thedrifter
02-19-08, 06:22 AM
Former Marine pleads guilty to second-degree murder
Confessed gang member stabbed 15-year-old at Jacksonville Mall
BY LINDELL KAY
2008-02-18 14:40:00
DAILY NEWS STAFF
A strong security presence and a somber mood filled the Onslow County Superior Courthouse on Monday afternoon as bailiffs with metal detectors had each person entering the courtroom submit to a search.
“There will be no unnecessary movement in the courtroom given the nature of this case,” said Superior Court Judge Paul L. Jones. “I do not want anyone moving around until we are done.”
Larry West, 23, dressed in a dark three-piece suit, sat quietly with his attorney, Jacksonville lawyer Wally Paramore, as the judge gave security instructions to the audience.
Onslow County Chief Assistant District Attorney Ernie Lee stood and informed the court West had agreed to a plea bargain of second-degree murder, carrying a 12- to 15-year sentence.
As Lee spoke, the Cardenas family — parents, a sister and a brother — sat crying together on the first row behind Lee.
When Jones asked West questions as to his understanding of the plea deal, West’s mother, seated across the isle from the family of Christian Cardenas, began to cry.
Lee told the court West went on a Saturday night in March 2007 to the Jacksonville Mall, where a carnival was being held. West was with members of the street gang known as the Crips, Lee said.
Arriving at roughly the same time was Onslow County Learning Center student 15-year-old Christian Cardenas, Lee said, adding Cardenas was with members of a street gang known as the Bloods.
Words turned to shouting and then suddenly a brawl erupted between the two gangs. During the fight, West ran up behind Cardenas and stabbed him in the back two or three times, Lee said.
West and his friends ran off. Cardenas fell to the ground, bleeding to death.
An emergency crew rushed Cardenas to Onslow Memorial Hospital, where he died a short time later, Lee said.
Two days later, a Crime Stoppers tip led Sgt. Harry Evans and Detective Kelly Parrish of the Jacksonville Police Department to blood-stained clothes discovered in a trash bin at an apartment complex near the mall. Through a receipt in a pocket with West’s name and signature on it, police linked the clothes to West, then a Marine attached to Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment.
When West was arrested March 7, he was wearing the murder weapon — a small knife attached to a chain he had purchased at the Jacksonville Mall — around his neck, according to court records.
Paramore told the court that West had met Devin Wood — who is awaiting trial on charges that he helped West cover up the stabbing — in the Marines, and the two of them had formed a gang within the Corps called God’s Gift.
West pulled two tours in Iraq, where he acted as the point man going into hostile buildings, often using bladed weapons, Paramore said. When he returned from Iraq in October 2006, he was diagnosed by military doctors with post-traumatic stress disorder, according to court files.
Paramore said that when the fight broke out that night in the mall parking lot, members of the Bloods surrounded Wood, and West attacked Cardenas to protect his fellow Marine and fellow gang member.
Wood, 22, also attached to Lima Company, 3rd Battalion 8th Marines at the time, and Anthony Jones, 19, of Country Club Road, have been indicted on accessory after the fact charges. Jones is accused of trying to hide West’s bloody clothing, and Wood allegedly cleaned a cut on West’s finger, their indictments state.
West initially denied to investigators his involvement in Cardenas’ death, according to the court record, but eventually confessed to Evans and Parrish: “I guess I did stab him.”
On Monday, West stood and faced the Cardenas family with tears in his eyes and told them he was sorry for their pain. “I really didn’t mean for it to go down like that,” he said.
As his parents and sister wept, Robert Cardenas, the victim’s brother, stood and asked West why he killed his brother.
“You have caused us a tremendous amount of pain. We miss Christian; he was a good kid,” Cardenas said.
Jones said the circumstances that brought West and Cardenas together at the mall were extremely sad and unfortunate.
“I cannot bring Christian back,” Jones said, his voice ranging from soft, while speaking to the Cardenas family, to hard when looking at West. “My job is to provide justice.”
West stood, with Paramore at his side, and faced his judgment.
“Do you plead guilty to second-degree murder in the death of Christian Cardenas?” Jones asked him.
“Yes, sir,” West said.
“The court will accept your plea of guilty to second-degree murder and sentences you to 150 to 189 months in prison,” Jones said.
West was led away by bailiffs. Both his family and his victim’s family were left in the courtroom weeping.
Contact police reporter Lindell Kay at lkay@freedomenc.com or 910-554-8534.
