Gang Member Gets Two Life Sentences

An Inglewood street gang member was sentenced Friday to two life terms in prison without the possibility of parole in connection with the murders of a police officer and an 18-year-old passerby.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge William Pounders also ordered Jaime Mares Jr., 24, to serve the two life terms consecutively.

The second life sentence has little practical meaning. But it reflected Pounders’ complete rejection of contentions by Mares’ mother and lawyers that the deserved consideration because he did not fire the gun that killed either victim--Los Angeles Police Officer Brian Brown and Gerardo Cernas--in a Nov. 29, 1998, drive-by shooting and its aftermath.

Mares has contended that he was tricked into going on the drive-by by a fellow gang member.

The jury didn’t believe Mares’ story and convicted him in May.

Although Mares will spend the rest of life in prison, he had faced a possible death sentence. But the jurors who convicted him later voted to spare his life and recommended life in prison without parole.

On Friday, Pounders imposed additional prison terms on four counts of attempted murder, grand theft auto and fleeing to elude police. Technically, those convictions brought him two additional life terms plus more than 40 years.

Deputy Dist. Attys. Danette Myers and Keri Modder said Mares deserved no mercy because he made his choices, picking gangs over life with a loving, supportive family.

Mares’ lawyers, Marcia Morrissey and Victor Sherman, said he was making an effort to leave the gang life behind. They have filed an appeal.