High Court: No to Long Beach Teen Revenge Case

The California Supreme Court refused Wednesday to hear the case of two young men convicted of the gang-related revenge slaying of a 16- year-old Long Beach boy.

The state's highest court denied defense petitions seeking review of the case against Jason Trejo and Eric Benites, who are serving 50-year-to-life prison sentences for first-degree murder in the Jan. 6, 2008, shooting death of Florentino Rivera.

In March, a three-justice panel from California's 2nd District Court of Appeal rejected claims that jurors should have heard statements made to the police by Trejo and Benites - who were 14 and 15, respectively, at the time of their arrests.

The appellate court panel also found in its March 14 ruling that Long Beach Superior Court Judge J.D. Lord had appropriately exercised his discretion in denying a defense request to order that Benites be housed at the California Youth Authority rather than state prison.

Authorities believe that Rivera was killed out of revenge for the June 25, 2007, stabbing death of Benites' 13-year-old brother, Jose Cano, in a Long Beach park, and that Benites went after local gang members for failing to retaliate for his brother's killing. Seven teenagers and an adult were charged in Cano's killing.

Eva Daley, who drove her teenage son and some of his friends to the park where Cano was killed, was convicted in 2008 along with co-defendant Heriberto Garcia of second-degree murder. Daley's conviction was overturned by a state appellate court panel and she is awaiting a retrial, while Garcia's appeal has been denied. Six other youths, including Daley's son, admitted a manslaughter charge in juvenile court and were sent to the California Youth Authority, where they can be held until the age of 25.

--City News Service