Leroy N. Soetoro
2017-11-12 22:23:11 UTC
http://www.dailybreeze.com/2016/06/21/driver-in-christmas-crash-that-
killed-4-in-redondo-beach-gets-3-years-4-
months/amp/photos.dailynews.com/2016/06/photos-woman-who-killed-4-in-
redondo-beach-pleads-no-contest/
A 57-year-old woman was sentenced Tuesday to three years, four months in
state prison for running over and killing four people, including a 6-year-
old boy, in a Redondo Beach crosswalk a week before Christmas in 2014.
Margo Bronstein, who has been in jail since the Dec. 17, 2014, crash
outside St. James Church, will receive credit for the time she has served
plus good behavior, leaving her just a couple more months behind bars.
The sentence stunned some family members of the victims, who walked out of
a downtown Los Angeles courtroom questioning whether justice had been
served.
Its a travesty, said David Aguilar, whose 36-year-old sister and nephew
were killed. We all think she deserved much more.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Laura Priver sentenced Bronstein during
an emotional two-hour court hearing in which family members of the victims
pleaded with her to impose the maximum sentence of 10 years, and where
Bronsteins attorney provided the first public explanation for what
happened.
Bronstein, Deputy Public Defender Ken Erlich said, suffered an explosion
of pain in her spine as she drove, causing her to drive through the red
light.
It was blinding, excruciating pain, he said.
Bronstein, originally charged with driving under the influence of drugs
and alcohol, threw herself on the mercy of the court by pleading no
contest to four counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence.
During earlier proceedings, prosecutors dropped drunken driving and drug-
impairment charges because medical tests showed she was not under the
influence as first believed, Deputy District Attorney Bob Chen said.
The charges were reduced to manslaughter.
Facing trial and 10 years behind bars if convicted by a jury, Bronstein
chose to enter a no-contest plea and take whatever sentence the judge
decided.
Bronstein was driving north on Pacific Coast Highway when her vehicle
moved into southbound lanes and then plowed through the crowd in the
crosswalk at Vincent Street, prosecutors said. The pedestrians had just
left a Christmas musical pageant and were returning to their cars.
Bronstein, a disabled woman whose car was equipped with hand gears, was on
her way home from a McDonalds restaurant.
Killed were 6-year-old Samuel Gaza of Torrance and his 36-year-old mother,
Martha Gaza, as well as fellow Torrance residents 81-year-old Mary Ann
Wilson and Saeko Matsumura, 87. Several others including Gazas husband
and two daughters were injured.
After the crash, Bronstein told police officers she had taken two
painkillers. Police said she appeared sleepy and confused. She handed a
police officer 13 Soma pills, nine Norco tablets and five other unknown
pills when he approached her.
If she had been convicted of killing pedestrians while driving impaired,
Bronstein could have faced the rest of her life in prison. But prosecutors
later determined the medication in her blood was not enough to meet legal
minimums for intoxication, Chen said.
PHOTOS: Margo Bronstein in court
In court Tuesday, about 30 family members and friends of the victims, some
of whom also were in the crosswalk and nearly killed, filled the gallery
to watch the outcome of the case. Many spoke, asking Priver to impose 10
years.
I plead that your honor provide no mercy when sentencing the defendant
for her crimes, as even the maximum sentence will be an insufficient
substitute for the true justice that the victims and affected communities
deserve, said Martha Gazas brother, David Aguilar.
Mothers lost their children, and children lost their mother. My nieces
lost their youngest brother. Insofar as human affairs go, the damage
caused by the defendants actions have caused the deepest pains imaginable
and that that pain absolutely did not end that night.
John Wilson Jr., choking back tears as he spoke, said he was crossing the
street that night, his wife and children in front of him, his mother, Mary
Ann Wilson, behind him.
I turned around and she was gone, Wilson said. I was staring at empty
pavement. I found her about 15 or 20 feet away. She was unconscious.
He recalled stroking her forehead and feeling helpless.
Weve been waiting a long time for an answer, Wilson said, noting he was
hoping an explanation for Bronsteins actions would have come out at
trial.
Except for entering her plea and answering the judges questions about
whether she understood her rights, Bronstein chose not to speak during the
proceeding. She never looked over as 13 people addressed the judge,
describing the victims and the pain Bronstein caused their families.
