By Andy Furillo
afurillo@sacbee.com
A 26-year-old reputed street gang associate pleaded no contest today to the stray-bullet shooting death of Sacramento State student Kebret Tekle three years ago outside a popular Folsom Boulevard night club.
David Allen Falls sighed deeply and waited 15 seconds after Sacramento Superior Court Judge Greta Curtis Fall asked him how he would plead to the reduced charge of voluntary manslaughter. He had been charged with murder.
"No contest," Falls replied, putting his head in his hands and slumping forward onto the table.
Falls is facing a 21-year sentence when he returns to court July 2. Under the terms of his plea bargain, the judge told Falls he can expect to be sentenced to 11 years for his voluntary manslaughter plea and 10 more years on an accompanying gun allegation.
He faced the possibility of a life term in prison if he had been convicted of murder.
Outside court, his family insisted Falls was innocent.
"I think that they know he's innocent," said his sister, Quianna Ray. "The D.A. knows he's innocent."
Deputy District Attorney Jeff Ritschard declined to comment afterward.
Tekle's father, Tekle Sebhatu, said he would have rather seen the case go to trial and that he believes Falls would have been convicted. He said he thought Falls deserves more than 21 years in prison, but that he is confident Ritschard worked out the best possible deal in the case.
"What can you say," Sebhatu said. "There are certain things before the law out of my control, also. The district attorney had the power to look at everything...I trust he did the right thing."
Sebhatu's daughter, an accomplished student and sorority member, was dancing with friends at the old Library night club near the Sacramento State campus when a fight broke out on the dance floor.
Amid the melee, Tekle, 20, and her friends left the club. Outside, one of the combatants got in his car and attempted to run over Falls. Police and prosecutors said that Falls then retrieved a gun and fired in the direction of the car, but that a stray bullet from his gun instead struck Tekle in the head and killed her.
Call The Bee's Andy Furillo, (916) 321-1141.
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