Charges in Killings Reduced

Criminal charges were reduced last week against two Atwater brothers accused of killing two men in a Glendale tavern.

Rodolfo, 21, and Manuel Marquez, 25, had been charged with murder, attempted murder and conspiracy to attempt murder after a Nov. 24 shooting at the Rustic Inn on San Fernando Road. But in a pretrial hearing Friday, Pasadena Superior Court Terry Smerling dismissed the conspiracy charges after ruling that there was insufficient evidence to support them.

Also Friday, Constancio Villagrana, 25, of Bell, who pleaded guilty in March to being an accessory after the fact for his role in the shootings, was sentenced to 222 days in prison. He was given credit for time served and released on three years probation.

Prosecutors contend that the Marquezes left the Rustic Inn after being involved in a fistfight, then returned about 30 minutes later to retaliate. They allege that Rodolfo Marquez--armed with a gun his brother gave him and accompanied by Villagrana--entered the bar and began shooting, while Manuel Marquez waited in a truck outside.

Oscar Lemus, 34, of Los Angeles and Jose Davila, 33, of Glendale were killed, and Javier Maldonado, 48, of Los Angeles was wounded.

Another pretrial hearing is scheduled June 5.