Brandon Price's mother spent Friday morning camped out in the clerk's office at the downtown San Diego County Courthouse. Peggy Thomas prayed the decision about to be handed down would free her son from prison.
She was wrong.
Judge Jeffrey Fraser denied her son, Brandon Price, in his Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus, which challenged the legality of his prosecution.
Price was convicted in the 2001 shooting death of Anthony Newsome. Newsome and Price were passengers in two cars loaded with young men when gunfire erupted. The jury did not believe Price pulled the trigger, but convicted him for playing a part in the crime. He was also convicted in a robbery and shooting at Mr. D's Liquor store.
Price and his defense team presented evidence they claimed showed prosecutorial misconduct, from the use of serial snitches, to coercing witnesses.
Judge Jeffrey Fraser wrote: "Petitioner has failed to substantiate any of the claims with facts, evidence, or reason."
“There was no misconduct," said San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis. "These attorneys that were involved in these cases have the utmost integrity, are wonderful trial lawyers and shouldn’t have to go through this kind of character assassination."
Dumanis called the case "frivolous."
Price's defense team was stunned by the decision. They are looking into whether they can appeal it.
