California IN BRIEF : SONORA : Nessler, on Tape, Admits Having Gun

Ellie Nesler admitted bringing a gun to court in a rambling taped statement played for the jury at her trial on charges of murdering her son’s alleged molester in a courtroom shooting. In marked contrast with her lawyer’s opening remarks last week, Nesler told a state investigator four hours after the April 2 shooting that she brought the gun in case she got the opportunity to kill Daniel Mark Driver, 35. Nesler, 40, is charged with fatally shooting the shackled Driver during a hearing to determine whether he should stand trial for molesting four boys, including Nesler’s son. “I took it in case this man didn’t cop a plea. . . . I had the intention of taking him out,” Nesler said. “I said, ‘Ellie, you’ve got the guts to end the pain,’ ” she said. “So that’s what I did.” Her lawyer, Tony Serra, had said someone else brought the gun, and that Nesler picked it up after being told the young boys’ testimonies against Driver had been weak.