Troubled Life Led to Tragedy

Long before Joshua Vick was charged Wednesday with the capital murders of his parents and former girlfriend, his rages, threats and assaults on those closest to him had landed him in Los Angeles County Superior Court at least four times.

Vick, 23, was regularly ordered to stay away from his family, directed to perform community service and sent to anger management classes.

Twice, he served short terms in the Los Angeles County jail system. The most recent was three days on a 60-day sentence. A month after his release, he was arrested on suspicion of killing of his parents -- Gable and Mary Vick -- and his former girlfriend, Tesha Collins.

“There were plenty of warning signs this man had serious anger problems, and they were ignored,” said Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca, whose deputies released Vick a month before the killing spree because of a lack of resources to hold him longer.

“There was a breakdown somewhere in the system, with tragic results,” said Baca, whose office was criticized for releasing Vick after so little time in jail.

Baca, in an interview this week, insisted that his deputies never knew of the Los Angeles man’s violent past, which includes multiple arrests, misdemeanor convictions, summary probation and two uncompleted anger management courses.

Due to the nature of the charges against Vick, prosecutors could decide to seek the death penalty.

Records show that the one-time member of Harlem Godfather Crips, known as Baby Tutu, was arrested as a youth for vandalism and attempted murder and was sent to juvenile hall.

When he was arrested last year for smashing a wooden chair on his brother, his mother told police he had once stuck a fork in his brother’s head, LAPD Capt. Sergio Diaz said.

Court records show that, twice while on summary probation, Vick did not complete court-ordered anger management classes.

“We complain to the court whenever someone doesn’t attend,” said Sandra Cox, who records show supervised one of the courses Vick rarely attended.

Court records show that the first signs of violence toward his family as an adult came in 2001 when Vick fought with his brother, Charles, and threw him down a staircase. Charles then used a gun to force Vick out of the house.

Both were arrested; neither was charged.

In February 2002, the two would tangle again, with Charles being knocked down. Vick then brandished a handgun and threatened to “smoke” his brother, according to court records.

The result was a plea bargain in which Vick pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of making terrorist threats, and the Los Angeles city attorney’s office dropped charges of battery and brandishing a weapon.

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Joseph Biderman sentenced Vick to the 25 days he had served in jail awaiting trial, 36 months of summary probation, Caltrans community service, and anger management classes.

Last March 15, Vick came to his parents’ home and became enraged when Charles failed to open the door quickly enough. Vick hit him in the face with a chair, opening a 1-inch gash between his eyes, according to court records.

On March 16, his mother got Los Angeles County Superior Court Commissioner Randall Pacheco to order her son to stay away from her, her husband, Charles and another relative.

“He said he would knock me out,” she wrote in her application to the commissioner. “And he said that I would be dead if he hit me.”

The result of the arrest was another plea bargain. Vick pleaded guilty to assault, and Los Angeles County Superior Court Commissioner Jane Godfrey dismissed the other misdemeanor charges of battery, dissuading a witness and terrorist threats.

She sentenced him to three years’ summary probation, 45 days working on a Caltrans road crew and an anger management course. She also ordered that he stay 100 feet away from his brother and from his parents’ home.

Twice from March to September, Tesha Collins obtained temporary restraining orders forcing Vick to stay away from her, her children, her mother’s home and her workplace.

“He hit me on the back of the head several times and pushed me,” Collins wrote in May. “He was threatening me, saying he would kill me and beat me up in my home.”

The order issued by Los Angeles County Superior Court Commissioner Maren Nelson expired later when Collins failed to follow up. On Sept. 8 she asked for another order from Anthony Jones, a judge pro tem, writing “he hit me and choked me.... He has been harassing me and coming to my job ... he calls everyday.”

Law enforcement officials said they were unaware of the civil court orders involving Vick. The head of Los Angeles city attorney’s criminal division office, which prosecuted Vick, did not return calls seeking comment.

On Dec. 10, Vick was back in court for allegedly violating probation by failing to attend anger management classes, which he acknowledged. Godfrey sentenced him to 60 days in the county jail.

“Mr. Vick has never been brought before this court on a charge more serious than a misdemeanor,” said Allan Parachini, spokesman for the Los Angeles County Superior Court. “Commissioner Godfrey imposed an appropriate sentence, in our view.”

Three days after the sentencing, on Dec. 13, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department released Vick from jail as low-risk inmate. Then Friday morning, Vick allegedly shot to death his parents and then kidnapped Collins, a teacher’s aide, from her South Los Angeles school before killing her Saturday morning.

Time staff writer Erica Williams contributed to this report.