Defendants Plead 'Not Guilty' In Murder Case

Two defendants accused of in May plead "not guilty" in Marin County Superior Court today.

“This is a self-defense case,” said attorney Terrance Bennett, who is representing 18-year-old Carlos Eduardo Gutierrez.

Gutierrez and Bryan Sandoval Rocha, 17, are accused of murdering Jeffrie Lee Olmstead in a gang fight that started near the and ended at Woods Street in Gerstle Park on May 11.

After reviewing reports and statements from the San Rafael Police Department, Bennet and Steve Shaiken, representing Rocha, said that the defendants were not the aggressors in the fight.

The initial reports of the crime are factually inconsistent, Shaiken said.

Deputy District Attorney Yvette Martinez-Shaw issued a protective order, stating that the defendants cannot contact or come within 100 yards of Woods Street during the case proceedings.

Protective orders are common, but the alleged gang affiliations of both defendants could’ve influenced the orders, Shaiken said.

Gutierrez and Rocha are charged with murder, assault with deadly weapon, vandalism and participation in a street gang. Due to the nature of the crime, Rocha is being tried as an adult, according to District Attorney Ed Berberian.

If convicted, both Gutierrez and Rocha could face life sentences, Berberian said.