A state appeals court panel has ordered a new sentencing hearing for a young woman who was convicted in connection with the beating death of a USC graduate student from China during a robbery near the campus.
By City News Service
Mar 15, 2021
LOS ANGELES (CNS) - Saying he had no choice under a new narrower felony murder rule, a judge today redesignated the conviction against the getaway driver involved in the beating death of a USC graduate student to attempted robbery from second-degree murder and sentenced him to time served.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge George Lomeli made his ruling after Deputy District Attorney John McKinney said there was insufficient evidence to prove reckless indifference to human life on the part of defendant Jonathan Del Carmen, which would be required to let the conviction stand.
Del Carmen had originally pleaded to second-degree murder for his rolein the July 24, 2014, killing of Xinran Ji during the commission of an attempted robbery.