*CRIMINAL CASE UPDATE*
THREE MUST STAND TRIAL FOR DHS MURDER

INDIO - On Thursday, Aug. 27, 2009, Judge Harold Hopp ordered Curtis Lee Drake, Lavinski Shamone Harrell and Latoya Jenkins to stand trial for the February murder of Samuel Cotton at his Desert Hot Springs home.

The defendants, Drake, 20; Harrell, 27; and Jenkins, 23, have each been charged with one count of murder with special circumstances for committing the murder during the commission of an attempted burglary and attempted robbery in addition to special allegations for the usage of a firearm. All three defendants are facing life in prison without the possibility of parole.

On Feb. 23, 2009, Jenkins knocked at the front door of Cotton's home and said she wanted buy marijuana. When the door was opened for her she entered the home and, shortly thereafter, Drake and Harrell entered armed with guns. The armed intruders shot Samuel Cotton as they ordered him to get on the ground. Samuel Cotton died as a result the gunshot wound. The defendants fled and were arrested after an investigation by the Desert Hot Springs Police Department.

The case, INF064867, is being prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Manny Bustamante. All three defendants are scheduled to be arraigned on the information on Sept. 11, 2009, at 8:30 a.m. in Department 3P of the Larson Justice Center in Indio. They are being held without bail.