Second man sentenced in fatal shootings

LONG BEACH - A Long Beach Superior Court judge last week sentenced a second man for the murders of two teens during a 2008 birthday celebration.Judge Mark Kim sentenced Jonzel Latrel Stringer, 22, to the maximum term of 198 years to life in state prison. Stringer was convicted on Sept. 21 of two counts of second-degree murder and 46 counts of attempted murder. Co-defendant Izac McCloud, 19, was convicted by a separate jury on Sept. 16. Jurors found him guilty of two counts of second-degree murder and 46 counts of assault with a firearm. He was sentenced Oct. 7 to the maximum term of 202 years to life in prison. On Jan. 19, 2008, more than 400 people showed up at the Lakewood Masonic Lodge for a birthday celebration for twin brothers after information about the party was posted on the Internet. The shooting occurred after Stringer got into a fight inside the lodge. Prosecutors said Stringer exited the lodge and fired 10 shots from a 9-mm semiautomatic handgun at partygoers inside. Breon Taylor, 15, and Dennis Moses, 17, were shot in the head and killed. One other teenager was shot in the leg but survived.

********** Published: December 30, 2010 - Volume 9 - Issue 37