Teenager Sentenced in ’95 Stabbing Death

A Malibu judge Friday sentenced an Oak Park youth to a maximum term of 11 years in state prison for his role in the stabbing death of the teenage son of a Los Angeles Police Department officer.

Chris Velardo, 18, had pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter charges last fall, admitting that he drove four friends to the Agoura Hills residence where Jimmy Farris, 16, was killed May 22, 1995.

Velardo’s companions--a group of Conejo Valley youths ranging in age from 15 to 18 at the time--were convicted in May of Farris’ slaying. Because Farris was killed during the commission of an attempted robbery--the theft of marijuana from one of his friends--the four youths were convicted of murder with a special circumstance.

Three of the four youths were sentenced to life terms in August. The fourth, who was 15 at the time of the crime, received a sentence of 25 years to life.

Velardo was allowed to plead to lesser charges because he had remained in his pickup truck while his friends engaged Farris and his friend, Mike McLoren, in a fight. The fight began with fists and ended when one of the youths pulled out a pocketknife to stab both Farris and McLoren. Seconds later, the four youths fled in Velardo’s truck, with the Oak Park teen at the wheel.

Voluntary manslaughter carries a range in terms from three to 11 years, but Malibu Municipal Court Judge Lawrence J. Mira decided on the maximum sentence. Velardo was given credit for 780 days served.