Man Who Murdered Nephew Sentenced
A man who fatally shot his nephew during a Christmas Eve family gathering was sentenced Friday to 29 years to life in prison.
Harvey N. Rosas, 35, of Orange stormed out of his bedroom Dec. 24, 1995, and opened fire on his nephew, Steve Anthony Garcia, as he wrapped presents. The shooting occurred in front of several family members.
Investigators and family witnesses said during the trial that Rosas was jealous of Garcia and became enraged when his mother paid attention to the 23-year-old nephew, prosecutor Lew Rosenblum said.
The defense had argued that Rosas was a troubled recluse who endured ridicule all his life, rendering him mentally unstable. But the Orange County Superior Court jury rejected that argument and convicted Rosas of murder.
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