San Jose Attorney Riccardo Ippolito of Valencia, Ippolito & Bowman Offers Insight on a Case that has Captured the Attention of the Entire Bay Area
San Jose, CA (PRWEB) September 24, 2013 -- If the media coverage is any indication, a recent shooting in the Los Gatos foothills has certainly captured the public's attention. On September 12, 2013, the San Jose Mercury News published "SJSU homicide: Los Gatos man charged with manslaughter after shooting fleeing car theft suspect, prosecutors say" by Robert Salonga and Mark Gomez. The San Francisco Chronicle, NBC News, the San Jose State University newspaper and many other media outlets have also been covering the story. Many of them include quotes from the defendant's lawyer, Riccardo Ippolito, of the San Jose Criminal Defense Law Firm Valencia, Ippolito & Bowman. According to court documents, Yuhara was originally arrested on suspicion of homicide, but Ippolito is pleased to announce that his charges have been reduced to involuntary manslaughter.
Craig Yuhara, 62, "wants to put this unfortunate event behind him." Ippolito says. "As the facts of this case continue to come to light, the public will see the truth and Mr. Yuhara will be able to get his life back to normal."
Mr. Yuhara's arraignment took place on September 12, 2013 at the Santa Clara County Hall of Justice in downtown San Jose (case number C1365289). According to court documents in the possession of Valencia, Ippolito & Bowman and multiple media reports including, "Charge in SJSU killing- involuntary manslaughter," written on September 12 by Henry K. Lee for the San Francisco Chronicle, many of the facts of the case have already been established.
According to court documents and the official San Jose State University Police report, on the night of Saturday September 7, 20130, two men allegedly parked and abandoned a moving truck across the road from the Yuhara home in an unincorporated and fairly rustic area of the Los Gatos foothills along Old Santa Cruz Highway. The Yuharas eventually called the police and, later that night, Santa Clara Sheriffs alleged that the truck was stolen. They contacted the vehicle's owner and, the next morning, it was still in front of the Yuhara home.
The details of what happened next are further described in the University police's official incident report (event number 1301075) that is also referenced on the University police's crime blotter for 09/08 - 09/14 and corroborated by "UPD solves case of found body, driver says there's another story" by Leeta-Rose Ballester. The Ballester article is from the September 18 edition of San Jose State's newspaper the Daily Spartan. Though details are still emerging, there is a wealth of information about the case because of its high-profile nature: Ippolito's comments, the official police report, court documents, and multiple media reports including this television broadcast about the incident that can be found on the NBC KNTV report "Los Gatos Man Charged with Manslaughter, Accused of Shooting Man Found Dead on SJSU Campus" by Damian Trujillo broadcast locally on September 12.
According to the court documents and police report, two men allegedly arrived on the morning of September 8 in a jeep and one exited that vehicle to put gas into the abandoned moving truck. As Yuhara approached the men, according to Yuhara's official statement to the police, the man pouring the gas got back into the jeep which then, allegedly, accelerated toward Yuhara. As the two men fled in the jeep, Mr. Yuhara fired at the jeep in what he claims was a warning shot. The warning shot, court documents indicate, allegedly struck the passenger in the jeep.
A short time later, a jeep that fit the description of the one that sped away from the Yuhara's home was allegedly found on the San Jose State University campus. Daniel Winslow, 47, was found, dead, in the passenger's seat according to court documents and the SJSU police report. The cause of death was, allegedly, a single gun shot wound.
"We are extremely pleased that his charges have been reduced and the threat of the most severe penalties have been removed from the case. It is a tragedy that someone died that night but Mr. Yuhara will have his day in court and we are confident that justice is on his side," Ippolito says.
Yuhara's next court appearance is scheduled for October 17 and he remains free after posting bail of $75, 000 ("Los Gatos Man Charged with Manslaughter, Accused of Shooting Man Found Dead on SJSU Campus"). Ippolito plans to update the public as the case proceeds. There is little doubt that local media will be doing the same.
Riccardo Ippolito, Valencia, Ippolito & Bowman, http://www.valenciaippolitobowman.com/, 408-920-9720, [email protected]
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