Santa Ana jury convicts two men of gang-related crimes

The Associated Press/July 2, 2007

Santa Ana, California — Two reputed members of a white supremacist gang were convicted Monday of gang-related crimes, but verdicts on more serious charges of murder, attempted murder and street terrorism were delayed because one juror fell ill. The defendants, 32-year-old Michael Allan Lamb and 30-year-old Jacob Anthony Rump, are alleged members of Public Enemy No. 1.

Lamb was convicted of conspiring to commit murder for the benefit of a street gang, and could face up to 25 years to life in prison, said his attorney, Marlin Stapleton Jr.

Rump was convicted of being a felon in possession of a handgun, also for the benefit of a street gang, Stapleton said.

After those verdicts were reached, a juror was dismissed for medical reasons. An alternate was sworn in and deliberations began anew on charges that include murder, attempted murder of a peace officer, carrying a firearm as an active gang member and street terrorism.

Prosecutors have announced they will seek the death penalty if Lamb is convicted of murder, but they are not seeking a death sentence for Rump.

Lamb and Rump are accused of murdering 38-year-old Scott Miller, a founding member of the gang, Senior Deputy District Attorney Ebrahim Baytieh said in opening statements.

Baytieh said Miller was shot to death outside an Anaheim apartment complex on March 8, 2002, for giving a TV interview that detailed the evolution and inner workings of the violent gang.

Baytieh told jurors that the segment disguised Miller's face and voice, but didn't cover up his tattoos and showed Miller's pit bull, named Hit Man. Lamb and Rump are also accused of trying to kill an Anaheim undercover detective who tried to arrest them three days after Miller was killed. Prosecutors said ballistics tests showed that the weapon fired at the detective was the same one used to kill Miller.

Stapleton argued that another man, Billy Joe Johnson, has confessed to killing Miller. Johnson is serving life in prison for a separate murder.