STOCKTON - A 20-year-old Stockton man charged with two murders dismissed his attorneys Monday, including one highly regarded for handling high-profile capital murder cases.

Percy Lamonte Camel faces a potential death sentence on charges he shot two men in separate incidents within three months. Camel and his attorneys met in private with the judge to discuss their difficulties.

After the closed hearing, San Joaquin County Superior Court Judge George Abdallah said he ruled in favor of Camel, relieving the two attorneys of the case. The judge did not say why Camel wanted new counsel or why he granted Camel's request.

Camel had been represented by San Joaquin County Chief Deputy Public Defender Miriam Lyell, who recently brought on San Francisco attorney Michael Burt to help her.

Burt has led or assisted in the defenses of Lyle Menendez, Charles Ng, Richard Ramirez and Cary Stayner. Recently, he assisted in the defense of Melissa Huckaby of Tracy.

For her part, Lyell last year defended an emergency room doctor of charges that he stole a dead patient's Rolex watch. A jury exonerated him.

Camel is charged with the Dec. 1, 2009, slaying of Roberto Hernandez, 21, at Amsterdam Place and Skyline Drive. He also is charged with the Feb. 7, 2010, killing of Francisco Bernardino, 24, at Mariposa and Farmington roads.

Upon dismissing the two attorneys, Abdallah assigned private Stockton attorney Lance Jacot to represent Camel. Walking into court, Jacot held a hushed meeting with Camel, who indicated he accepted Jacot.

Camel returns to court April 20.

Contact reporter Scott Smith at (209) 546-8296 or ssmith@recordnet.com. Visit his blog at recordnet.com/smithblog.

Stockton criminal defense attorney Lance Jacot has represented defendants accused of serious crimes for over a decade.  He is qualified to handle the most serious type of cases, including capital homicide cases.  If you need the services of a highly qualified and dedicated criminal defense attorney in Stockton, CA then contact attorney Lance Jacot at the Jacot Law Firm for a free consultation.

Stockton attorney Lance Jacot can be reached 24 hours a day at (209) 463-1800 or through his website at www.Jacotlawfirm.com or email at LJacot@Jacotlawfirm.com.

College student named as suspect in slaying of woman in Costa Mesa

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By Christian Burkin

Record Staff Writer

May 28, 2010 12:00 AM

STOCKTON - A man found beaten unconscious in January in the backyard of a south Stockton home died Tuesday.

Officer Pete Smith, a spokesman for the Stockton Police Department, said the death of 43-year-old Joseph Sandoval had not yet been ruled a homicide. Investigators were still waiting for the Coroner's Office to link the exact cause of death to the beating.

"We have to have a definitive nexus between his death and his injuries," Smith said.

Sandoval was found around 11:30 a.m. Jan. 24, lying on the ground in the backyard of a home in the 1400 block of South American Street. He was taken to San Joaquin General Hospital, where doctors found he was bleeding internally. Investigators found what they thought was a crime scene in a standalone building in the backyard.

The white clapboard home was condemned as a public hazard by the city on Jan. 25, according to documents still posted near its front door Thursday morning. The home stands out among its neighbors, which are generally well-kept. Araceli Gonzalez, who lives nearby, said it was once one of the nicest on the block.

"And now it's basically a crack house," she said. "Everyone on Charter Way knows that house is empty."

The home's windows and doors were boarded over with plywood, except for one window in the back, which appeared to have been pried open. Beneath that window, a man was taking a nap. He awoke and prepared to move on, insisting he had only stopped for a moment. He said he knew Sandoval, but not well.

"I just knew him from the streets," he said. He declined to give his own name.

Contact reporter Christian Burkin at (209) 546-8279 or cburkin@recordnet.com. Visit his blog at recordnet.com/burkinblog.

Contact The Jacot Law Firm at 888-823-4883.

Violent Crimes

Assault and Battery

Assault with a Firearm

Assault with Force Likely to Cause Great Bodily Injury

Assault on a Police Office

Car Jacking

Child Abuse

Criminal Threats

Domestic Violence

Drive by shootings

Elder Abuse

False Imprisonment

Home Invasion Robbery

Homicide/Murder

Kidnapping

Mayhem

Shooting into an occupied structure or vehicle

Stalking

Residential Burglary with Person Present

Robbery

Torture