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Man sentenced to life in prison for killing men
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More from Breaking NewsConvicted killer Jimmy Hunter on Wednesday was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole for killing two Oxnard men in 2005.
Shortly before Hunter was taken out of courtroom, about a dozen of his friends and relatives screamed, yelled, cursed and cried after the judge turned down requests by family members to hug Hunter before he was taken off to jail.
They stormed out of the courtroom and kept yelling and cursing as they left the courthouse.
Relatives of the victims — Davaun Dantay Washington and Olee Evans — said they were shocked by the outbursts in the courtroom.
"I am shocked. I've never seen anything like that," said Evans' sister, Katie Mitchell. "He murdered two people. His mother knew it, the grandmother. Everybody knew that he murdered these two people. They are shocked at his sentence. I'm shocked that they were so shocked."
"I can't believed people act like that. I just really can't," said Wanda Nixon, Washington's mother. "They need to consider that their son is still alive. Their son is still well. They can still see their son. We can't see our sons any more. Our sons are gone. Either way it goes, they've got the best end of the deal."
Prosecutor Richard Simon also said he was shocked by the behavior of Hunter's friends and relatives.
"Everybody who knew Jimmy Hunter and was friends with him should have known what to expect," said Simon. "They should not have reacted they way the did. I mean, two lives were taken here. They seem to show no regards for the lives that were taken, instead lashed out at something they should have fully understood and known what was going to happen."
Before the outburst by Hunter's family and friends, a bailiff had already tossed one man out of court who disrupted the sentencing by shouting, "Jimmy, we got you."
During the sentencing, Ventura County Superior Court Judge Edward Brodie said the evidence against Hunter, 21, was "overwhelming" and proceeded to give Hunter the maximum sentence allowed by law.
Hunter told the judge before the sentencing that he "truly feels for" the victims' families.
Then Hunter fired his attorney, Joe Villasana, who works at the county Public Defender's Office. Hunter said he could appeal his convictions.
"I felt I was not represented right by the Public Defender's Office," Hunter told the judge.
Brodie told Hunter that he would get legal papers. After Hunter kept insisting he was legally entitled to his legal paperwork, Brodie was curt and told him he had made himself "clear" on what Hunter was entitled to get for his appeal.
Villasana declined to comment as the walked out of the courtroom.
Simon told the judge that Hunter is a "cold-blooded human being" who deserved the maximum sentence.
"Hunter is a very dangerous person," Simon told the judge.
Simon said the District Attorney's Office did not seek the death penalty because of issues related to Hunter's mental health.
In February, jurors found Hunter guilty of two counts of first-degree murder and found that he used a firearm to kill Washington and Evans. They found that Washington's murder was done for financial gain and that Evans was killed during a robbery.
Evans was shot execution-style after a gun deal went sour, according to prosecutors. Evans, 47, was supposed to have $1,500 to buy some guns but had only $1,350, according to court testimony.
Hunter was in the back seat of a van when he shot Evans once, and Hunter went back later and shot him again to make sure he was dead.
Washington, 22, was found dead in the hallway of his Oxnard home. Hunter believed he was going to get paid by an Oxnard drug dealer for the killing, prosecutors said.
Mitchell, Evans' sister, made the only oral victim-impact statement in court. She said Hunter needed to tell others while he is in prison about the consequences of his actions to help them stay out of the penitentiary.
Posted by at8man on May 7, 2008 at 11:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Adios stupido!
Posted by SpiderWoman on May 7, 2008 at 11:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)
They were shocked????? OMG, what is there problem, he didn't take one he took two lives.
Posted by Adam_Monroe on May 7, 2008 at 12:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I hope that Hunter's family and friends can read this....
You are all ridiculous and only embarrassed Jimmy and yourselves. He is now a convicted killer and I will sleep well at night knowing that he is behind bars and will NEVER EVER be getting out.
That is the reality. He did it and the evidence is overwhelming. He will never win on appeal, he will never be paroled. You will NEVER see him outside of a jail ever again. Get over it.
And before you say, "If that was your family or friend being convicted, you'd do the same thing." No I would not. If I knew or was related to someone that committed such despicable crimes against other human beings, I would be in the court room CHEERING as they led him away in shackles. Why? Because they would deserve it!
