Mamea.

Jury trial is set to begin Monday for a McKinleyville man accused of trying to kill a homeless person who was stabbed and seriously injured as he slept on a street in Eureka.

Tory Tasi Parker Mamea, 29, is charged with attempted murder and weapons allegations. Today Deputy District Attorney Trent Timm, who will be the trial prosecutor, estimated jury selection will take about five days and he will need seven days to present his case to the jury.

Before the hearing this morning, Judge Kaleb Cockrum met privately with Timm and Deputy Public Defender Casey Russo, who represents Mamea. But after the meeting, Cockrum noted the prosecution and defense “are too far apart” for the case to settle without a trial.

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Lewis..

Also this morning, the cases against murder suspects Bronson Lewis and Daniel Armendariz inched a bit forward, with Jennifer Dixon confirmed as Armendariz’s new lawyer and a date set for the prosecution’s motion to join the two cases for trial.

The hearing on the motion to merge the cases has been delayed multiple times because of the difficulty in finding an attorney who is willing and able to defend Armendariz.

The men, both 20, are accused of the grisly July 2020 murder of 42-year-old Julius Tripp, who was first mutilated and then shot dead off state Highway 96 between Weitchpec and Hoopa.

Dixon said she she needed three weeks to prepare her argument against joining the cases. The motion hearing is now scheduled for Aug. 3.

Lewis is represented by attorney Russ Clanton, who told Judge Kaleb Cockrum this morning that Lewis has been patiently waiting “many months” for his trial.

Armendariz.

Lewis allegedly told witnesses he chopped off Tripp’s hand or arm during an altercation. As Tripp lay wounded down a roadside bank, Lewis, Armendariz and three other teens drove to Hoopa and got an assault rifle, which was used to finish Tripp off.

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