17-Year-Old Faces Trial as an Adult in Officer’s Slaying
A Juvenile Court judge ruled Thursday that a youth who was 17 when he allegedly shot and killed a police officer last June will be tried as an adult.
Eastlake Juvenile Court Judge Kathryne Ann Stoltz ruled that Louis Belvin Jr., who turned 18 in July, met the criteria required for an adult trial primarily because of the gravity of the offense, his previous delinquent history and the sophistication with which the murder was carried out.
Belvin is accused of fatally shooting Los Angeles Police Officer James H. Pagliotti on June 22 during a shoot-out with two teen-agers who officers suspected conducted a drug transaction in the Sylmar Square area. Both Belvin and the other suspect in the case, Thomas Lee Mixon, 19, were wounded in the incident.
Belvin’s attorney, Wade Olson, said he does not believe his client, whose record included drug-selling convictions, should be considered an adult.
“I do not believe that he is some criminally sophisticated guy,” Olson said. “I don’t think most juveniles are criminally sophisticated.”
Belvin and Mixon will be charged with Pagliotti’s murder. In addition, felony charges of assault, conspiracy to sell drugs and selling cocaine will be filed, Deputy Dist. Atty. Mitchell J. Harris said.
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