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Tenant protections passed Board of Supervisors acts to help residents facing eviction from CBC and the Sweeps in Isla Vista
Alleged gang associates appear in court over Stearns Wharf fatal shooting By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOS
Supporters for an ordinance protecting tenants facing mass evictions in Isla Vista attend a Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors special meeting in Santa Barbara. They held signs in their laps reading “Renovictions are rotten to the core” and “Housing is a human right.”
By KATHERINE ZEHNDER
The four alleged Santa Barbara gang associates charged in the Dec. 9 fatal shooting of an innocent bystander on Stearns Wharf appeared in court Thursday to set a date for their preliminary hearing. No date was set, however, and the case was continued to next month. “Today, all four defendants appeared in Dept. 6,” Senior Deputy District Attorney Tate McAllister told the News-Press. “All four set their matters to May 4 for a preliminary hearingsetting conference.” Prosecutors allege the defendants engaged in a firefight with two juveniles with alleged ties to Ventura County street gangs, and that the bystander, Robert Dion Gutierrez, 52, of Camarillo, and his wife were walking on the wharf when the shooting erupted. According to police, he “was struck and killed by one of the rounds fired” during the altercation. He was treated at the scene for his gunshot wound and taken to the hospital, where he died on Dec. 20. Of the four adult Santa Barbara defendants, only one of them — Jiram Jhunue TenorioRamon, 22 — faces a special allegation of personal use of a firearm causing death. Mr. Tenorio-Ramon is charged with murder with the special
circumstance of committing the murder to benefit a criminal street gang, and with conspiracy to commit murder and criminal street gang conspiracy. However, the District Attorney’s Office will not seek the death penalty. “He is the only defendant charged with a special circumstance making him death penalty-eligible, but our office has already decided not to seek the death penalty,” the prosecutor said. “Thus, he is now facing a maximum sentence of life without the possibility of parole if he is convicted of both firstdegree murder and the special circumstance that the murder was committed for the benefit of the Westside gang.” Two defendants — Ricardo Tomas Jauregui-Moreno Jr., 20, and Christopher Dave Miranda, 21 — are each charged with murder, with special allegations of committing the murder for the benefit of a criminal street gang and principal use of a handgun, conspiracy to commit murder and criminal street gang conspiracy. Mr. Jauregui-Moreno is also charged with having been previously convicted of a violent felony or “strike” offense. The fourth defendant, James Lee Rosborough, 21, is charged with conspiracy to commit murder, criminal street gang conspiracy and being an Please see COURT on A3
NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Thursday for additional protections for the up to 1,000 residents facing eviction from the CBC and Sweeps apartment complexes in Isla Vista. The board agreed to amend County Code Chapter 44 to add “Article IV: Just Cause for Residential Evictions.” The change goes into effect immediately, and the adopted amendments were provided by the Legal Aid Foundation. The vote was 4-0 in favor of the amendments. The fifth member, Supervisor Bob Nelson, was not available for the vote, although he was present for most of the discussion and public comments. Notices of evictions at the CBC and Sweeps complexes were issued by the Chicago developer Core Spaces, and emotions during the public comment segment of the meeting reached the point of tears. A staff presentation was made by Spencer Brand and Jordan Killebrew, the district representatives for Supervisor Das Williams and Supervisor Laura Capps respectively. Isla Vista is part of Supervisor Capps’ district, and Supervisor Williams chairs the Board of Supervisors. “Existing law requires that landlords pay three months of fair market rent or $7,000, whichever is greater, when there is a qualifying relocation event such as an eviction,” said Mr. Brand. According to state law, there must be just cause for eviction. One example of just cause is substantial remodeling of a unit. State law also allows for local
Attempted murder suspect to return to court By NEIL HARTSTEIN NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Tenants are facing mass eviction notices at CBC & The Sweeps apartments, represented by this front entrance on El Colegio Road in Isla Vista.
jurisdictions to pass their own just cause ordinances so long as they are more protective than what exists in state law, according to Mr. Brand. “Proposed ‘just cause’ requirements include: Landlords must demonstrate good faith, must provide early notice of plans to perform a substantial remodel, obtain all necessary permits prior to giving notice of termination of tenancy and provide tenants a copy of all permits of scope of Please see TENANTS on A3
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This is the vehicle entrance off Camino Del Sur in Isla Vista to The Sweeps apartments.
The man charged with attempted murder for allegedly stabbing a homeless man in the neck in downtown Santa Barbara in January will return to court later this month to set a date for his preliminary hearing, prosecutors said. The defendant, Mitchell Grant Grote, 27, appeared in court Tuesday to set his preliminary hearing date, but the matter was continued to April 25, Senior Deputy District Attorney Kevin Weichbrod told the News-Press. Mr. Grote pleaded not guilty at his Jan. 31 arraignment in connection with the stabbing two days before. He remains in custody on more than $1 million bail. Prosecutors charged him with two felony counts: attempted murder and assault with personal use of a deadly weapon. Mr. Grote “did unlawfully and with malice aforethought attempt to murder a human being,” prosecutors said. They identified the injured man as W. Vankoppen. They charged the defendant’s alleged offenses were serious and violent felonies, and that his actions were “willful, deliberate and premeditated.” The charges carry with them special allegations of use of a deadly weapon, a knife, and
causing great bodily injury. Prosecutors also listed aggravating factors, one of which says Mr. Grote’s alleged actions disclosed a “high degree of cruelty, viciousness or callousness.” Santa Barbara police arrested him Jan. 29 after responding earlier in the day to calls reporting an injured and bleeding man near Anacapa and De La Guerra streets. They located the victim, who they described as a middle-aged homeless man. He was suffering from a stab wound to the neck and was quickly transported to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital by medics. Patrol officers began their investigation, and detectives were called in to assist. Officers from the Community Action Team were able to assist and advance the investigation rapidly due to their relationships with people in the Santa Barbara community who are suffering from homelessness. With information provided by community members, C.A.T. Officers identified Mr. Grote as a suspect, and probable cause was developed to make an arrest, police said. He was found later on Milpas Street and arrested on suspicion of attempted homicide.
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