A man accused of participating in one of the worst mass massacres in Long Beach’s history testified against his co-defendants from the witness stand.
In a Long Beach courtroom, Joshua Sam meticulously recounted his version of the events surrounding the shooting at a Halloween-themed party on October 29, 2019, in which three people were murdered and nine others were injured.
Sam, along with five co-defendants, is charged with nine counts of attempted murder and three counts of murder in connection with the deaths of Melvin Williams II, 35, Ricardo Torres, 28, and Maurice Poe Jr., 25.
As part of a plea agreement with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office that could reduce his charges, Sam provided one of the most detailed accounts yet of how a group of gunmen ambushed partygoers in the Rose Park backyard.
Sam testified that Jeremy Penh, a “shot caller” for the Tiny Raskals Gang, convened a meeting at an apartment in North Long Beach to plan the violence, which they mistakenly assumed would be directed at a rival gang.
This was their opportunity to “shut it down” and “drop them all,” Penh reportedly told Sam. In actuality, according to the authorities, the gunfire was directed at a birthday celebration attended primarily by coworkers who had no ties to a gang.
David Long, Kaylin Thik, and Ryan Sims were selected as the shooters because they were the newer members of the gang and this was their opportunity to “put in the work” and “earn their stripes.”
Sam testified that he and Grant Johnson would be the escape drivers, while Christopher Williams and Danny Sourn would serve as lookouts on the opposite side of the alley.
Penh, Long, Thik, and Sims got into a Toyota 4Runner, Sam and Johnson got into a PT Cruiser, and Williams and Sourn got into a Toyota RAV4 and drove down Orange Avenue before turning left onto Seventh Street.
Sam stated that Penh had dropped off Long, Thik, and Sims in the alley behind the residence, while he, Johnson, Williams, and Sourn waited nearby.
Sam reported hearing a series of gunfire followed by the faint sound of sirens shortly thereafter. He then drove them to Penh’s parents’ residence on the 1100 block of Raymond Avenue. Sam stated that there, at least one individual exited the vehicle and handed Penh the firearms.
Prosecutors claim that none of those injured in the shooting or attending the party were gang members and that Penh was responsible for the assault because he believed the host of the party disrespected his “hood” in a video that was posted online.
Amy Jacks, Penh’s attorney, has not denied that her client was a gang member during the trial, but she has told the jury that he is not guilty of the alleged offenses because he was not present at the time of the shooting.
Sam was cross-examined by defense attorneys who attempted to impeach his testimony and cast doubt on his credibility based on his admitted drug and alcohol use on the day of the incident.
In addition, they questioned his criminal history and his motivation to make a deal with the DA’s office years after the incident. They emphasized that without prosecutorial leniency, he faced life in prison without the possibility of parole if found guilty.
Sam, whose plea agreement called for him to serve a maximum of 17 years in prison for his role in the crime, acknowledged that not spending the rest of his life in prison was a motivating factor in his “willingness to tell the truth.”
Another factor, he stated, was that one of the victims, Poe Jr., is the son of a childhood acquaintance, and that he felt responsible for his death, despite the fact that he was merely the getaway driver that night.
URL: http://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=07JPqH_0pN0TX7400
Photograph of Maurice Poe Jr. courtesy of Maurice Poe Sr.
Sam stated that after the murder, he began to gradually separate himself from the gang. Though he occasionally visited one of the gang’s hangouts at the Brayton Avenue apartment complex, he was focused on his new position as a security guard.
Sam stated that he did not come forward about the crimes or make a statement to authorities following his arrest in connection with the mass shooting on the counsel of his attorney, who wanted to help him negotiate the best possible deal.
Sam stated that someone attempted to murder him after he accepted a proffer session with the DA’s office, so he was transferred to protective custody. He stated that he no longer considers himself a member of the Tiny Rascals Gang. According to prosecutors, if Sam violates any provision of his plea agreement, he will face the same charges as his co-defendants.
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