4 Convicted in Officer’s 1988 Slaying

A jury convicted four gang members Wednesday in the 1988 murder of San Diego Police Officer Jerry Hartless, a crime that shocked city residents and brought warnings from officials of an increased tendency among gangs to use violence to protect drug turf.

A 1991 trial with only one defendant ended with jurors deadlocked 6 to 6. Rather than drop the case or offer the defendants a chance to plead guilty to a lesser crime, prosecutors indicted five additional members of the Syndo Mob gang for the retrial.

“What this conviction says is that when a police officer is killed, we will never give up until justice is done,” Dist. Atty. Edwin L. Miller said.

Stacy Butler, 30, the defendant in the deadlocked first trial, was convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder, along with Kevin Standard, 30, and Clifton Cunningham, 31. Edric Jordon, 29, was found innocent of the same counts.

Darryl Bradshaw, 31, was found guilty of conspiracy, but the jury deadlocked 11 to 1 in favor finding him guilty of murder. The jury also deadlocked 11 to 1 in favor of conviction on both charges against Kyle Winters, 30.

Those convicted of murder face possible life in prison without parole.