I still grieve, Mary Ann Wilsons daughter, Donna Wilson, said. Half of
me died that day and I will never be whole again.
Erlich said Bronstein was unable to speak. He said she was profoundly
remorseful and apologetic.
There is nothing I can say to you that will ever lessen your suffering,
Erlich said, turning to the victims families in the audience.
Priver said she had to weigh Bronsteins explanation for what happened and
her lack of a criminal record in deciding the sentence. Chen, who asked
for eight years, said he was disappointed in the sentence.
Bronstein was given credit for 1,105 days served and good-behavior credit
as required by law.
I do recommend that you never drive again, Priver told Bronstein.
Outside the courtroom, family members gathered, seeking an explanation.
Im not sure how it boils down yet, said Brian Laine, who witnessed the
carnage. Three years, four months minus 1,100 days credit. Its about
nothing. Its close to nil.
Aguilar, Laine and Michael Brinda, Wilsons son-in-law, said Bronstein
provided an excuse and no chance for anyone to cross-examine it in a
trial.
When did we decide that was for real? Laine said. If they can really
prove that, they would have gone to trial. The judge just ate that right
up. If I am in excruciating pain, I can still stop the car. I dont go
driving like Mad Max down PCH.
Brinda said it was inexplicable that Bronsteins pain explanation was
accepted without putting the case before a jury.
I am bitterly disappointed, Brinda said. I think justice was not
served. This was a travesty. This was not right.
--
Donald J. Trump, 304 electoral votes to 227, defeated compulsive liar in
denial Hillary Rodham Clinton on December 19th, 2016. The clown car
parade of the democrat party has run out of gas.
Congratulations President Trump. Thank you for ending the disaster of the
Obama presidency.
Under Barack Obama's leadership, the United States of America became the
The World According To Garp.
ObamaCare is a total 100% failure and no lie that can be put forth by its
supporters can dispute that.
Obama jobs, the result of ObamaCare. 12-15 working hours a week at minimum
wage, no benefits and the primary revenue stream for ObamaCare. It can't
be funded with money people don't have, yet liberals lie about how great
it is.
Obama increased total debt from $10 trillion to $20 trillion in the eight
years he was in office, and sold out heterosexuals for Hollywood queer
liberal democrat donors.
killed-4-in-redondo-beach-gets-3-years-4-
months/amp/photos.dailynews.com/2016/06/photos-woman-who-killed-4-in-
redondo-beach-pleads-no-contest/
A 57-year-old woman was sentenced Tuesday to three years, four months in
state prison for running over and killing four people, including a 6-year-
old boy, in a Redondo Beach crosswalk a week before Christmas in 2014.
Margo Bronstein, who has been in jail since the Dec. 17, 2014, crash
outside St. James Church, will receive credit for the time she has served
plus good behavior, leaving her just a couple more months behind bars.
The sentence stunned some family members of the victims, who walked out of
a downtown Los Angeles courtroom questioning whether justice had been
served.
Its a travesty, said David Aguilar, whose 36-year-old sister and nephew
were killed. We all think she deserved much more.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Laura Priver sentenced Bronstein during
an emotional two-hour court hearing in which family members of the victims
pleaded with her to impose the maximum sentence of 10 years, and where
Bronsteins attorney provided the first public explanation for what
happened.
Bronstein, Deputy Public Defender Ken Erlich said, suffered an explosion
of pain in her spine as she drove, causing her to drive through the red
light.
It was blinding, excruciating pain, he said.
Bronstein, originally charged with driving under the influence of drugs
and alcohol, threw herself on the mercy of the court by pleading no
contest to four counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence.
During earlier proceedings, prosecutors dropped drunken driving and drug-
impairment charges because medical tests showed she was not under the
influence as first believed, Deputy District Attorney Bob Chen said.
The charges were reduced to manslaughter.
Facing trial and 10 years behind bars if convicted by a jury, Bronstein
chose to enter a no-contest plea and take whatever sentence the judge
decided.
Bronstein was driving north on Pacific Coast Highway when her vehicle
moved into southbound lanes and then plowed through the crowd in the
crosswalk at Vincent Street, prosecutors said. The pedestrians had just
left a Christmas musical pageant and were returning to their cars.
Bronstein, a disabled woman whose car was equipped with hand gears, was on
her way home from a McDonalds restaurant.
