By Andy Furillo
afurillo@sacbee.com
A witness told a Sacramento jury today about the terrifying moments leading up to a teenager's shooting death five years ago during an attempted Land Park pot robbery.
Jeremy Humphries, 25, said two intruders first tried to rob him of money and marijuana in the early morning hours of Jan. 3, 2006, at his house on 18th Avenue. Humphries said that after one of them pistol whipped him and threatened to kill him if he didn't come up with more loot or dope, he led the two to his friend James Ramirez' house on Francis Court in Land Park.
At Ramirez' house, Humphries said the gunman held a pistol to his head on the drive to Francis Court. He testified the gunman forced him out of the car and up to Ramirez' window. The witness said Ramirez then went to open the front door.
"When the door opened, when we heard the door begin to unlock, (the gunman) came around me and just forced himself into the house," Humphries told the Superior Court jury.
Humphries said the gunman "basically engaged (Ramirez) while he was opening the door, and the gun went off. It was that quick."
Almost as soon as he saw the flash of the gunshot, Humphries said the gunman ran back to a waiting car. Humphries said he remained in the foyer of the house while Ramirez' brother came to the doorway.
Police and prosecutors have identified the gunman as Alex Brown, 33, and his partner in the robbery as Terry Alexander, 25. Humphries in his testimony today did not identify either of those two. Brown and Alexander are on trial along with a third defendant, David Carrera, 33, who authorities say helped plan the robbery that led to the shooting death of Ramirez.
Humphries is expected to continue testifying this afternoon in the trial now in its second week in front of Judge Michael A. Savage.
Call The Bee's Andy Furillo, (916) 321-1141.
Previous coverage:
Girlfriend of murder defendant describes night of teen's foyer shooting - March 22, 2011
About Comments
Reader comments on Sacbee.com are the opinions of the writer, not The Sacramento Bee. If you see an objectionable comment, click the "report abuse" button below it. We will delete comments containing inappropriate links, obscenities, hate speech, and personal attacks. Flagrant or repeat violators will be banned. See more about comments here.