Have a nice life Jimmy! I know the rest of us will because you are gone forever!
Posted by juniormafia_ny on May 7, 2008 at 12:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
"JIMMY WE GOT YOU!!!" LOL, good one guys.
Posted by bugmenot on May 7, 2008 at 12:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
"Jimmy, we got you!"
His buddy may have said that, but you know what the D.A. was thinking at that exact moment.
D.A.: "nope, we got you"
Posted by bugmenot on May 7, 2008 at 12:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)
"Simon said the District Attorney's Office did not seek the death penalty because of issues related to Hunter's mental health."
JIMMAY...JIBBERJABBER...JIMMAY!!!
http://www.starstore.com/acatalog/dlx...
Posted by Ms_California on May 7, 2008 at 12:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Wonder if we soon read a story that says that attacks were made on the life of the Judge, prosecuting attorney and his defense attorney... all his "big guys" got his back!
Posted by slkrchck on May 7, 2008 at 1:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
looks like you "don't got jimmy at all"
bye bye jimmy.....waaaaaaaahhhhhh
Posted by hotwildflower on May 7, 2008 at 1:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Birds of a feather...
Posted by Jstealth on May 7, 2008 at 2:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Do you hear it? It's a Waaaambulance coming for Jimmy and his family!
Posted by mjzab on May 7, 2008 at 3:20 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Let's do the math: Grandma+Mommy+Friends=Convicted killer!! What a shock; I guess it is true: **** does roll downhill! Wah, wah, wah, Jimmy, Goodbye!!! :) May you rot in a box for the rest of your natural days!
Posted by mjzab on May 7, 2008 at 3:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
P.S.- Do you think that Jimmy's cellmates are going to say the same thing to him: "We got your back!"
Posted by high_society on May 7, 2008 at 4:24 p.m. (Suggest removal)
No wonder he turned out the way he did.
I hope he has fun in jail!
If I was the family, I'd be embarrassed and not mad-
Sayonara, loooooooooooosers!
Posted by LivinInPoorMansPV on May 7, 2008 at 4:30 p.m. (Suggest removal)
That is part of the punishment, that you and your family do not get any special treatment. Don't people know what incarceration is?
Posted by Shipfaced on May 7, 2008 at 4:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
See ya, Jimmy....the booty snatcher is waiting for you in Fulsom State Prison. He's gonna get'cha..LMAO !
Posted by ebrockway on May 7, 2008 at 5:17 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Too bad that one wasn't on Court TV, I'd have paid to see that circus act at the end
Posted by Face on May 7, 2008 at 6:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Why do the families of these people go into the whole Shuck & Jive routine in public whenever their kin are arrested for crimes against humanity?
Posted by Common_Sense on May 7, 2008 at 7:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Face...because they themselves are animals like their offspring. The fruit dont fall far from the tree...what pathetic human beings they are.
Posted by lilmamma on May 7, 2008 at 9:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Jimmy at 21 your life is over because you had to be the big guy with the guns.Your family should be mad at you not the judicial system. No one told you to go around shooting people for no reason at all.You be asking for forgiveness not declaring your fake attempts at innocense.
Posted by Metalhaid on May 7, 2008 at 10:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The Bible says, "He who lives by the sword, shall die by the sword." Well, you're about to find out what the sword is all about. Your family acts like a bunch of animals. What a surprise that you turned out like one too--the road apple did not fall very far from the horse. Hope you're happy, murdering scumbag. Let's see: what exactly is Mr. Big giving up? (1) Court-side basketball games; (2) home-plate baseball games; (3) 50-yard-line football games; (4) the birth (or growth) of any children, their first steps, their first days at school, their first home runs, baskets or touchdowns, their graduations, weddings, and subsequent children; (5) last but not least, any chance for a fulfilling education, job, or career. Even worse, you took these things from 2 other people. Have fun playing "don't drop the soap." Bubba is waiting for you, beeyotch. You make me sick. May all such creeps as you get the same just deserts. Take a biiiiiiiiig bite of your nasty-ass life!
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