STORIES FROM THE PAST
50 years ago
Luis Soto Juarez, 37, convicted Oct. 20 of the murder of California Highway Patrol Officer Franke A. Story, was this morning sentenced to life imprisonment.
Judge Victor A. Gillespie said, “It is regrettable the jury on the penalty phase was unable to arrive at a verdict.” (The same county jury which found him guilty of first degree murder split 6-6 on whether to give him the death sentence, and was dismissed Oct. 24 after being locked up 27 hours).
In solemn tones the judge continued: “In the opinion of this Court the death penalty should have been imposed. The maximum sentence the court can now impose is life imprisonment.”
The judge added: “The court will therefore recommend to the Adult Authority that he never be granted parole. This is a vicious, ruthless criminal. He would not hesitate to kill again should any man, women or child hinder him in anything he was seeking.”
Juarez sat stonily indifferent as Judge Gillespie continued: “Throughout the three weeks trial I saw no regret or remorse on this defendant’s face.”
40 years ago
Varsity football teams from Palo Verde and Central can turn the 1977 Desert Valleys League race into a real dogfight by collecting victories this evening.
Coachella currently holds the top spot with a 3-0 record, bearing Calexico, Central and Brawley. The Arabs have loop encounters remaining with Palo Verde and Indio.
Palo Verde hosts Coachella in the Yellowjackets’ most important game of the year coach Phil Ramsey’s crew is coming off an upset 14-0 loss to the Indio Rajahs.
30 years ago
El Centro firefighters donned yellow protective suits and strapped orange air bottles to their backs this morning to battle flames and choking black smoke that billowed from a fire at the Sun Seed plant at 110 E. Ross Ave.
One firefighter was injured in a fall while fighting the blaze, according to firefighter Ed Briggs, the department’s public information officer on the scene. The injuries were not believed to be serious and the firefighter was under observation at about 11 a.m., Briggs said. The department did not release the name of the injured firefighter. Employees at the plant reported they first saw smoke coming from a warehouse containing mostly clover and Bermuda grass seed at about 10 a.m.