A felon who opened fire on a car, hitting and paralyzing a passenger, will stay in jail after an audacious attempt to secure bail was rejected by a superior court judge today.
Jose Berrios Lopez, 28, faces six charges, including attempted murder, aggravated mayhem and various firearms offenses stemming from the March 30 2023 incident in San Francisco.
“This is a serious felony that resulted in serious bodily injury to the victim,” said assistant district attorney Robert Perkins. “[It] involves a drug deal that resulted in the defendant firing in to a car, hitting the victim and paralyzing him, over a $10 drug transaction.”
The court was told that Berrios-Lopez had been involved in a drug sale and had been paid in counterfeit currency. The defendant admitted to police that he fired the shots and also claimed that the victim had previously assaulted him.
Berrios-Lopez’ attorney, Ramin Naderi, told the court that there was nothing to suggest that his client would harm the victim nor otherwise endanger public safety if released.
Naderi pointed to Berrios-Lopez’ close ties to the Bay Area including his girlfriend and their infant child living nearby. Of his other two children one also lived in the Bay Area while another lived in Honduras. A program had indicated that it was willing to arrange GPS monitoring and supervision for the defendant while he was wearing an ankle monitor.
“In this court’s opinion, this is a very serious case,” said Judge Gail Dekreon sitting in department 20 of San Francisco Superior Court.
“[Mr Berrios-Lopez] has a violent response as to how he transacts his business if it doesn’t go the way he likes.”
“Therefore the defendant’s motion for O.R. is denied [and] the People’s motion to detain is granted.”
Berrios Lopez will next appear in February 2 2024 at which a date for a preliminary hearing will be set.
The case continues.
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