JURY CONVICTS ARLETA MAN IN NEIGHBOR’S SLAYING

- MSNBC.com, February 4, 2008

An Arleta man was convicted today of first-degree murder for fatally shooting a neighbor in 2006, but the jury acquitted the defendant’s 18-year-old son — who was accused of providing the gun — of the same charge.

The San Fernando Superior Court jury deliberated just under three days before returning its verdicts in the case of Alvaro Williamson, 42, and his son, Jacques.

The two were charged in the June 25, 2006, shooting death of Filimon Ramos, 39.

Along with the murder charge, jurors found true an allegation that the elder Williamson had personally used a handgun.

The father and son were each acquitted of an attempted murder charge involving the neighbor’s son, Filiberto Ramos, who was wounded, but both were convicted of an assault charge involving the then-19-year-old son.

The San Fernando Superior Court jury deliberated just under three days before returning its verdicts in the case of the two, who are due back in court March 7 for sentencing.

The verdicts were reached Friday afternoon, but sealed until Monday so the attorneys could be in court.

The shooting occurred in the driveway of the Ramos’ home in the 10100 block of Woodale Avenue after the two fathers got into a heated argument, according to police.

Authorities alleged that Williamson directed his son — who was 17 at the time but tried as an adult — to bring him his gun, and that the teen supplied a loaded weapon that his father used to shoot Ramos and his son. The Williamsons later turned themselves into police.
As he arrived at the police department in June 2006 to surrender, Williamson approached KNBC’s Robert Kovacik during a live report.

“Could you just tell me what happened?” Kovacik asked.

“It’s been an ongoing dispute,” Williamson said. “They continued to harass me. They’ve been bothering me for eight to 10 years, okay? And it’s over with. I am turning myself in right now.”

During the trial, the elder Williamson contended the shooting was in self-defense, saying he thought he heard a shot and believed the younger Ramos had a revolver.

The elder Williamson’s attorney, Milton Grimes, said he was “a little perplexed” by the jury’s decision to convict his client — a former Marine — of murder, but acquit him of attempted murder given the defense’s argument that both .

Grimes said he plans to file a motion for a new trial because of the “appearance of inconsistency in the jury’s verdict.”

As for his client, Grimes said the elder Williamson is “concerned about his son and what will happen with his son.”

Jacques Williamson’s attorney, Mark S. Shapiro, said he was pleased with his client’s acquittal on the most serious charges of murder and attempted murder, but said he believed even the assault charge “was a little bit much.”

“It’s a sad case. It’s a tragic case,” Shapiro said after the verdict.

But Deputy District Attorney Paula Gonzales disputed the elder Williamson’s contention that he had an ongoing dispute with his neighbor.

She also said there was “really no evidence of a feud,” and said it seemed to be “rather one-sided” on the elder Williamson’s part.