Murder Charge Rejected Again

For the second time, a judge has ruled that a Reseda man accused of recruiting young boys into a burglary ring cannot be tried for murder in the accidental death of one of the youths during an alleged break-in.

Van Nuys Superior Court Judge Judith M. Ashmann on Tuesday rejected prosecution efforts to press charges of murder and involuntary manslaughter against Julio Grassano, 23.

But she ruled that Grassano can be tried for burglary and child endangerment.

Two months ago, Van Nuys Municipal Court Judge Robert Swasey reached the same conclusion, but Deputy Dist. Atty. David Campbell revived the charges when the case was moved to the higher court for trial.

Campbell said prosecutors will decide soon whether to appeal Ashmann’s ruling to the state Court of Appeal.

The murder and manslaughter charges stem from the death April 10 of 13-year-old Donald K. Saravia.

Police say the boy was fatally injured when glass from a window at a shop he had broken into fell on his neck and sliced open one of his carotid arteries.

Campbell contends that Grassano, who police say was directing the burglary from a car parked nearby, should be tried on the more serious charges because the boy’s death occurred while the defendant was engaged in felony child endangerment.