The murder trial of 19-year-old Hollister resident Emilio Roman
is headed toward a
”
proposed resolution
”
Friday in San Benito County Superior Court.
The murder trial of 19-year-old Hollister resident Emilio Roman is headed toward a “proposed resolution” Friday in San Benito County Superior Court.
Roman appeared in court today for a pre-trial conference, where District Attorney Candice Hooper asked Superior Court Judge Alan Hedegard to postpone the day’s hearing until Friday when she said a resolution would be announced.
Roman has been accused of premeditated murder, torture and gang enhancements in the 2006 death of 18-year-old Daniel Gallegos.
According to police reports, Roman and 20-year-old Gonzalo Munguia were involved in a fist fight with two other teens in the 200 block of Hillcrest Road on July 10, 2006.
Munguia is suspected of climbing into a car during the fight and driving it over Gallegos, before putting the vehicle in reverse and backing over him again.
When police arrived at the scene, Gallegos had suffered extensive injuries to his legs, head and chest and was flown by CALSTAR helicopter to a Bay Area hospital, where he died of his injuries later that night.
Witnesses, including Gallegos’ brother Steven, have testified in previous hearings that Roman was not in the vehicle that killed Gallegos. Defense attorney Greg LaForge has argued Roman had nothing to do with the killing other than being involved in the fight.
Hooper has said Roman and Munguia “hunted down” Gallegos because of previous altercations and that Roman is equally responsible because he punched the victim to the ground before Munguia ran him over.
She has claimed both suspects are members of the Sureno street gang and that the victim was with the rival Norteno gang.
At the time of the suspected murder, Roman was age 17 and Munguia was 18. Because of the added gang enhancements, Roman is eligible to receive life in prison without the possibility of parole and Munguia is eligible for the death penalty – which Hooper has said she will seek.
Munguia is scheduled to begin trial for his involvement on Aug. 25.
