State v. Gomez

OPINION

SUTTELL, Justice.

“Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.” 1

This maxim of venerable wisdom is no less true today than it was during the Chou Dynasty of ancient China. It is a lesson that the defendant Marcelino Colla-zo Gomez (Gomez or defendant), a young gang member who lived by the code “a bullet for a bullet,” will have a lifetime to reflect upon at the Adult Correctional Institutions (ACI). Sadly, the first grave belongs to Jason Gonzalez (Gonzalez), a member of a rival gang.

On the evening of January 9, 1998, Gonzalez was gunned down as he attempted to run away…