Attorney Says Alvarez Is Remorseful About Slaying

There were no heated debates between lawyers. The volley of offers that can accompany plea negotiations didn’t happen. There was no sudden mea culpa by the killer.

The deal for David Alvarez, who admitted in court on Friday to killing 14-year-old Kali Manley of Oak View, was raised only recently and handled swiftly. Two weeks ago, Alvarez’s attorney asked prosecutors if they would accept a guilty plea to murder in exchange for dropping other charges.

The answer a couple of days later was “yes.”

And just a week ago, lawyer James M. Farley went to the jail cell where his 23-year-old client is being held and told him about the deal. The Ojai man’s answer was also “yes.”

“He was always willing to plead to the crimes he committed,” Farley said Saturday. “But this was not talked about in the beginning of the case. The last time I was in court, I asked the attorney general if he would accept a plea . . . and he went to the Manleys and his boss and they were agreeable.”

In fact, Alvarez told his lawyer a couple of weeks after his 1998 arrest that he was responsible for the killing but Farley said his client never asked if a deal could be cut.

By last Monday, a highly publicized case that started more than a year ago when Manley disappeared was suddenly nearly over. With such a quick ending and no trial, will the details of Manley’s death ever be revealed?

That part, said Farley, is now up to Alvarez. But the defense attorney believes his client is ready to talk about what happened in the early hours of Dec. 19, 1998, after Manley, a Nordhoff High School freshman, climbed into a truck with Alvarez and another man. It was the first time they had ever met.

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They bought wine coolers at a store and then returned to a trailer owned by Alvarez’s family. The other man said Alvarez and Manley drank together and then went to a bedroom. By the next morning, they were gone.

A week later, Alvarez led authorities to a drainage pipe 40 miles north of Ojai where Manley’s naked body was found.

He was charged with murder, attempted rape and an allegation of attempted rape--an enhancement to the murder charge. In addition he was charged with making terrorist threats against another person earlier that night. Everything but the murder charge, according to the deal, will be dismissed.

“My client has always been willing to plead to the charge of murder but the other charges he felt, rightfully so, that he was not the least bit guilty of,” Farley said.

Before his scheduled sentencing March 30 to a term of 25 years to life--a deal in which he will be eligible for parole by age 47--Alvarez will talk with a probation officer who will prepare a report for the court.

It is during this meeting that Alvarez could talk about himself and what happened that night, Farley said. The information won’t affect his sentence but will be reviewed by a judge.

Farley said Alvarez is considering discussing his problems with drugs and alcohol. Farley said Alvarez drank all day before meeting Manley and also used cocaine.

“In my opinion, that had a great bit to do with this whole crime and that’s very unfortunate,” Farley said.

The attorney also said Alvarez has expressed remorse.

“I think the feelings he’s going through are very sincere,” Farley said. “I don’t think this kid will ever again touch a substance that has anything to do with drugs or alcohol.”

Alvarez is also considering making a statement at his sentencing, Farley said. Manley’s parents are expected to attend and also to speak. They have declined to comment on the plea until then.

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“He’s not looking for absolution. That comes from himself and his God,” Farley said.

The attorney said it was in Alvarez’s best interest to plead guilty.

“You have to be concerned [about a trial]. You never can tell what a jury is going to do. A lot of things come into the mix,” Farley said.

“There was no sense for a prolonged trial and no reason to drag everybody through that. He wanted to own up.”