Court to Hear Appeal of Long Beach Cop Killer Sentenced to Death

The California Supreme Court is set to hear an automatic appeal next month in the case of a gang member who was sentenced to death for the April 2000 murder of a Long Beach police officer.

The state’s highest court is scheduled to hear the case against Ramon Sandoval Jr. on Oct. 7 in San Francisco.

Sandoval was convicted in October 2002 of first-degree murder for the April 29, 2000, killing of Officer Daryle Black, along with the attempted murder of Black’s partner, assault with an assault weapon on a peace officer and assault with an assault weapon.

Jurors also found true the special circumstances of murder of a police officer in the performance of his duties, murder to avoid arrest, lying in wait and street gang murder.

The first jury that convicted Sandoval of the crimes deadlocked on whether he should face the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole. A second jury recommended a death sentence in April 2003.

Sandoval was sentenced to death the following month, with Superior Court Judge Joan Comparet-Cassani calling him a “cold-blooded, heartless killer.”

The judge said Sandoval spotted Black and his partner, Rick Delfin, in an unmarked patrol car and fired 28 rounds from an assault rifle to prevent the two from nabbing one of his fellow gang members, who was armed and on parole.

At the May 2003 sentencing hearing, the judge said Sandoval recognized the unmarked car as a police unit as he and other gang members prepared to attack a member of a rival gang they believed was responsible for an earlier drive-by shooting in which Sandoval was wounded.

“Defendant Sandoval shot at the police officers 28 times, each and every time pulling the trigger. He aimed at their heads,” the judge said, noting that Sandoval was about 15 feet away and could see the officers’ bodies move as they were being shot.

“Even though Officer Delfin managed to slowly drive the car down the street to try to evade the shooter, Sandoval continued to shoot at the police officers,” the judge said. “The trajectory analysis showed that Sandoval followed his targets as they attempted to leave the area of the attack.”

Black died of a massive head wound, and his partner had to undergo numerous surgeries, including a knee replacement.

The gunfire also struck a pregnant woman in a nearby residence, with the bullet lodging inches from her unborn fetus, the judge said.

“If there is a case where death is appropriate, this is one of those cases,” Comparet-Cassani said.

City News Service