By Kelsey Landon
The jury in the trial for Jason Michael Lopez and Stephon Jerome Ramirez came to a verdict Thursday afternoon.
After the jury entered the courtroom of Department 9, Judge Janene Beronio clarified with the jury that they came to a verdict on some charges, but not all.
When asked why the jury hung on several counts, the jury foreman replied that there was just not enough evidence for them to come to a conclusion on several counts.
Judge Beronio went on to read the verdicts for defendant Stephon Ramirez.
The jury found Ramirez guilty of count one, the attempted shooting at an occupied vehicle, and found the enhancement of criminal street gang activity to be true.
Ramirez was found guilty of count five, participation in criminal street gang activity, and the special enhancement of the personal use of a firearm to be true as well.
The jury found Ramirez to be guilty of count seven, the charge of a previously convicted felon holding a firearm, and found the special enhancement of criminal street gang activity to be true.
Finally, the jury found Ramirez guilty of count nine, resisting/obstructing a peace officer.
Deputy Public Defender Martha Sequeira asked for each jury person to be polled individually. Judge Beronio did so, and each confirmed that they found Ramirez guilty of these counts and 
enhancements.
Judge Beronio continued on to read Michael Lopez’s verdict.
Lopez was found guilty of count one, the attempted shooting of an occupied vehicle, with the special enhancement of criminal street gang activity to be true.
The jury found Lopez to be guilty of count five, criminal street gang activity, and hung on the special enhancement of personally using a firearm.
Lopez was found guilty of count seven, the possession of a firearm by a person previously convicted of a felony, and the special enhancement of criminal street gang activity to be true.
Each jury member was then polled individually.
The jury was then dismissed for a break, during which counsel discussed on how to proceed with the hung charges and enhancements.
After the jury returned, Lopez chose to waive his right to a jury trial on the several enhancements the jury hung on.
A bifurcated trial would be held on those case enhancements.
A deputy district attorney, standing in on behalf of deputy district attorney Kyle Hasapes, made opening statements as to why Lopez had been convicted of felony charges in the past.
She went on to say that Lopez has not been free of prison custody for over five years.
Defense attorney James Granucci, representing Lopez, stated that there was not proof beyond a reasonable doubt that proves Lopez was indeed the man in the charges the deputy DA presented to the judge.
Mr. Granucci went on to say that there is no way to know if Lopez personally shot a firearm, especially considering a jury of twelve could not find him guilty on that count.
He argued that the three strikes law could not apply to Lopez on this count.
Judge Beronio found that the documents presented by the DA’s office of past convictions of serious felonies to be Lopez’s convictions.
In doing so, Judge Beronio found the enhancements of all counts that Lopez was convicted of to be true.
Judge Beronio declared a mistrial for counts two, three, four, six, and eight as well as their enhancements. The People dismissed these charges.
Sentencing for Mr. Ramirez will be held on March 23, 2018, and a probation report will be held for Mr. Lopez on that date. Sentencing for Mr. Lopez will be later than that date.
