Politics & Government
Plea Deal Possible In Brutal Oakland Beating Death
A preliminary hearing was suspended to allow the prosecution and defense an opportunity to negotiate.
OAKLAND, CA — A judge said Monday that attorneys are trying to reach a plea agreement in the case of two young Oakland men who are charged with murder in the brutal beating death of a 55-year-old man in a West Oakland park almost a year ago.
A preliminary hearing began Monday for Jabari Jones, 20, and Breshawn Clark, 19, in connection with the Feb. 22, 2017, death of Phillip Fai Low, a homeless man who sold meat on the street.
A 15-year-old boy who is Jones' cousin testified about the beating death at the preliminary hearing, which is being held to determine if there's enough evidence to have Jones and Clark ordered to stand trial.
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After the 15-year-old finished testifying, Alameda County Superior Court Judge Morris Jacobson said that during a break in the case prosecutor Chris Cavagnaro and defense attorneys for Jones and Clark had discussions in his chambers about settling the case.
Jacobson continued the hearing until next Monday to see if a plea agreement is reached by that time. He said that if there's no agreement the hearing will resume and told Cavagnaro to have his next witness ready.
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Oakland police Officer Jose Barocio wrote in a probable cause statement that witnesses saw Jones punch Low with a closed fist and stomp on him multiple times at Lowell Park in the 1000 block of 12th Street early on
Feb. 22, 2017.
Jones and Clark left the area but returned and Jones stomped on Low some more while Clark stole $1.14 from him, Barocio said.Jones and Clark left again but returned for a third time while Low was still lying on the ground and not moving and Jones assaulted him once more, according to Barocio.
At one point Jones and Clark placed Low inside a shopping cart and threw him into water, Barocio said.
Eventually a 12-year-old child who was walking to school saw Low lying motionless in the park and called 911, according to Barocio.
Paramedics were summoned to the park but Low was pronounced dead at the scene, Barocio said.
The 15-year-old boy, who was with Jones and Clark during the beating, testified that Jones was angry at Low because he thought Low had been "snitching" on him.
The boy said Low didn't deserve to be killed because "that man didn't do nothing to anybody."
— Bay City News; Image via Shutterstock