People v. Whitaker

Opinion

DUARTE, J.

This appeal arises after the two-jury trial of Gene Whitaker, Jr., his son, Gene Whitaker, III, and Dewayne Presley.1

Presley and Whitaker III beat and tried to shoot Melvin Weathers at the behest of Whitaker, in retaliation for a prior incident in which Weathers had broken Whitaker’s jaw. Presley and Whitaker III, and a broken rifle, were found near the scene. Whitaker’s sister, Beverly Robinson, reported that Whitaker had “hyped” up the other defendants into attacking Weathers. Each defendant was a member of the East Side Pirn gang. Each defendant was convicted of attempted…