Local News in Brief : Charge Against Teen in Slaying Dismissed

A Compton judge has dismissed murder charges against a 15-year-old girl in the gang-related shooting death of a police officer after prosecutors said new evidence incriminates other suspects.

The Juvenile Court judge dismissed the case against the teen-ager, whose name was withheld because of her age, but the girl remained in custody in connection with unrelated charges.

Last week, a Municipal Court judge dismissed murder charges in the officer’s death against reputed gang member Anthony D. Brown, 20, an associate of the 15-year-old.

Prosecutors said an ongoing investigation has exonerated Brown and the 15-year-old in the Sept. 3 death of Los Angeles Police Officer Daniel Pratt and has shown that another reputed gang member, Kirkton Moore, 27, is the actual killer.

Moore, who was formally charged with Pratt’s murder two weeks ago, remains a fugitive.

According to authorities, Pratt and his partner Veronica DeLao were chasing a car suspected of involvement in a drive-by shooting when the vehicle made a U-turn and bore down on the unmarked police car. Someone in the vehicle then opened fire with an automatic weapon and Pratt and DeLao returned the fire. Both officers were wearing protective vests, but Pratt was struck by a bullet in the face.