Arraignments Postponed For Pier Gunman and Associate

By Teresa Rochester

Shackled and surrounded by Sheriffs, alleged gunman Oswaldo Amezcua and fellow gang member Joseph Conrad Flores sat nonchalantly Thursday as a Santa Monica Court Judge agreed to push back the pair's arraignment one week.

Attorneys for the two defendants requested the delay, saying that the extra time was needed to continue the investigation into the shootout and hostage takeover which unfolded on the Santa Monica Pier and on television screens across the nation on the Fourth of July. Deputy District Attorney Lawrence C. Morrison agreed to the delay.

Amezcua, 25, who is being held on $8.475 million bail, is charged with shooting six people - including three Santa Monica Police officers -- and taking 15 others hostage inside the Playland Arcade on the pier. Flores, 30, is charged with one count of possession of a gun and is being held on $1 million bail. Police arrested Flores shortly before the early morning shootings.

Amezcua smiled at Flores as they were seated in the courtroom. The two defendants - known by police as members of a Baldwin Park gang -- then looked out at the audience as their public defenders requested the one-week extension.

While the attorneys conferred with the judge, Amezcua looked out at his sisters sitting in the last row of the courtroom. Smiling, he blew a kiss to his girlfriend before the judge called his attention back to the bench.

"You do have a right to an arraignment today," said Judge John Reid. "Do you understand that?"

"Who are you talking to?" asked Amezcua, who has been charged with attempted murder, kidnapping and being an ex-felon in possession of a concealed weapon.

"You," answered the judge.

Amezcua, a large, heavily tattooed man, said he understood. Flores, who was wearing a shell pink button down shirt supplied by his attorney and a black left eye, said he also understood. Both men were then led out of the courtroom.

In the courthouse hallway, Richard Hertzog, who represented Flores, said the case against his client likely will be amended and that Flores is currently involved in an ongoing case.

Flores, who was arrested on the pier following a tip from the San Bernadino Sheriffs Department, is facing a third strike on his record. His arrest on the pier Tuesday ended a month-long crime spree that included his alleged involvement in three homicides.

Flores and Amezcua have been implicated in the June 7 homicide of a reputed Victorville drug dealer, the June 19 slaying of a Baldwin Park man and the killing of another Baldwin Park man on June 20. The two also have been named suspects in the June 24 attempted killing of a San Bernadino County Sheriff in Fontana.

Both men have a history of criminal involvement.

Amezcua, who ended the 4 ½ hour standoff on the pier by crawling out one of the arcade's window, was convicted of felony evading police/disregard for public safety and sent to state prison on July 7, 1993, according to records. He served one year and was paroled on July 4, 1994 - five years before Tuesday's gun fight and hostage situation.

A parole violation sent Amezcua back to prison on Sept. 27, 1994. He was paroled again on June 17, 1995 but returned to prison again on Jan. 21, 1997 only to be released again on parole on Oct. 2, 1997. His parole was discharged on April 13, 1999, his 24th birthday.

Amezcua's fellow gang member, Flores was convicted of second-degree burglary and sent to state prison on Aug. 15, 1995 to serve a five-year prison term. He was paroled on April 3, 2000.

Flores and Amezcua will be arraigned at the Santa Monica Courthouse on Thursday, July 13.

Anne La Jeunesse contributed to this report.