Hillsborough killer violated parole by going to gun store
DA: Employees were concerned by Kleiman’s demeanor
A Hillsborough man who in 2012 was convicted of killing his longtime friend and was released from prison last year is back in jail after allegedly walking into a gun store last month and handling three handguns, according to San Mateo County prosecutors.
Bradley Kleiman, 38, is now facing a charge of possession of a firearm by a felon, which could carry a three-year prison sentence if convicted, according to San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe.
“Because he’s a convicted felon, he can’t hold a gun or touch a gun,” Wagstaffe said.
Kleiman was released from prison in July, 2017 after serving seven years for a voluntary manslaughter conviction as part of a plea agreement in the shooting death of his longtime friend, Christopher Calvache. The shooting gained local attention and also resulted in a civil lawsuit.
On March 14, Kleiman walked into the Imbert & Smithers gun store in San Carlos and handled three separate handguns, according to prosecutors. Employees of the store were reportedly concerned by Kleiman’s demeanor while he handled the guns. He allegedly pointed the gun at an imaginary target and was “overly interested in the security cameras.”
Employees also noted that Kleiman has the word “killer” tattooed on his neck, prosecutors said.
When Kleiman left, store employees called police. Kleiman was later identified by his parole officer after a flyer with his photo was distributed to local law enforcement agencies.
The encounter, captured on the gun store’s surveillance cameras, initially resulted in Kleiman’s arrest on a parole violation, Wagstaffe said. But prosecutors opted to file a new charge, possession of a firearm by a felon.
A preliminary hearing in the case — the process in which a judge determines if there’s sufficient evidence to proceed to trial — was postponed Wednesday morning and re-scheduled for May 24.
In June, 2010, Kleiman shot and killed Calvache inside a pool house at his parents’ home in upscale Hillsborough. The twomen got into an argument, and Kleiman shot Calvache in the head, according to law enforcement. Kleiman then called police to confess.
The prosecution’s case suffered a blow when a judge decided to throw out a key part of their case, the police interrogation of Kleiman, who asked for a lawyer but continued to be questioned. Not long after that decision, a plea agreement was reached on a voluntary manslaughter charge.