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Man convicted in shooting over tattoos Second-degree murder verdict reached by jury By Karen Maeshiro Staff Writer Tuesday, December 21, 2004 - LANCASTER -- A Lake Los Angeles man was convicted Tuesday of second-degree murder for fatally shooting a man at a Lancaster mobile-home park over what prosecutors said was a remark about the defendant's gang tattoos. Ricky Hammontree, 26, faces 50 to 60 years to life in prison for the September 2003 slaying of 31-year-old Cody Francois, a neighbor of Hammontree's sister at the Chaparral Mobile Home Park. "It seems apparent to me that the jury worked very hard and understood the facts," Deputy District Attorney Michael Blake said. "It gives the family some relief for the holidays. They were relieved by the verdict." The Antelope Valley Superior Court jury also convicted Hammontree of possession of a firearm by a felon and found true allegations that he used and discharged a firearm. Homicide detectives said Hammontree killed Francois after Francois couldn't understand why a white man had Latino gang tattoos. "It was retaliation for the victim's disrespecting the defendant's many gang tattoos," Blake said after the verdict was read. Hammontree testified that the gun went off accidentally while he and Francois struggled over it inside a mobile home at the park in the 1500 block of East Avenue I, Deputy Public Defender Richard Guluzza said. Hammontree testified that he and Francois struggled over the gun after Francois put it in his mouth and said words to the effect, "It's over," Guluzza said. "Our position was it was an accidental shooting," Guluzza said. Guluzza said he was shocked at the verdict. "A lot of the evidence the prosecution had, I feel, was conjecture and guessing and didn't rise to proof beyond a reasonable doubt," Guluzza said. Blake said Hammontree's account was contradicted by other evidence, including a coroner official's testimony that the gun barrel was pressed into the victim's skin when the trigger was pulled, Blake said. The neck wound indicated an "execution-style killing with the victim either sitting or on his knees," Blake said. The Antelope Valley Superior Court jury found not true an allegation that Hammontree committed the slaying for the benefit of a criminal street gang, but found it true that he possessed the gun for the benefit of a gang. News Topics | Home | Research | History | Blood Gangs | Crip Gangs | People| Life in a Gang | Gallery | Iraqi Cards | Memorial | Migration | Graffiti | Resume| Injunctions Homicides | Maps | California Prisons | Contact

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