A state appeals court panel today overturned a man's conviction for the March 2009 shooting deaths of a 17-year-old boy and a 19-year-old man, both from Baldwin Park, who were gunned down while in a van at a West Covina intersection.
The three-justice panel from California's 2nd District Court of Appeal cited an erroneous jury instruction in Gerardo Fonseca Jr.'s trial in reversing his February 2011 conviction in Pomona Superior Court on two counts of first-degree murder.
The charges stemmed from the March 31, 2009, shooting deaths of Isaac Parra, 17, and Jason C. Guijarro, 19, both of Baldwin Park.
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The panel, however, upheld Fonseca's conviction on a conspiracy charge.
In its 16-page ruling, the appellate court justices affirmed the conviction of Fonseca's co-defendant, Juan Anda, on murder and conspiracy charges.
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The justices found that the jury instruction did not affect Anda, the gunman.
A third person, Melissa Ann Goree, was acquitted of all charges.
Authorities said the shooting apparently stemmed from a dispute involving an ex-boyfriend and ex-girlfriend.
- City News Service
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