Killed were 6-year-old Samuel Gaza of Torrance and his 36-year-old mother,
Martha Gaza, as well as fellow Torrance residents 81-year-old Mary Ann
Wilson and Saeko Matsumura, 87. Several others including Gazas husband
and two daughters were injured.
After the crash, Bronstein told police officers she had taken two
painkillers. Police said she appeared sleepy and confused. She handed a
police officer 13 Soma pills, nine Norco tablets and five other unknown
pills when he approached her.
If she had been convicted of killing pedestrians while driving impaired,
Bronstein could have faced the rest of her life in prison. But prosecutors
later determined the medication in her blood was not enough to meet legal
minimums for intoxication, Chen said.
PHOTOS: Margo Bronstein in court
In court Tuesday, about 30 family members and friends of the victims, some
of whom also were in the crosswalk and nearly killed, filled the gallery
to watch the outcome of the case. Many spoke, asking Priver to impose 10
years.
I plead that your honor provide no mercy when sentencing the defendant
for her crimes, as even the maximum sentence will be an insufficient
substitute for the true justice that the victims and affected communities
deserve, said Martha Gazas brother, David Aguilar.
Mothers lost their children, and children lost their mother. My nieces
lost their youngest brother. Insofar as human affairs go, the damage
caused by the defendants actions have caused the deepest pains imaginable
and that that pain absolutely did not end that night.
John Wilson Jr., choking back tears as he spoke, said he was crossing the
street that night, his wife and children in front of him, his mother, Mary
Ann Wilson, behind him.
I turned around and she was gone, Wilson said. I was staring at empty
pavement. I found her about 15 or 20 feet away. She was unconscious.
He recalled stroking her forehead and feeling helpless.
Weve been waiting a long time for an answer, Wilson said, noting he was
hoping an explanation for Bronsteins actions would have come out at
trial.
Except for entering her plea and answering the judges questions about
whether she understood her rights, Bronstein chose not to speak during the
proceeding. She never looked over as 13 people addressed the judge,
describing the victims and the pain Bronstein caused their families.
I still grieve, Mary Ann Wilsons daughter, Donna Wilson, said. Half of
me died that day and I will never be whole again.
Erlich said Bronstein was unable to speak. He said she was profoundly
remorseful and apologetic.
There is nothing I can say to you that will ever lessen your suffering,
Erlich said, turning to the victims families in the audience.
Priver said she had to weigh Bronsteins explanation for what happened and
her lack of a criminal record in deciding the sentence. Chen, who asked
for eight years, said he was disappointed in the sentence.
Bronstein was given credit for 1,105 days served and good-behavior credit
as required by law.
I do recommend that you never drive again, Priver told Bronstein.
Outside the courtroom, family members gathered, seeking an explanation.
Im not sure how it boils down yet, said Brian Laine, who witnessed the
carnage. Three years, four months minus 1,100 days credit. Its about
nothing. Its close to nil.
Aguilar, Laine and Michael Brinda, Wilsons son-in-law, said Bronstein
provided an excuse and no chance for anyone to cross-examine it in a
trial.
When did we decide that was for real? Laine said. If they can really
prove that, they would have gone to trial. The judge just ate that right
up. If I am in excruciating pain, I can still stop the car. I dont go
driving like Mad Max down PCH.
Brinda said it was inexplicable that Bronsteins pain explanation was
accepted without putting the case before a jury.
I am bitterly disappointed, Brinda said. I think justice was not
served. This was a travesty. This was not right.
--
Donald J. Trump, 304 electoral votes to 227, defeated compulsive liar in
denial Hillary Rodham Clinton on December 19th, 2016. The clown car
parade of the democrat party has run out of gas.
Congratulations President Trump. Thank you for ending the disaster of the
Obama presidency.
Under Barack Obama's leadership, the United States of America became the
The World According To Garp.
ObamaCare is a total 100% failure and no lie that can be put forth by its
supporters can dispute that.
Obama jobs, the result of ObamaCare. 12-15 working hours a week at minimum
wage, no benefits and the primary revenue stream for ObamaCare. It can't
be funded with money people don't have, yet liberals lie about how great
it is.
Obama increased total debt from $10 trillion to $20 trillion in the eight
years he was in office, and sold out heterosexuals for Hollywood queer
liberal democrat donors.