There are a lot of drive-by shootings in Los Angeles County, and most of them are prosecuted in the downtown Los Angeles courthouse at 210 West Temple. This court is called the Clara Shortridge Foltz Criminal Justice Center.
The defendant will typically start in Department 30, which is the court that handles initial hearings for serious crimes, and then from there, he will be sent to one of the courts that assess the evidence to see if the government has enough proof to show he was involved in the drive-by shooting.
Believe it or not, in these drive-by shooting cases in downtown Los Angeles, they don't just go after the shooter. A lot of times, they'll get a whole load of people and charge them all with a drive-by shooting.
When you or a loved one has been caught in the net of a drive-by shooting case, you will need somebody to defend it. The need for a strong defense is urgent and cannot be overstated.
Gang-Related Drive-By Shooting
The bottom line is they're usually doing it with gangs. So, when a group of gang members get together and decide to go out and do a shooting, either of an innocent person, a fellow gang rival — or whatever the case may be.
If they can prove that the group is part of a gang and they're out committing drive-by shootings, the driver, any shooter, the lookout, anybody else involved — they're going to try to capture them up in the net and try to convict them of a drive-by shooting. It's not just the drive-by shooting.
Gang affiliation, and all the things that go along with it, can cause 10, 20, or 30 years in prison. This is a heavy burden that underscores the seriousness of the charges.
The authorities — the judges, prosecutors, and legislature in LA, California, and throughout the United States — don't want people involved in shootings because that's how people are killed.
Not just the people being shot at, but the people who are innocent out on the streets, especially in a metropolis like Los Angeles, shootings can cause deaths.
So, the authorities, prosecutors, and judges are very harsh when it comes to drive-by shootings, and they tend to try to throw out a broad net to capture whatever they can, especially if it's a gang shooting. They're looking to take gang members out.
Penalties for Gang Related Related Crimes
As a criminal defense attorney for 26 years, I've worked for the DA's office and was a Superior Court judge in the 1990s. I've fought numerous cases and seen the legal system from various perspectives.
If you or a loved one has any affiliation with a gang and is being looked at for a crime, the authorities will likely increase the sentence because they consider gang members to be the most dangerous element in LA county. This is why it's crucial to have a strong defense, especially in cases involving drive-by shootings.
With these drive-by shootings, they charge gang allegations. They charge weapons allegations, so it's not just the drive-by shooting. They're going to charge attempted murder, which carries 15 to life.
They will charge a gang allegation, which carries an additional ten years. If somebody gets hit with a bullet, the shooter is going to be looking at a further 25 years for firing a weapon and hitting somebody.
The list goes on and on. They've got so many laws on the books now to protect against gang members shooting other people that they pretty much can have their way if they've got the evidence and, obviously if you don't have a reasonable defense attorney on your side.
So, if you or a loved one is charged with a drive-by shooting, gang-related or otherwise, pick up the phone. Ask to speak to Ron Hedding. I'll meet you if you're serious about hiring an attorney. I'll give you the ins and outs of how things work.
I'll review the facts of your case and discuss what I can do to defend it. We'll then develop a game plan and move forward positively.
