Pasadena Court Cases to Watch in January

Three high-profile Pasadena cases return to Pasadena courts this month, two involving murder and the other renewed calls for police oversight.

Rashad McCoy, Darrell Lee Williams and Brittany Washington are due back in court in Pasadena to face murder charges in separate cases. In another case, pretrial hearings in the Paris Holloway matter are set to begin.

McCoy is scheduled to stand trial on Wednesday for the September 26, 2012. murder of Joseph E. Jones. Jones and his brothers chased McCoy through a Northwest Pasadena neighborhood after McCoy tried to rob them near their home in the area.

After the robbery attempt failed, McCoy hid in a backyard and shot Jones in the upper torso one time as he approached his hiding place according to police. McCoy then fled the scene and was later apprehended by police.

Prosecutors have charged McCoy with one count each of murder and attempted, willful, deliberate and premeditated murder with special allegations of intentionally discharging a firearm and committing the offense in association with a criminal street gang.

McCoy is being held at the Pitchess Detention Center in Castaic on $3 million bail and could be sentenced to life in prison if he is convicted.

McCoy claims he was celebrating his birthday in Palmdale with his girlfriend on the night of the shooting. Jones brothers identified him as the shooter during a pretrial hearing.

Jones’ parents have filed a claim for damages against the city of Pasadena. The claim states that paramedics wasted time examining their son at the scene instead of rushing him to Huntington Hospital for emergency treatment. The city has rejected the claim.

On Jan. 13, Darrell Lee Williams and his girlfriend Brittany Washington will stand trial for the murders of Tracy Ong-Tan and Kendrick Ng. Ng and Ong-Tan died after an SUV driven by Williams collided with a van they were riding in on Jan. 25. 2012. Williams was fleeing from police at the time of the accident.

Washington was riding with him at the time of the incident. A loaded handgun was tossed from the SUV during the chase.
Two other occupants in the vehicle with Williams and Washington were also arrested, but no charges were filed against them. Bail was set at $3.1 million for Williams and $2.1 million for Washington. The pair is still in custody.

Ong-Tan and Ng were returning from a family outing when Williams allegedly ran a red light on Marengo Avenue and Maple Street and broadsided the minivan Ng and Ong-Tan were riding in.

The vehicle that Williams and Washington were riding in was similar to one reported earlier that day at the scene of a drive by shooting that led to the death local activist Victor McClinton. Police had set up a dragnet to find the shooters when they saw Williams driving erratically. He sped off when they attempted to pull him over.

Police later cleared Williams and Washington of any involvement in the shooting. The Christmas Day incident rocked the community and led to new calls for gang intervention and youth programs.

Williams was on parole and had a warrant for his arrest, and Washington was on probation both have gang affiliations according to the Pasadena police department.

Williams and Washington are charged with two counts of murder and three counts of assault with a deadly weapon.

The final case starts on Jan. 27, when pretrial hearings in the Paris Holloway case begin.

Holloway was shot by police on Oct. 11 after brandished a weapon following a short foot pursuit that ended in King’s Villages in Northwest Pasadena.

Holloway fled to King’s Villages after officers attempted to make contact with him on Sunset Avenue.

Officers shot Holloway, who is on parole for felony assault, one time after he drew his weapon. He was rushed to Huntington Hospital after suffering a collapsed lung.

The shooting renewed calls for civilian oversight of the Pasadena Police Department. The department later ruled that the shooting was within policy.

Holloway is charged with four felonies, including assault with a firearm upon a peace officer, possession of a stolen firearm, felon in possession of a firearm, possession of stolen property, and one misdemeanor charge of possession of drug paraphernalia.