Judge Refuses Mistrial in Case After Prosecutor Is Assaulted
A Pomona Superior Court judge on Friday refused to declare a mistrial for Arturo Barela, 38, whose brother and friend were arrested last week for allegedly conspiring to kill the deputy district attorney who is prosecuting Barela on charges of kidnap and rape.
Superior Court Judge Glenn M. Pfau denied the motion from Barela’s attorney, who had requested the mistrial after the arrests of Richard Barela, 27, of La Puente, and Joaquin Serna-Vera, 24, of El Monte, for allegedly pointing a gun and threatening the prosecutor, Linda Bloxsom, 32, in front of her Diamond Bar home.
Bloxsom recognized the two men, described as members of the White Fence gang, because both regularly attended the current trial, authorities said. The elder Barela, who has not been charged in the assault on Bloxsom, is facing 23 criminal counts stemming from an alleged gang-related rape and kidnaping of a 16-year-old girl.
Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies searched spectators as they entered the courtroom Friday, but no incidents were reported. After hearing closing arguments, the jury began its deliberations in the afternoon.
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