Ellie
Confessed gang member stabbed 15-year-old at Jacksonville Mall
BY LINDELL KAY
2008-02-18 14:40:00
DAILY NEWS STAFF
A strong security presence and a somber mood filled the Onslow County Superior Courthouse on Monday afternoon as bailiffs with metal detectors had each person entering the courtroom submit to a search.
“There will be no unnecessary movement in the courtroom given the nature of this case,” said Superior Court Judge Paul L. Jones. “I do not want anyone moving around until we are done.”
Larry West, 23, dressed in a dark three-piece suit, sat quietly with his attorney, Jacksonville lawyer Wally Paramore, as the judge gave security instructions to the audience.
Onslow County Chief Assistant District Attorney Ernie Lee stood and informed the court West had agreed to a plea bargain of second-degree murder, carrying a 12- to 15-year sentence.
As Lee spoke, the Cardenas family — parents, a sister and a brother — sat crying together on the first row behind Lee.
When Jones asked West questions as to his understanding of the plea deal, West’s mother, seated across the isle from the family of Christian Cardenas, began to cry.
Lee told the court West went on a Saturday night in March 2007 to the Jacksonville Mall, where a carnival was being held. West was with members of the street gang known as the Crips, Lee said.
Arriving at roughly the same time was Onslow County Learning Center student 15-year-old Christian Cardenas, Lee said, adding Cardenas was with members of a street gang known as the Bloods.
Words turned to shouting and then suddenly a brawl erupted between the two gangs. During the fight, West ran up behind Cardenas and stabbed him in the back two or three times, Lee said.
West and his friends ran off. Cardenas fell to the ground, bleeding to death.
An emergency crew rushed Cardenas to Onslow Memorial Hospital, where he died a short time later, Lee said.
Two days later, a Crime Stoppers tip led Sgt. Harry Evans and Detective Kelly Parrish of the Jacksonville Police Department to blood-stained clothes discovered in a trash bin at an apartment complex near the mall. Through a receipt in a pocket with West’s name and signature on it, police linked the clothes to West, then a Marine attached to Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment.
When West was arrested March 7, he was wearing the murder weapon — a small knife attached to a chain he had purchased at the Jacksonville Mall — around his neck, according to court records.
Paramore told the court that West had met Devin Wood — who is awaiting trial on charges that he helped West cover up the stabbing — in the Marines, and the two of them had formed a gang within the Corps called God’s Gift.
West pulled two tours in Iraq, where he acted as the point man going into hostile buildings, often using bladed weapons, Paramore said. When he returned from Iraq in October 2006, he was diagnosed by military doctors with post-traumatic stress disorder, according to court files.
Paramore said that when the fight broke out that night in the mall parking lot, members of the Bloods surrounded Wood, and West attacked Cardenas to protect his fellow Marine and fellow gang member.
Wood, 22, also attached to Lima Company, 3rd Battalion 8th Marines at the time, and Anthony Jones, 19, of Country Club Road, have been indicted on accessory after the fact charges. Jones is accused of trying to hide West’s bloody clothing, and Wood allegedly cleaned a cut on West’s finger, their indictments state.
West initially denied to investigators his involvement in Cardenas’ death, according to the court record, but eventually confessed to Evans and Parrish: “I guess I did stab him.”
On Monday, West stood and faced the Cardenas family with tears in his eyes and told them he was sorry for their pain. “I really didn’t mean for it to go down like that,” he said.
As his parents and sister wept, Robert Cardenas, the victim’s brother, stood and asked West why he killed his brother.
“You have caused us a tremendous amount of pain. We miss Christian; he was a good kid,” Cardenas said.
Jones said the circumstances that brought West and Cardenas together at the mall were extremely sad and unfortunate.
“I cannot bring Christian back,” Jones said, his voice ranging from soft, while speaking to the Cardenas family, to hard when looking at West. “My job is to provide justice.”
West stood, with Paramore at his side, and faced his judgment.
“Do you plead guilty to second-degree murder in the death of Christian Cardenas?” Jones asked him.
“Yes, sir,” West said.
“The court will accept your plea of guilty to second-degree murder and sentences you to 150 to 189 months in prison,” Jones said.
West was led away by bailiffs. Both his family and his victim’s family were left in the courtroom weeping.
Contact police reporter Lindell Kay at lkay@freedomenc.com or 910-554-8534.
Ellie