SKYLER RAPP - 4 yo (2011) Accused: Paul Braden - Clearlake Oaks CA

The jury in the trial of a Clearlake Oaks man accused of a child's
murder last summer completed its first day of deliberations on Tuesday.
The jury for Paul William Braden, 22, heard the last of its
instructions from visiting Yolo County Judge Doris Shockley at 10 a.m.
before beginning deliberations.

The five-woman, seven-man jury must decide whether Braden is guilty
of 15 counts – including first-degree murder, five counts of attempted
murder, two counts of mayhem, six counts of assault with a firearm and
discharge of a firearm at an inhabited dwelling – plus dozens of special
allegations for a shooting in the city of Clearlake on the night of
June 18, 2011.

The shooting killed 4-year-old Skyler Rapp, wounded his mother,
Desiree Kirby and her boyfriend, Ross Sparks, and also left three others
– Andrew Sparks, Joseph Armijo and Ian Griffith – wounded.

Last Friday, after about four hours of deliberations, a separate jury
found Braden's codefendant, 24-year-old Orlando Joseph Lopez Jr. of
Clearlake Oaks – guilty of all charges, with all special allegations
being found true.

Braden's jury left the Department 2 court, where they've been deliberating, at about 3:45 p.m. Tuesday.

They are set to return at 9 a.m. Wednesday to continue their deliberations.
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Braden sentenced to 312 years in prison for shooting that killed child, wounded five
Thursday, 09 August 2012 14:14

LAKEPORT, Calif. – On Thursday a Clearlake Oaks man received a 312-year sentence for a fatal 2011 shooting, just days after his codefendant in the case received a sentence of just one year less.

Yolo County Judge Doris Shockley sentenced 22-year-old Paul William Braden to what may be the longest sentence to emerge from a local court.

Braden and his codefendant Orlando Joseph Lopez Jr. were convicted of the June 18, 2011, shooting in Clearlake that killed four-year-old Skyler Rapp; wounded his mother, Desiree Kirby; her boyfriend, Ross Sparks; his brother, Andrew Sparks; Ian Griffith; and Joey Armijo.

The men – who were tried together but with different juries – were handed guilty verdicts about a week apart in June for first-degree murder, five charges of attempted murder, two counts of mayhem, six counts of assault with a firearm, a count of discharge of a firearm at an inhabited dwelling, and the findings that numerous special allegations about use of a firearm and other charges were true.

They had allegedly shot into a crowd of friends and family at Kirby’s and Sparks’ home late that night, with the issues between the groups reportedly arising from a fight earlier in the month.

Braden appeared in court alongside his defense attorney, Doug Rhoades. For his sentencing he was dressed in a white and red Lake County Jail jumpsuit, his head shaved close.

Judge Shockley went over the charges and proposed sentences for each based on the Probation Department report.

She then asked Braden if he had anything to say.

“Yeah, I do,” he said.

“I'd like to state that I am innocent, regardless of what anyone in the courtroom thinks,” he began.

He blamed his conviction on a jailhouse informant that he said had zero facts.

Braden also pointed blame at Kevin Stone, originally charged in the murder case along with Braden and Lopez but who reached a plea agreement to lesser charges and testified against both men at their trial.

He called Stone a “self-proclaimed conspirator,” who “testified to save his own ass.” Braden accused District Attorney Don Anderson of letting a murderer get away.

He also criticized Rhoades. “I'd like to think my attorney did the best job he could,” but he said his attorney essentially said he was responsible for the crime.

Braden said many things should have been done better in the case. He said he had wanted to make a statement during the trial but was advised not to do so.

“I was simply convicted off of f***ing hearsay,” he said, then quickly asked that his language be excused.

“Sir,” said Shockley, “you’re going to conduct yourself in this courtroom with respect.”

Braden replied that she had not been respectful, and that “justice is crazy” in this county.

The court received three victim impact statements, from Desiree Kirby's uncle, her grandmother and from Kirby herself.

Kirby asked how Braden could shoot at her home, where her children were present.

The young mother recalled her young son through tears. “He was such a happy little boy, with so much potential, and you took that away.”

Last November, when Skyler would have turned 5 years old, Kirby said she took cupcakes to the cemetery.

She said she had worked hard to give her children a happy life.

“The fact that you sit there with a grin on your face kills me inside,” she said.

Kirby called Braden evil. “You took my son's life, you ruined my life.”

Shockley sentenced Braden to a determinate sentence of 27 years in prison and an indeterminate sentence of 285 years to life, for a total of 312 years in prison. He received one year longer than Lopez due to the court having found him guilty of having a previous state prison term.

He also was ordered to pay $66,550 in restitution to the victims and received 417 days credit for time already served in jail.

Finally, Shockley took off her glasses and spoke directly to Braden.

“I’ve put a lot of thought into what to say to you, Mr. Braden,” she said.

She said his demeanor had been exactly as the victims in the case had described. “You were cold and calculating and didn’t appear to care.”

Shockley said she believed Braden still had a conscience left, but that she didn’t believe he could yet comprehend the magnitude of what he had done. She said she hoped he eventually could grasp it and make amends for it.

He was looking at “a tough road” in state prison, she added.

It was indicated in court that Braden will appeal his conviction and sentence. Lopez's attorney, Stephen Carter, filed his appeal in court on Tuesday.

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