Court cases to be heard
John Servatius
Issue date: 12/14/09 Section: News
A number of criminal cases involving former or current Skyline, Canada and CSM students -- as defendants or victims - are in varying stages of the legal process in San Mateo County and San Francisco City and County Superior Courts. Here's a wrap up.
Skyline Shooting Incident
Eric Brewer, 20, a Skyline College student and San Francisco resident, was shot in the buttocks Sep. 2, the day of an apparent gang-related dispute on the Skyline campus. He was transferred to San Francisco General Hospital and released the same evening with minor injuries. Brewer was subsequently arrested on charges of possession of a firearm on a college campus, carrying a loaded firearm in a public place, carrying a concealed, loaded weapon, and being a gang member committing a felony.
Saying, "It's very difficult to reach a conclusion on this," Superior Court Judge Bernard Buchwald held Brewer to answer on the first three counts and dropped the last in a South San Francisco preliminary hearing Nov.17. An arraignment on Dec. 9 set a pre-trial conference for Dec. 29, and trial date of Feb.16, 2010. Brewer remains in custody at the Maguire Correctional Facility in Redwood City on $100,000 bond. He has pleaded not guilty and faces three years in prison if convicted.
Co-defendant Germaine Benjamin, 18, also of San Francisco, was arrested on the same charges as Brewer and was released on $50,000 bail. He was re-arrested Sept. 25 in San Francisco, accused of committing a threat crime with intent to terrorize, assault, and participation in a criminal street gang. He is in custody at the Hall of Justice on $200,000 bail. Benjamin pled nolo contendere - the same as a guilty plea - Nov. 25 and was sentenced to three years probation and 120 days on the San Francisco charges.
Benjamin will be transported to San Mateo County to face charges on the Skyline incident when "San Francisco is through with him," said Karen Guidotti, of the local district attorney's office. Superior Court Judge Lisa Novak cancelled Benjamin's bail and issued a bench warrant for his arrest because he did not appear for a scheduled preliminary hearing in South San Francisco. He has pleaded not guilty to the Skyline charges. Benjamin faces three years in prison if convicted.
Skyline Shooting Incident
Eric Brewer, 20, a Skyline College student and San Francisco resident, was shot in the buttocks Sep. 2, the day of an apparent gang-related dispute on the Skyline campus. He was transferred to San Francisco General Hospital and released the same evening with minor injuries. Brewer was subsequently arrested on charges of possession of a firearm on a college campus, carrying a loaded firearm in a public place, carrying a concealed, loaded weapon, and being a gang member committing a felony.
Saying, "It's very difficult to reach a conclusion on this," Superior Court Judge Bernard Buchwald held Brewer to answer on the first three counts and dropped the last in a South San Francisco preliminary hearing Nov.17. An arraignment on Dec. 9 set a pre-trial conference for Dec. 29, and trial date of Feb.16, 2010. Brewer remains in custody at the Maguire Correctional Facility in Redwood City on $100,000 bond. He has pleaded not guilty and faces three years in prison if convicted.
Co-defendant Germaine Benjamin, 18, also of San Francisco, was arrested on the same charges as Brewer and was released on $50,000 bail. He was re-arrested Sept. 25 in San Francisco, accused of committing a threat crime with intent to terrorize, assault, and participation in a criminal street gang. He is in custody at the Hall of Justice on $200,000 bail. Benjamin pled nolo contendere - the same as a guilty plea - Nov. 25 and was sentenced to three years probation and 120 days on the San Francisco charges.
Benjamin will be transported to San Mateo County to face charges on the Skyline incident when "San Francisco is through with him," said Karen Guidotti, of the local district attorney's office. Superior Court Judge Lisa Novak cancelled Benjamin's bail and issued a bench warrant for his arrest because he did not appear for a scheduled preliminary hearing in South San Francisco. He has pleaded not guilty to the Skyline charges. Benjamin faces three years in prison if convicted.
Be the first to comment on this story