'CHAD HAD A BIG MOUTH'

Courts:Brea teen MacDonald was killed solely because he was a police
informant ,suspects' lawyers say.

Attorneys for two suspects in the beating and strangulation of Chad
MacDonald said Friday that the teen-ager was killed solely because of his
work as a Brea police informant.

"Chad had a big mouth. A whole bunch of people new," said attorney Forrest
Latiner, whose client, Jose Ibarra, is one of three suspects in the March 3
slaying. "Things got out of hand. They thought he was going to be snitching
them off."

Attorney Richard Leonard, who is representing suspect Michael Martinez, said
the slaying "absolutely would not have happened if the youth was not working
as a police informant."

Brea police Chief Bill Lentini, who has insisted that MacDonald's informant
work played no role in his death, could not be reached for comment Friday.
Deputy District Attorney Jeff Ramseyer declined to comment.

The lawyers didn't go so far as admitting their clients killed MacDonald,
but made it clear the teen's work as an informant was the killer's motive.

They said they will argue in court that the killing did not take place
during a robbery or sexual assault, the special circumstances that could
lead to the death penalty.

MacDonald's girlfriend testified at a closed hearing this week in Los
Angeles that the suspects accused the young couple of working for the police
before killing MacDonald, raping her, shooting her in the face and leaving
her to die.

At one point during the ordeal at a Norwalk house, Martinez comforted her,
the girl said.

"We/re not killing your boyfriend," Martinez said, according to the
girlfriend. "We're just teaching him a good lesson."

Word of MacDonald's informant role led the state Legislature last week to
pass a bill that restricts the use of juveniles as police informants.


Checked-by: Don Beck