT WILL NEVER BE ENOUGH IN MY EYES!!!!! THE PERSON HE SO COWARDLY STOLE FROM ME WAS MY HUSBAND, JORE CERVANTES IRAQI, EVERY DAY I'M LIVING WITH A EMPTY PIECE IN MY HEART THAT CAN NEVER EVER BE FIXED
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