TBS Today, Aug. 13

Today's feature is focused on 17-year-old Kenny Houff — a rising BUSD senior who was fatally shot in Oakland earlier this month.

His classmates will honor him this week as the fall semester begins. His family has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help with burial costs and other needs.

Freelancer Kate Rauch has the exclusive story for The Scanner.

Berkeley mourns Kenny Houff, 17, after fatal shooting

His classmates will honor him this week as school begins. The family has launched a GoFundMe to help with logistics after his death.

The Berkeley ScannerGuest contributor

Otherwise, today was a big day in court.

The Joseph Carroll trial, which we've been watching closely since late June, is now in the hands of the jury, which began deliberating at about 3 p.m.

We have a story in the works about closing arguments and other details of the case. But, in the meantime, catch up on our initial story.

Triple murder case begins for alleged Berkeley gang member

Authorities say Joe Carroll Jr. was a Waterfront gang member who killed three men and tried to kill three others between 2009 and 2011.

The Berkeley ScannerEmilie Raguso

This afternoon, we also dropped in on the resentencing hearing for Ernest Dykes, who was sentenced to death after murdering Lance Clark, 9, while robbing the boy's 70-year-old grandmother in Oakland in 1993.

The DA's office and defense recently agreed to the resentencing deal, which will see Dykes freed in May 2025, nine months from now.

We only caught the tail end of the hearing, in which the judge said Dykes would likely be placed on parole when he gets out. That may last for two years but details will be up to the parole board.

The resentencing agreement stemmed from allegations of prosecutorial misconduct related to juror selection — with dozens of other Alameda County death penalty cases still under review.

The background on the Dykes case is here (with a link to prior coverage on the death penalty review).

DA: Murderer to be freed as death penalty review expands

Update: The DA said three people on death row had already been resentenced. But it turns out the deals still need to go before a judge.

The Berkeley ScannerEmilie Raguso

Demarris Evans, senior assistant district attorney in the Alameda County District Attorney's Office, appeared on behalf of the prosecution along with a second attorney who declined to provide her name.

Brian Pomerantz and Ann-Kathryn Tria appeared for the defense. They declined to comment on the ruling but said the record stood for itself.

In other news

We've asked OPD and BPD about extensive police activity around Tunnel Road and Claremont Avenue on Monday but neither agency has been able to provide any details. (It was not a BPD case.)

In case you missed it

We've updated yesterday's carjacking pursuit story with the suspect's name and other details about his arrest.

Berkeley carjacking leads to police chase, 1 arrested

According to emergency traffic reviewed by The Scanner, the suspect reached speeds of at least 70 mph during the chase.

The Berkeley ScannerEmilie Raguso

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