Cancer Silences Robbery Victim on Hearing’s Eve

Los Angeles Police Detective Robert Salcido stood Friday with tears welling up in his eyes and explained that, for the first time in his 20-year police career, something had really gotten to him.

“You see all kinds of things in this business,” Salcido said. “I’ve dealt with murders before and it doesn’t upset me. You get used to it. But this. . . .”

Salcido was describing the death from cancer Thursday night of a robbery victim who was scheduled to testify from her bedside Friday at the preliminary hearing of her accused assailant.

In a highly unusual action, the prosecutor, judge, defense attorney, court reporter and suspect were to travel to the Simi Valley home of the victim, Beverly Riley, 59, because she was too ill to go to court.

When court officials learned Friday morning that she had died, they postponed action in the case until next week.

Not Enough Evidence

Without her testimony, prosecutors said, they have insufficient evidence to proceed with two robbery counts against the suspect, Mark Daniel Klein, 20, of Westlake Village, and are expected to seek dismissal of the charges Wednesday in Van Nuys Municipal Court.

Salcido said it wasn’t the impending dismissal of charges that bothered him as much as the victim’s determination during her dying days.

“We have so much trouble getting victims to testify,” Salcido said. “Here was a lady on her death bed who was going to testify. She was very, very strong-willed.

Klein and another man were arrested Jan. 8 on suspicion of having committed 11 purse-snatching robberies of elderly women in the West San Fernando Valley in January.

Riley was the only victim who identified Klein as her assailant in mug shots and a videotaped police lineup, which was played in her home because of her illness, Salcido said.

None of the victims identified the other man, who is suspected of having driven the getaway car, Salcido said. The other man was subsequently released.

Klein was charged in the Riley incident and a purse snatching that occurred in the same area within 1 1/2 hours of the Riley robbery.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Stephen A. Baron said the second victim was able to provide a general description of her assailant and the car, and prosecutors were hoping that, with Riley’s testimony, that case would stand up.

Expected Acquittal

However, Klein’s defense attorney, Frank M. Harford, said he believed that the case against his client was weak even with Riley’s testimony, and he had expected to win an acquittal.

When arrested, Klein, who was on probation for a narcotics conviction, had a gun, in violation of the law. Baron said he will proceed with that charge. If convicted on the weapons charge, Klein could be sentenced to three years in prison, Baron said.

Riley’s son, Edward Swainson, 26, said his mother felt “very violated” when her purse, containing $200 in cash, was stolen Jan. 4 as she stood outside a department store at Promenade Mall in Woodland Hills.

Swainson said his mother, a clerk for the Simi Valley Unified School District, was diagnosed as having lung cancer two years ago but was able to continue working until earlier this month.