A mistrial was declared Wednesday for a member of the violent Mexican drug gang “Los Palillos” when jurors deadlocked on four murder counts.
Edgar Frausto Lopez, 40, was convicted Tuesday of kidnapping and murdering a man in 2005.
Jurors told Judge David Rubin they were unable to reach a unanimous decision on the four other murder charges.
A status conference was set for Jan. 7, at which time prosecutors may announce whether they will retry the unresolved murder counts.
Frausto Lopez faces life in prison without parole on the kidnapping for ransom and murder charges, which included special circumstances of murder during a kidnapping, murder to benefit a gang and torture, said Deputy District Attorney Mark Amador.
Two leaders of “Los Palillos,” Jorge Rojas Lopez and Juan Estrada Gonzalez, were convicted in a separate trial and sentenced to multiple life terms without parole.
Prosecutors said the defendants were “evil men” who committed “evil deeds” out of revenge and greed, importing their brand of cartel violence and bringing it to the streets of San Diego.
— City News Service
