District Attorney John Sarsfield told a lawyer for one of two
men facing trial for allegedly killing Ralph Santos that he must
put a plea bargain offer in writing before prosecutors decide
whether to reduce the murder charge to manslaughter.
Hollister – District Attorney John Sarsfield told a lawyer for one of two men facing trial for allegedly killing Ralph Santos that he must put a plea bargain offer in writing before prosecutors decide whether to reduce the murder charge to manslaughter.
Meanwhile, Sarsfield and deputy prosecutor Stephen Wagner met with the Santos family this week – to get their feedback on the case and a plea bargain proposed by the attorney for Eliseo Rojas. He and Eusebio Ramos are accused of killing the 73-year-old in June 2003. Both men confessed to the crime.
Rojas’ attorney, Bud Landreth, feels confident the plea bargain will happen, he said. Landreth said he’ll follow Sarsfield’s request and put the offer in writing. He believes the effort to reduce Rojas’ charge is progressing.
“I think it’s moved forward,” Landreth said. “My gut feeling is the plea bargain has moved forward.”
He’s preparing the offer that would reduce the murder charge – and its possible lifetime prison sentence – to voluntary manslaughter, he said. The offer also would include the special allegation against the two men for a hate crime – they’re suspected motivation for the killing was Santos’ lifestyle that included soliciting sex from men.
Under the offer, the maximum sentence would be about 12 years, Landreth estimated.
Landreth has said the prosecution and defense were on the verge of completing the deal in mid-August, before the family knew anything about it.
But Sarsfield has indicated he would not have completed it without first informing the family. The family’s feedback, he said, will play a major role in his decision to accept or deny Landreth’s offer.
“Any offer that is made, we would consider,” Sarsfield said. “There’s been talk of one, but we haven’t received anything.”
Phillips Sweet, the attorney for the Santos family who has criticized prosecutors’ communication on the case, said this week’s meeting with Sarsfield went well. He has the impression the prosecution has “done a very thorough investigation to date.”
He also has the impression, though, that prosecutors would consider the plea bargain.
“It seemed pretty obvious if one came through it would be considered,” Sweet said.
Kollin Kosmicki covers politics for the Free Lance. Reach him at 637-5566, ext. 331, or [email protected].
