VAN NUYS : Man Guilty in Good Samaritan’s Murder

A Van Nuys gang member was convicted Monday of first-degree murder and faces life in prison for his role in the killing of a Woodland Hills good Samaritan who chased after three teen-agers caught stealing beer from an Encino convenience store.

Jose Manuel Murillo, 19, was convicted by a Van Nuys Superior Court jury that deliberated for less than a day before deciding that his “reckless disregard” for the safety of others led to the shooting of Christopher Lee Brown, 24. Murillo did not pull the trigger.

Murillo admitted that he gave a .22-caliber handgun to a 14-year-old boy before entering a 7-Eleven store near the intersection of Burbank Boulevard and White Oak Avenue.

Jurors said they could not verify Murillo’s story that he instructed the teen-ager to only fire warning shots if they were chased during their “beer run.”

However, Murillo yelled “Shoot!” when Brown caught up with the thieves, and that recklessness led to his conviction, juror Ray Lunt said.

The jury determined that Brown was killed during the course of a burglary, a special circumstance that means Murillo will be sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole by Superior Court Judge Sandy R. Kriegler on Aug. 16.

“He did the crime and he’ll get what he deserved,” said Donna Brown, the victim’s mother.

Donna and Dennis Brown said their son aspired to be a police officer, and they believe that is why he chased the three youths who ran from the store carrying cartons of beer. Christopher Brown was honored posthumously with a district attorney’s Courageous Citizen Award.

The 14-year-old boy is being held by the California Youth Authority.

The third youth who stole beer, a 16-year-old girl, testified against Murillo in exchange for a plea bargain in which prosecutors dropped murder charges.

A fourth suspect, Juan P. Hernandez, 20, of Reseda, is accused of being the getaway driver and is scheduled to go on trial next month.