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Apr 18, 2008 5:40 pm US/Pacific
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3 Men Get Life For Oakland Murder Over Wheel Rims
OAKLAND (BCN) ―
Three young East Bay men were sentenced Friday to life in prison without parole for the shooting death of another young man who was on his way to his job on the overnight shift at the Oakland Post Office nearly three years ago.
Prosecutor Angela Backers said the motive for the Jan. 27, 2005, incident was the three defendants' desire to steal the fancy 20-inch wheel rims on the car that victim Lamar Whitehead, 21, was riding in.
In a verdict that was reached on Dec. 13, Terrell Watson, 21, Ishmael Johnson, 22, both of Oakland, and Jason Tyree West, 20, of Vallejo, were convicted of first-degree murder plus the special circumstance of committing murder during the course of an attempted carjacking.
Watson and West were also convicted of attempted murder for shooting Keith Griffin, who was Whitehead's best friend and was driving Whitehead to work in his Chevrolet Monte Carlo when shots rang out in the 3900 block of Webster Street near Mosswood Park in Oakland about 11 p.m. on Jan. 27, 2005.
In addition, Watson was convicted of trying to dissuade a witness in the case.
Backers told jurors in her closing argument in December that the three defendants "had talked about stealing rims" and Johnson "set up" the shooting by pointing out Griffith's car.
The prosecutor said Watson opened fire first and West fired additional shots after Johnson shouted, "Shoot! Shoot! Shoot!"
The bullet that killed Whitehead first went through Griffin, who was hit in the shoulder, and then struck Whitehead in the chest, Backers said. Whitehead died at the scene.
Griffith survived the shooting incident and testified against the three defendants.
Lawyers for the defendants attacked the credibility of three women who were key witnesses for the prosecution, alleging that their criminal records made them unreliable.
But Alameda County Superior Court Judge Thomas Reardon said Friday that jurors were told about the criminal histories of the women but still found them believable.
"I found them to be credible and the jury did as well," Reardon said, denying motions for a new trial that were filed by all three defendants.
Griffin attended the sentencing hearing Friday but declined to speak.
Whitehead's mother, Robin Douglas, spoke at the hearing, but his father, Walter Whitehead, declined to speak even though he was present.
Several other relatives and friends of Lamar Whitehead also attended.
(© CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Bay City News contributed to this report.)