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From: Biniam Tekle (biniamt@dehai.org)
Date: Sat Nov 20 2010 - 15:13:38 EST
"The Grossmont College student has no prior criminal record and strong
support from the Eritrean community in San Diego, 61 of whom signed a
letter to the judge vouching for his character, Warwick said"
http://www.10news.com/news/25857844/detail.html
2 Men Deny Charges In Store Holdups
Jahaziel Sanchez And Hagher Tesfai Allegedly Held Up 2 Convenience Stores
POSTED: 5:39 pm PST November 19, 2010
UPDATED: 5:57 pm PST November 19, 201
SAN DIEGO -- Two man accused in a pair of East San Diego convenience
store holdups pleaded not guilty on Friday to five counts of robbery
and other charges.
Jahaziel Sanchez and Hagher Tesfai held up a 7-Eleven at 6571 El Cajon
Blvd. just before midnight Tuesday and another 7-Eleven at 6991 El
Cajon Blvd. a few minutes later, Deputy District Attorney Meliana
Johnson alleged.
"Sanchez had a gun under a magazine and confronted the clerk, who took
too long, and both (defendants) demanded that he hurry up," Johnson
alleged. They then allegedly took a customer's wallet.
The second robbery was similar, but Tesfai also allegedly took food
from a cooler, according to Johnson.
The defendants ran out to the parking lot and Sanchez aimed the gun at
a woman talking on a cell phone, the prosecutor alleged.
"She pushes the gun away -- they pistol-whip her and she now has a
bruise on her face," Johnson said.
Police caught up with the pair and found an unloaded 9 mm handgun and
stolen property in their car, the prosecutor alleged.
Defense attorney Thomas Warwick said Tesfai had attended someone's
21st birthday party and was "extremely intoxicated" when the robberies
took place.
The Grossmont College student has no prior criminal record and strong
support from the Eritrean community in San Diego, 61 of whom signed a
letter to the judge vouching for his character, Warwick said.
About that number of people came to court to show support for him.
Eritrea is an East African nation that used to be part of Ethiopia.
San Diego is home to thousands of refugees from the area. Warwick said
his client is a U.S. citizen.
The defendants are charged with five counts of robbery and two counts
each of assault with a semi-automatic firearm and making criminal
threats.
Sanchez, alone, is faced with a charge of assault likely to cause
great bodily injury for allegedly pistol-whipping the woman.
Judge David Szumowski set bail at $300,000 for Sanchez and $200,000
for Tesfai, and scheduled a readiness conference for Dec. 2
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