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Man held to answer in Berkeley murder, carjacking case

A 20-year-old man accused of murder with special circumstances was ordered Wednesday morning by an Alameda County Superior Court judge to face nearly all of the charges filed against him as the case moves ahead to trial.

Judge Rhonda Burgess dismissed one count and one special circumstance related to rape allegations, and said the prosecution had not presented sufficient evidence to support those charges.

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Authorities: Man admitted to killing, tried to bargain with God, in secret recording by Berkeley police

After her death, a tree outside the Berkeley Zen Center, across the street from where she was fatally stabbed, became a memorial to Nancy McClellan. Photo: Emilie Raguso After her death, a tree outside the Berkeley Zen Center, across the street from where she was fatally stabbed, became a memorial to Nancy McClellan. Photo: Emilie Raguso Left alone in […]

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Witnesses to fatal Berkeley attack did not see killer’s face

A 2011 photograph of Kamau Berlin. Source: Kamau Berlin/Facebook An Alameda County Superior Court judge is expected to decide this week whether the case against a former Berkeley Technology Academy student charged with murder and other serious crimes will continue on to trial. Kamau Berlin, then 18, was arrested Sept. 19, 2014, after a brief police chase […]

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Police make arrest in 2014 Berkeley killing

The fatal shooting took place in the parking lot of Seabreeze Market in October 2014. Photo: Brian Costales The fatal shooting took place in the parking lot of Seabreeze Market in October 2014. Photo: Brian Costales An Oakland man has been arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with the fatal shooting in 2014 of 21-year-old Damarco J. Thomas. On […]

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3 men held to answer after fatal Berkeley shooting

Photo: Kamahl Middleton An Alameda County Superior Court judge ruled Monday that three young men charged in the fatal shooting of a Pinole man in Berkeley in December must now stand trial. Judge Thomas Reardon said Monday afternoon, after a lengthy preliminary hearing that began in May, that the prosecution had presented enough evidence to demonstrate a […]

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Man tried to shield fiancée during fatal Berkeley shooting

Photo: Kamahl Middleton Moments before being struck by a fatal shotgun blast, a Pinole man killed in Berkeley in December used his body to try to shield his fiancée from the gunman, she testified in court Wednesday. Rebekah Cleberg of Pinole described the Dec. 29, 2014, shooting in West Berkeley as a medical marijuana exchange that quickly […]

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Police arrest 2 more after December homicide in Berkeley

Photo: Kamahl Middleton Authorities have arrested two more men tied to the fatal shooting in West Berkeley that killed Kamahl Middleton, a 36-year-old El Sobrante man, in December. Authorities tracked down one of the men — 18-year-old Khalil Leroy Phanor of San Leandro — in Washington state, and arrested him Thursday night. The Alameda County district attorney’s […]

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Berkeley police arrest 2 after December killing

Homicide victim Kamahl Middleton of El Sobrante Homicide victim Kamahl Middleton of El Sobrante Police have arrested a 20-year-old man and a 17-year-old boy in connection with the double shooting in Berkeley in December of an El Sobrante paraplegic who died at the scene, and a woman with him who survived the attack. Police arrested Carl Young Jr. on […]