Agoura Hills : Youth Questioned in Murder Trial

In the murder trial of four Conejo Valley teenagers accused of killing 16-year-old Jimmy Farris of Agoura Hills, defense attorneys Thursday questioned a friend of the victim who was injured in the fight that ended with Farris’ death.

Mike McLoren, 17, of Agoura Hills testified that the defendants attacked him and Farris after McLoren refused to give them marijuana he stashed in a backyard shack.

On trial on murder charges are Jason Holland, 19, and his brother, Micah Holland, 16, both of Thousand Oaks; Brandon Hein, 19, of Oak Park and Tony Miliotti, 19, of Westlake Village.

Thursday, defense attorneys tore into McLoren’s credibility, describing him as a drug dealer who was an aggressor in the fight, lied to the police and once came to court to testify after smoking pot.

“This is a young man who was ready for a fight,” said defense attorney Curtis Leftwich, who represents Miliotti.

Although in initial interviews with police, McLoren denied he was a drug dealer, he admitted under oath Thursday that he has sold marijuana to as many as 30 teenagers. Asked by prosecutors to explain the conflicting testimony, McLoren said, “My lawyer told me I wasn’t going to be able to get these guys unless I told the whole truth.” He also admitted he had once smoked marijuana before going to the courtroom but said it did not impair his ability to testify.

The prosecution contends McLoren was often picked on and the defendants were bullies taking advantage of his weakness.

Jimmy’s father, LAPD Officer Jim Farris, was in the courtroom to support McLoren. “They are trying to destroy his credibility. The boy is sitting there telling the absolute truth, I know that,” he said.