Killer of Popular JSerra Student Gets Early Release from Prison

The Orange County District Attorney’s seventh annual Victims Rights March and Rally today was an opportunity for some in attendance to express relief that they have moved on or that they have forgiven their perpetrators, but for two parents who lost their sun to a drunken driver it was a bitter reminder of injustice.

Doug Cook and Bohdanna Witiuk-Cook said they were seeking answers after finding out the killer of their 18-year-old son, Cameron, got out of prison about eight months earlier than expected.

Ashley Selina Bryan was sentenced May 31, 2013, to six years in prison for the April 2, 2011, crash. It was just before midnight when Bryan, who was northbound on the Orange Freeway just south of Katella Avenue in Orange, slammed her Honda Civic into a disabled 2001 Chevrolet Camaro on the right shoulder.

The Camaro’s driver was in the passenger seat while Cook of Ladera Ranch stood outside the vehicle near the guardrail. Bryan’s car shoved the Camaro into Cook, who fell over the guardrail to his death.

The victim’s parents said they received an automated phone call on a Sunday in February alerting them of a scheduled May 2 release of the defendant. They had to wait until the next day to inquire why she was getting out earlier than Dec. 20.

Various bureaucrats kept shuffling the pair around -- and in the meantime -- they were told Bryan’s release was pushed up to April 18. She ended up serving about 2 1/2 years behind bars, Doug Cook said.

The parents were told it was because laws aimed at easing prison overcrowding allowed Bryan to receive extra time off for good behavior if she participated in classes -- such as one outdoors on forestry. It wouldn’t have hurt as badly if they had been told of that up front, they said.

“It’s disrespect for our son’s life and death, a miscarriage of justice,” Doug Cook told City News Service.

Bryan’s ability to earn earlier-than-expected release came as a shock to the prosecutor on the case, the Cooks said. They have meetings planned with Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas, and they would like to network with other victims’ families to see if there’s been any effort to push lawmakers to reform the laws on early release.

For Richard and Ryan Girgis, today’s event at the Old Orange County Courthouse in Santa Ana was an opportunity to talk about the merits of persistence and family. Richard Girgis pressed law enforcement officials for years to keep pursuing the killer of his mother, Ariet.

Richard’s father, Magdi Girgis, was convicted of soliciting for his wife’s murder in 2004 and he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in June of last year.

“It was a senseless crime that tore our family apart,” Richard Girgis said.

He spoke of how he and his brother had to flee Southern California after the killing because they feared for their safety.

“We were living in a constant state of fear and hypervigilance,” he said.

Richard’s brother, Ryan Girgis, who was tied up and stuffed in a closet by his mother’s killers, but escaped, talked about how he ended up on a “downward spiral” of drugs, failing grades and fighting. He said his bigger brother, Richard, helped him overcome his demons.

One of the co-defendants in the murder of their mother, Anthony Edward Bridget, was due in court today on his motion to dismiss the charges, but the hearing was rescheduled for July 10.

Rosalia -- a 16-year-old victim of sexual assault -- spoke of how she summoned the courage to face her attacker -- 31-year-old Rene Centeno, who was eventually sentenced to 155 years to life in prison. She was one of four victims in the case.

“I didn’t like going to court and testifying, but I had to,” Rosalia said. “After testifying I thought I would feel better, but I didn’t.”

The wave of nausea that followed eased up when she saw her attacker get sent away to a prison for the rest of his life, she said.

Broadcom co-founder Henry T. Nicholas talked of Marsy’s Law, the legislation that gives victims more legal standing that was named after his sister, who was murdered. It was the first of the annual rallies that his mother, who passed away recently, couldn’t attend, he said.

Nicholas, who severely injured his knee in a skiing accident and fell this morning, hobbled into the gathering on crutches to tell the participants that Marsy’s Law has been approved by Illinois voters and by next year they hope to be asking voters in Hawaii, Nevada, Montana and North and South Dakota to approve versions of Marsy’s Law.

Rackauckas told the victims’ loved ones, “I’m sorry you all had to be here... but I sure do appreciate the bravery and patience you show.”

OTHER PATCH HEADLINES

• Man Gets 25 Years for Exposing Himself to San Clemente Colleague’s Child
• Laguna Alumnus Gets 16 Years for Stabbing Death of High School Pal
• Kendall Jenner Trashed Hollywood Hills Apartment with Wild Birthday Bash, Suit Alleges
• Driver Swims to Safety After Crashing into the San Gabriel River
• Ducks Tickets to go on Sale Saturday
• If You Use Starbucks, You Have A Problem
• 5 Injured, 3 Critically in Head-On Fountain Valley Crash
• Desperate Family Scrapes Together $5,000 Reward for Woman Who Disappeared After Clubbing in Newport

City News Service

Get Patched in! Sign up for free news alerts for your town.

ALISO VIEJO | FOUNTAIN VALLEY | LAGUNA BEACH | LAGUNA NIGUEL-DANA POINT |LAKE FOREST | LOS ALAMITOS-SEAL BEACH | MISSION VIEJO| NEWPORT BEACH-CORONA DEL MAR | RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA | SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO | SAN CLEMENTE