| For Immediate Release Case # 03CF0441
May 7, 2008 |
Susan Kang Schroeder Public Affairs Counsel Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami |
WHITE SUPREMACIST GANG MEMBER FACES DEATH PENALTY PHASE FOR CONSPIRING AND EXECUTING FELLOW GANG MEMBER FOR APPEARING ON TV
SANTA ANA – Opening statements will begin tomorrow in a penalty phase trial against white supremacist gang member Michael Allen Lamb, 34, for murdering a fellow gang member by shooting him in an Anaheim alley in retaliation for the victim discussing gang secrets on television. Lamb and co-defendant Jacob Anthony Rump, 32, were convicted by a jury on July 10, 2007 of murder, conspiracy to commit a crime, committing murder for the benefit of a criminal street gang, two counts of possession of a firearm by a violent felon, two counts of possession of a firearm by a felon, carrying a firearm as an active gang member, two counts of street terrorism, and the attempted murder of a peace officer. The jury also found true the special circumstance of murder committed for the benefit of a criminal street gang and sentencing enhancements for criminal street gang activity, the personal discharge of a firearm causing death, and vicarious discharge of a firearm causing death as a gang member. Rump was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole on October 5, 2007. The District Attorney is seeking the death penalty against Lamb in a re-trial of the penalty phase beginning tomorrow, May 8, 2008 at 9:00 a.m. in Department C-40, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.
The District Attorney is also seeking the death penalty against a third co-defendant, Billy Jo Johnson, 44, who was charged with the murder on August 23, 2007 after the conviction of Lamb and Rump. Johnson is charged with special circumstances murder, felony conspiracy to commit a crime, and felony accessory after the fact, with sentencing enhancements for criminal street gang activity, being a gang member vicariously discharging a firearm causing death, murder by lying in wait, and murder committed for a criminal street gang purpose (Case # 07CF2849). Johnson also has three prior strike convictions for a 1983 residential burglary, a 1989 robbery, and for beating an inmate in prison in 1995. He is currently serving a sentence of 45 years to life in prison following a 2006 conviction for a 2004 gang related murder. Johnson is scheduled for a pre-trial on May 9, 2008 and jury trial on July 21, 2008 at 9:00 a.m. in Department C-35, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.
In February of 2001, Fox 11 News broadcast a piece about a violent white supremacist criminal street gang, particularly focusing on a pending case against known leaders of the gang who were on trial for conspiracy to commit murder. Scott Miller, a founding member of the gang, was featured in that piece, which offended fellow gang members because he was airing what they considered “dirty laundry.” While Miller’s voice and face were disguised, his tattoos were visible and made it possible for fellow gang members to identify him.
On March 8, 2002, Miller was at a party in Costa Mesa. Johnson is accused of luring Miller from the party under the guise of purchasing drugs in Anaheim with the understanding that they would return later. Miller was driven to an Anaheim apartment complex, where Lamb and Rump were waiting in an alley and executed him by shooting him in the back of the head at close range with a 9mm firearm.