SATICOY : Murder Trial of Boy, 16, Goes to Jury

The trial of a 16-year-old youth charged with murder for a drive-by shooting in Saticoy that killed two and wounded two others last April went to the jury Monday.

Vincent Medrano of Ventura was tried as an adult for helping convicted triggerman Edward (Tony) Throop and two other teen-agers plan the April 7 shooting in Cabrillo Village.

A jury convicted Throop earlier this month of two counts each of murder and attempted murder and one count of conspiracy for firing the shots that killed Rolando Martinez, 20, and Javier Ramirez, 18, as they stood outside a friend’s baptism party.

In his closing argument, court-appointed defense attorney James M. Farley described Medrano as a respectful and quiet student who did not belong to a gang or intend to kill anyone.

Blaming Throop for orchestrating the shooting, Farley said Medrano had only talked of shooting to wound suspected members of a Saticoy gang who had previously roughed him up.

But Deputy Dist. Atty. Saundra T. Brewer said that Medrano was “the prime mover behind the crime” who supplied the weapon and ammunition used for the shooting.

Saying that Medrano had been “abused, hurt and ashamed” by members of a Saticoy gang, Brewer said the Ventura teen-ager acquired a gun to exact his revenge.