An Eastlake man and his friend who were convicted of two gang related murders were sentenced Oct. 11 to two consecutive life sentences in prison without the possibility of parole.
Donte Jerome Haddock, 28, of Eastlake, and Anthony Constantin Frank, 28, of El Cajon, were both sentenced to two life terms by San Diego Superior Court Judge Louis Hanoian.
A jury on July 24 convicted them of killing Xusha Brown, Jr., 22, in 2013 and Darris Walker, 20, in 2011, both of whom were shot to death in La Mesa.
Hanoian acknowledged the “entire sentences are impossible to serve.” He then added 90 years to Frank and 82 years to Haddock’s sentences.
“I’m still innocent. I know I’ll be back here for a new trial,” said Haddock.
Frank said he was “willing to take a lie detector test” to prove he was not at the scene of the shootings. Frank added he was sorry for the losses for the families.
Deputy District Attorney Sophia Roach said both men called their girlfriends from their cell phones, leaving their locations at the crime scene areas at the time as evidence.
Haddock’s attorney, Jane Kinsey, said his “loving family” members were also in court. His mother did not speak, but she has long been a critic against her son’s prosecution.
Debra Flores, Brown’s mother, referred to her son’s nickname, “Little Shu,” and described him as “a little Indian boy” who was slain May 5, 2013 while as a passenger in a car on Interstate 8 in La Mesa.
The Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation, Brown’s family, and law enforcement put together a $100,000 reward for information about Brown’s murder that included billboard signs. Flores noted the reward money was never distributed as the slaying was solved by law enforcement in 2016.
“It’s just tragic. There’s no sentence I can impose that would bring back your son,” said Hanoian.
Deputy District Attorney Sophia Roach read a letter from the family of Walker, a Grossmont College student who was shot to death on April 30, 2011, inside a parked car outside the Marie Callender’s restaurant on Alvarado Road in La Mesa.
“He is forever missed. Out of nowhere, our world crumbled,” read Roach.
Neither victim was a member of a gang. There was heavy security with nine sheriff’s deputies inside and outside the packed courtroom.
Both men have served more than 1,000 days in jail since their arrests in July, 2016, but these credits are moot since they cannot be released.
The defense of both men blamed the shootings on a third man, Alaeante Eason, 29, of Chula Vista, who was arrested with the other two.
Eason pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaugher of Brown and some unrelated charges. Eason testified against both men and was sentenced Sept. 13 to four years and four months in prison.
Eason was released days later because he had served over 1,000 days in jail and was given credit for time served.
The defense had argued that Eason was the real killer and that he benefited from his plea agreement with the DA’s office.
The trial lasted eight weeks and Haddock and Frank did not testify. They were also found guilty of conspiracy and committing the crimes to benefit a criminal street gang. They were both fined $10,404.
