EL CAMINO COLLEGE
Football team falls to No. 1 ranked Saddleback College, pg. 8
SEPTEMBER 29, 2016
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Judge sentences Jordan Joseph on second-degree murder and use of a firearm for shooting former El Camino student Kody Ryan Cook Grant Hermanns
Arts Editor @ECCUnionGrant
Joseph’s grandfather, Julius Dorsey, was the first to take to the podium and called for the court to show mercy on his grandson. “I have prayed for the Cook family, because they have lost a loved one,” Dorsey said. “I am saying to this court they (the prosecution) have painted a false picture of my grandson. There were things said by the attorneys and jurors that were untrue.” While speaking Dorsey started
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40 years to life
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The killer of a former El Camino student was convicted of seconddegree murder and use of a firearm and was sentenced to 40 years to life in prison, by a Torrance judge Tuesday morning. 18-year-old Jordan Joseph shot and killed Kody Ryan Cook, 18, former El Camino student, in the early afternoon of June 26, 2015. At the start of Tuesday’s sentencing hearing, Joseph’s attorney requested that a new trial be called for his client saying a “substantial amount of evidence” was shown to the jury that Joseph acted in self-defense, but that no proper efforts were made to show the jury how accurate the selfdefense claim was. Judge Alan B. Honeycutt, denied his request for a new trial. “I’ve been in this chair for almost 10 years,” Honeycutt said. “I’ve seen cases similar to this many times (at the Torrance Courthouse). This case will stand out forever in the senseless loss of life. The loss of life in this case is not simply to Kody, but to his family. The loss of life in this case is also to you.” Joseph admitted in the last court hearing that he shot Cook, but said it was in self-defense because he “feared for his life.” Joseph approached Cook’s grey BMW at the Baskin Robbins on Crenshaw Boulevard down the street from campus. “What’s up,” Cook said, according to Joseph’s testimony. Cook tried tor each for gun, he said, when Joseph pulled out his own gun and shot at Cook six times as he said, “What’s up now?” Cook was hit four times in the head and neck area. Joseph’s punishment is the maximum allowed by law.
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Portion of Lot F will close on Monday Phil Sidavong
Editor-in-Chief @ECCUnionPhil
Construction for earthquake retrofitting will close 521 spaces in the Lot F parking lot beginning Monday, Oct. 3, according to an email from the Facilities Department. The upper level south of the ramp on the Redondo Beach Boulevard side of Lot F will be closed to allow for “deck coating to be installed,” according to the email from Senior Clerical Assistant of Facilities Debbie Turano. The lower level will lose 280 spaces, while the upper level will lose 241 spaces for parking. Lot F was originally closed on May 16 for earthquake retrofitting to be done over the summer, according to an email from Turano. With Lot C construction still ongoing, Lot F was temporarily opened for students to park at the beginning of the semester, but with students dropping classes or no longer attending school, the twostory structure will once again be closed according to the email. “I think (this isn’t) good because there is going to be no parking on campus and we will need to find parking out in the streets,” Peter Silva, 18, computer information major, said. “It will be difficult for us because then we will need to get parking in the other structures, (and) that’s never going to happen because it’s always full.” Turano said that there should be enough spots in lots K and L to supplement the spots being closed in Lot F. She added that ride sharing, biking, public transportation and walking are alternatives to driving to school. Other parking updates:
to turn and directly address the audience behind him, some of whom were Cook’s family members. As he got more worked up speaking, Honeycutt asked Dorsey to calm down and turn around to face him. Following Dorsey’s comments, Cook’s family and friends came up to the podium and addressed the court about their loss. “I still have no idea why your (Joseph’s) heart was filled (with) so much hate and anger towards Kody,” Billie Strong, neighbor and close friend of Cook, said. “I lost my brother, even though we weren’t the same blood, he was family.” Cook’s family members visibly fought through tears; as they also shared fond memories of the 18-year-old aspiring rapper. “The time Kody took a young lady to the prom he hadn’t met and had no romantic interest in, because she had no prom date and he was the only one her mom trusted to take her,” Diedre Cook,
Illustration by Phil Sidavong
Kody’s mother, said. “His high for the day was coming home to his family.” Every person on Cook’s side requested the same thing: justice. “The sentence you receive here today is a token payment for the debt you owe Kody’s family,” Diedre Cook said..
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Lot C will add in excess of 1,400 spaces and is expected to be finished by the end of the year. Lots J and K are no longer free after 6 p.m. Instead the new time is 6:30 p.m.
Director of Facilities Tom Brown did not comment by deadline. Selvin Rodas contributed to this story.
Sentencing: Honeycutt reviewed the charges for which the jury found Joseph guilty: 15 years-to-life for seconddegree murder, and 25 years-to-life for use of a firearm, totaling 40 years-to-life with an opportunity for parole after 40 years. The judge reminded Joseph of his right to a written appeal to the sentence that must be submitted within 60 days, his attorney responded they would be submitting and he would work on drafting it right after the hearing. Joseph was then returned to police custody.
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For more stories on sports, news, arts and more, check out eccunion.com. Do you have a story idea for The Union? Photo taken from Kody Ryan Cook’s Twitter account. Cook was shot at six times, was hit four times in the head and neck area and was pronounced dead on arrival by responders.
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