WOODLAND, CA – In a preliminary hearing presided over by Judge Sonia Cortés, the judge reviewed a felony case involving a man accused of shooting his sister’s ex-boyfriend, who is also an alleged abuser. The accused is a former felon, last convicted in 2009.
Deputy Public Defender Peter Borruso argued that his client, currently held on a $400,000 bond, was not to blame. He claimed the alleged victim was the primary aggressor, noting the victim’s prior record and current probation status for domestic violence.
Deputy District Attorney Jesse Richardson, however, claimed the shooting was premeditated and alleged that the accused attempted to murder the victim.
Richardson called four witnesses to the stand to recount the circumstances of the arrest. One witness testified that on September 4, a call reported “a fight with weapons on the sidewalk.”
Witnesses and the accused described an argument erupting that day after the accused confronted the victim for allegedly abusing his sister earlier that morning. The accused allegedly suggested they “talk it out like men” at a nearby motel, but the victim reportedly shouted, “You better get the f*** out before I knock you out!”
Officers were dispatched to the scene, but the situation de-escalated. Both parties were seen walking in separate directions, and no arrests were made.
On September 5, officers responded to a call about an assault with a deadly weapon. They arrived to find the victim on the ground, bleeding.
One officer testified that the victim “had blood going from his waistline to his thigh.” When the officer cut open the victim’s pants, he discovered a gunshot wound near the pelvic area. At the scene, officers also found shell casings, one live round, and an abandoned bicycle.
The victim described the shooter as “dark skin and wearing a mask” but identified the accused as the shooter, stating he was targeted because of the altercation the day before.
DPD Borruso questioned a second officer who had also responded to the scene and taken the victim’s statement. Borruso asked why a photo lineup was not conducted, especially since the victim was seriously injured. The officer responded that “it wasn’t appropriate,” prompting Borruso to question whether taking a statement from a bleeding victim was appropriate at all.
The victim was transported to UC Davis Hospital. There, a detective asked him to recount the September 4 incident. The victim admitted to charging and swinging at his ex-girlfriend, causing her to fall, but denied punching or slapping her.
The detective conducted a photo lineup, and the victim again identified the accused as the shooter.
The accused, while in custody, was interviewed by another detective. He denied having prior contact with the victim and claimed not to know his sister, though he later denied making that claim.
Richardson argued there was intent to harm, noting the change in the accused’s clothing from light to dark, four recovered shell casings, and a reported threat by the accused—“I will kill you.” Richardson also pointed out that the accused’s body type and tattoos matched a person seen fleeing the scene on surveillance video.
In response, Borruso argued that the shooter was 10 feet away and that if the accused had intended to kill, he wouldn’t have aimed at the pelvic region. He maintained that no evidence indicated the accused was the aggressor or had any intent to harm.
Borruso emphasized the victim’s criminal history and probation status, arguing that the victim was the aggressor. He noted there was no DNA evidence, no video or audio from the scene linking the accused, and that poor lighting would have made it difficult for the victim to identify the shooter.
After hearing all the evidence, Judge Cortés found sufficient grounds to hold the accused on both counts. Citing his prior felony conviction and the strength of the evidence, she ordered him remanded with bail set at $400,000.
