Convict Says She Sought Informer

A 26-year-old woman convicted of conspiracy last year for trying to threaten a witness told a Ventura County jury on Friday that people who “rat” on suspects and cooperate with law enforcement deserve to be hurt.

Samantha Medina admitted that she tried to hunt down a female informant who told prosecutors that murder suspect Justin Merriman, 27, was responsible for the 1992 slaying of Katrina Montgomery.

Last year, Medina pleaded guilty to conspiring with Merriman to “take out” the informant.

On Friday, Medina testified at the trial of 52-year-old Beverlee Sue Merriman, Justin’s mother, who is also charged with conspiracy for allegedly trying to scare witnesses and induce false testimony.

Under questioning by prosecutor Ron Bamieh, Medina admitted going to the informant’s former place of work last spring after leaking the woman’s name to a member of Justin Merriman’s skinhead gang.

Medina testified that the informant put her own life in jeopardy when she agreed to work with investigators. She also testified that she didn’t intend to “beat” the woman that day because she had her children with her.

On cross-examination, Medina told jurors she has never met Beverlee Sue Merriman and never received information from her about witnesses in Justin Merriman’s case.

Defense attorneys contend that Beverlee Sue Merriman, a Ventura bookkeeper, has been wrongly accused by prosecutors out to get her son.

Testimony is scheduled to resume next week.