3 Sentenced for Killing Officer; Prosecution Blasted : Courts: Judge gives trio life in slaying of undercover officer De La Rosa but calls matter a ‘sophisticated lynching.’ Officials had sought removal of the jurist from case.

Three men were sentenced Wednesday to life in prison for murdering an undercover Fullerton police detective, but only after a judge blasted prosecutors’ handling of the case and agreed that the trial amounted to a “sophisticated lynching.”

Using unusually harsh and blunt language, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge J. Kimball Walker said police lied and prosecutors withheld evidence and used a paid informant in their “zeal” to land a conviction in the June, 1990, slaying of Detective Tommy De La Rosa. He was gunned down when a $4-million drug sting went awry.

Earlier, police and prosecutors had tried to remove Walker from hearing the case. On Tuesday, the judge took several opportunities during the four-hour hearing to lash back at his critics for their “intimidation tactics.”

“They were trying to intimidate me into ruling in favor of the prosecution,” he said. “It’s just shocking in the worst, worst way.”

The judge sentenced Raul Meza, 51, Jose Yuriar, 26, and Jesus Araclio, 31, all of Los Angeles County, to life in prison without the possibility of parole for murdering De La Rosa. Walker also fined the men $10,000 each.

Before the sentencing, defense attorneys argued for a new trial, claiming that Los Angeles Police Department narcotics Detective Larry K. Broadhurst and prosecutors withheld crucial evidence that linked the defendants to major drug traffickers.

Prosecutors argued that the men were planning to rob De La Rosa of $4 million worth of cocaine because they could not afford to buy the drugs.

Attorney Carole Telfer, who represented Meza, said evidence of a link to major drug traffickers was crucial because it would support defense assertions that they didn’t have the money to buy the drugs and therefore planned a robbery.

Judge Walker said in court that Broadhurst lied to him during a hearing by denying any possible link and termed it a “cover-up.” Prosecutor Daniel Lenhart called the defense argument a “smoke screen” and said that there was only a tenuous link at best and that there was no attempt to hide evidence.

De La Rosa was posing as a drug dealer when he was gunned down moments after arriving at a Downey house where the transaction was to occur.

Walker denied defense requests for a new trial.

“It gets close to a sham, and a sham ought to produce a new trial, but I don’t think it’s there,” he said. Walker said there was sufficient evidence for conviction in the case.

Walker used his discretion to reject a 15-year sentence in favor of a six-year prison term for a fourth defendant, Frederico Marriott, 41, also of Los Angeles County, convicted of drug charges in connection with the murder case.

Outside of court, police and prosecutors denied allegations made by the judge and said the tirade only proves their point.

“This just shows that he’s biased, he’s against the police,” said Fullerton Detective Dan Hughes, the slain officer’s partner, who was once threatened with contempt by Walker. “This shows we were right to want him off the case.”

The judge also accused the Fullerton Police Department of being more interested in seizing cash during a drug sting operation than officer safety. Under federal law, a large portion of drug proceeds can be used by the arresting agency.

“In their zeal to effect this sting and acquire for city coffers up to $4 million dollars, was it worth it?” the judge asked.

Defense attorney James E. Patterson, who defended Araclio, said the trial was tainted because the victim was an officer.

“You have a decorated and courageous officer that died in the line of duty. . . . Somebody was going to have to pick up the check for this,” Patterson said sarcastically, adding that the trial was a “sophisticated lynching.”

Walker later agreed with Patterson. “Oh, how well he described this trial,” the judge said.

The victim’s widow asked the judge to impose the maximum penalty.

“Each night my daughter says, ‘I miss my daddy, I wish he was here,’ ” Leslie De La Rosa said. “These defendants will get to see their family. (My daughter) is still waiting for him to come home today.”

Leslie De La Rosa has filed a $25-million civil suit accusing the Fullerton Police Department and five neighboring police departments involved in the undercover drug sting of negligence.

Judge Walker also criticized “the almost zealous protection of a convicted drug dealer,” who later turned confidential source and made several hundred thousands helping to set up drug busts, including the fatal one involving De La Rosa.

Walker said police and prosecutors helped the drug-dealer-turned-informant escape prosecution on several drunk driving cases. He said sarcastically that prosecutors used this “paragon of narcotics prosecution” to prosecute his clients.

Acting Fullerton Police Chief Lee. R. DeVore said the informant is no longer being used for narcotics work.

Walker also said police and city officials conspired to violate tax laws by not properly reporting the informant’s payments to the IRS.

Glenn Steinbrink, accounting manager for the city, said the police failed to complete proper IRS forms due to a “communication problem” that was not intentional.