Alameda County District Attorney's Office Secures Rare First-Degree Murder Plea in Shooting Death of Former San Jose Police Officer Kevin Nishita
A shocking turn of events has unfolded in the case of former San Jose police officer Kevin Nishita, who was shot and killed in 2021 while on assignment as a security guard for KRON4 News. In a stunning move, three individuals have agreed to plead guilty to first-degree murder in connection with his death.
The charges against Laron Gilbert, Shadihia Mitchell, and Hershel Hale are the result of an extensive investigation that included over 120 warrants and cellphone evidence. The men were driving without proper license plates, masked up, and had no eyewitness identifications at the scene of the crime.
According to Allyson Donovan, an Alameda County Deputy District Attorney, the plea deal means that the three individuals will not face all the charges they were initially facing. Gilbert pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and was given a sentence of 30 years to life in state prison, while Mitchell and Hale pleaded guilty to robbery and gang enhancements, as well as a use enhancement, and will serve 25 years in custody.
The plea deal has brought closure to Nishita's family, particularly his widow, Virginia Nishita. She expressed her gratitude for the plea agreements, stating that she was "numb with exhaustion" after fighting for justice for four years. However, she acknowledged that the current California law may have limited the sentence she could have hoped for.
The case highlights the challenges faced by law enforcement agencies in securing convictions in high-profile cases. Alameda County District Attorney Ursula Jones Dickson noted that first-degree murder pleas are rare and usually require strong evidence. She praised the work of her team and the investigators who built the case against the three individuals.
The sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 7, and the outcome will likely bring a measure of relief to Nishita's family and community. As one of his colleagues remembered at a memorial, Kevin Nishita was a "caring and courageous" individual who always had a joyful spirit.
A shocking turn of events has unfolded in the case of former San Jose police officer Kevin Nishita, who was shot and killed in 2021 while on assignment as a security guard for KRON4 News. In a stunning move, three individuals have agreed to plead guilty to first-degree murder in connection with his death.
The charges against Laron Gilbert, Shadihia Mitchell, and Hershel Hale are the result of an extensive investigation that included over 120 warrants and cellphone evidence. The men were driving without proper license plates, masked up, and had no eyewitness identifications at the scene of the crime.
According to Allyson Donovan, an Alameda County Deputy District Attorney, the plea deal means that the three individuals will not face all the charges they were initially facing. Gilbert pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and was given a sentence of 30 years to life in state prison, while Mitchell and Hale pleaded guilty to robbery and gang enhancements, as well as a use enhancement, and will serve 25 years in custody.
The plea deal has brought closure to Nishita's family, particularly his widow, Virginia Nishita. She expressed her gratitude for the plea agreements, stating that she was "numb with exhaustion" after fighting for justice for four years. However, she acknowledged that the current California law may have limited the sentence she could have hoped for.
The case highlights the challenges faced by law enforcement agencies in securing convictions in high-profile cases. Alameda County District Attorney Ursula Jones Dickson noted that first-degree murder pleas are rare and usually require strong evidence. She praised the work of her team and the investigators who built the case against the three individuals.
The sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 7, and the outcome will likely bring a measure of relief to Nishita's family and community. As one of his colleagues remembered at a memorial, Kevin Nishita was a "caring and courageous" individual who always had a joyful spirit.
this whole thing is just so sad, i mean kevin nishita was a good guy doing his job as a security guard... it's crazy that 3 people got away with murder for a while because they weren't wearing plates and didn't have witnesses... it's like the system is broken or something 
. but at least justice is finally being served now, even if it took 4 years of fighting 
.
. I mean, if you're gonna kill someone and then try to cover your tracks with no witnesses or license plates, you should be looking at life without parole 
. The fact that they got first-degree murder pleas is huge, but 25 years for Mitchell and Hale? That's just not right 
. What really gets me is the California law limitations on sentencing 
. It's like, if you're gonna make a law, make it fair 
. Anyway, I hope this brings some closure to Kevin's family and that justice can finally be served 
.
It's crazy how the truth can finally surface after four years of fighting for justice 
. The fact that it's a rare first-degree murder plea is a testament to the thorough investigation that went into building the case 
. Fingers crossed for a fair outcome at the sentencing hearing on April 7 
... I mean, it's about time, right? 120 warrants and cellphone evidence is no joke! It's like they were driving around with GPS tracking on them, but instead of finding the pizza place, they found the cops 
. Kudos to DA Ursula Jones Dickson and her team for solving the case and bringing some closure to Kevin Nishita's family. I'm sure his widow is feeling a lot better now that she can finally get some rest... 25 years in custody ain't so bad compared to life in prison, right? 
30 years to life is still a pretty harsh sentence, considering the circumstances. I feel bad for Virginia Nishita, she deserves closure, not just some measure of satisfaction 
. hope kevin's family gets the closure they deserve on april 7 
just found out that 3 dudes got caught for the murder of that San Jose cop