Modesto man sentenced in 2021 shooting that seriously injured officer
The man convicted of shooting and seriously injuring a Modesto officer was sentenced to 185 years to life in prison on Friday, the Stanislaus County District Attorney said.
Jesse Brooks, 45, of Modesto, was convicted on Feb. 5 on three counts of premeditated attempted murder of a police officer, three counts of assault with a firearm on a police officer, felon in possession of a gun and ammunition.
There were also several allegations, including one that he seriously injured an officer in a shooting.
On Aug. 14, 2021, police were serving a search warrant at a home on Orangeburg Road. The DA said Brooks was inside the home and told officers he would not go back to prison.
He then told officers he would rather get into a shootout with them, according to the DA.
Brooks barricaded himself in a room and had a gun when officers went into the home, the DA said. He fired 12 shots, and one officer was struck.
Modesto officer Michael Rokaitis was seriously injured in a shooting in 2021.
Stanislaus County District Attorney's Office
The DA said Officer Michael Rokaitis was seriously injured in the shooting. Brooks was also seriously injured after several officers shot at him.
Rokaitis was given a law enforcement Medal of Honor and gave a victim statement during the Friday sentencing hearing, in which he forgave Brooks.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Woodstock man gets 50 year sentence for family violence conviction
The Cherokee County District Attorney's Office announced that a man was facing a 50 year sentence after negotiating a plea in a family violence case. District Attorney Susan K. Treadaway said that David Ray Graham, 38 of Woodstock, entered a negotiated plea to multiple charges on Thursday, taking a guilty plea for multiple charges related to a domestic violence assault. According to the DA's office, Graham faced eight charges stemming from a sheriff's office investigation in March 2024. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The DA's office said Cherokee County Sheriff's Office deputies went to Northside Cherokee Hospital after getting a report that a woman had been assaulted in a Woodstock home. While being treated for what the DA's office said were visible injuries, the victim told deputies that Graham had repeatedly punched and kicked her, threatened her with a machete and hammer and held her against her will in the home. TRENDING STORIES: Atlanta-area rapper sentenced for bringing stolen loaded 'machine gun' into hospital labor unit Another risk for strong to severe storms today Giant tree crashes into another, sends it toppling onto Cobb County rental home 'Evidence in this case showed that over the course of one terrifying night, this defendant subjected a woman to prolonged and brutal violence,' Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Rachel Ashe, who prosecuted the case, said in a statement. 'This was not an isolated incident. David Graham had abused this woman before, and this time he could have killed her. Even after his arrest, he continued the cycle of abuse by calling from jail to threaten her and pressure her to recant. This sentence holds him accountable and brings justice for the fear and harm he inflicted.' Graham was charged with: 2 counts family violence aggravated assault False imprisonment 3 counts family violence battery Influencing a witness Terroristic threats The DA's office said Graham was sentenced to 50 years, with 20 in prison and the remaining 30 on probation. Graham's probation has special conditions, including no contact of any kind with the victim, he must participate in a family violence intervention program, be evaluated and treated for mental health and substance abuse and must forfeit all of his weapons. 'Domestic violence threatens the safety of all citizens and has no place in our community. For this reason, we remain steadfast in our commitment to pursuing justice for all who are affected,' Treadaway said. 'We commend the Cherokee Sheriff's Office and the staff at Northside Cherokee Hospital for their compassionate response to protect and support the woman assaulted by this defendant.' For those who know someone affected by domestic violence, or who are being affected and are in need of support, there is a 24/7 crisis hotline at 770-479-1703. In an emergency, call 911. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Plastic surgeon jailed for trying to kill colleague
A plastic surgeon has been jailed for life for attempting to murder a colleague he wanted "out of the way" because he was a witness against him in disciplinary proceedings. Jonathan Peter Brooks broke into Graeme Perks's home in Halam, Nottinghamshire, in the early hours of 14 January 2021, wearing camouflage gear and armed with a crowbar, cans of petrol, matches and a knife. A trial in Loughborough heard Mr Perks had a "95% chance of dying" after being stabbed by Brooks. Brooks, who was convicted of attempted murder, attempted arson with intent to endanger life and possession of a bladed article, was told he would serve at least 22 years in prison. On the night of the attack, Brooks smashed conservatory doors and doused the ground floor of the house with petrol, intending to set it on fire. Mr Perks, a consultant plastic surgeon who had recently retired, was woken by the break-in and initially mistook the defendant for his son, before Brooks stabbed him in the abdomen. The trial previously heard Mr Perks's injuries were "of the most serious type", and included a bleeding liver, injuries to the pancreas and bowel, and an "extremely life-threatening injury" to the back of the abdomen. Brooks appeared via video-link from HMP Norwich after refusing to attend the court in person, having claimed he had a bedsore that meant he would be unable to sit for long periods. The judge said he was informed Brooks was physically fit to attend, and there was no reason he could not. Throughout the hearing, Brooks moved around in his room, occasionally standing from his wheelchair. He was sitting looking towards the camera as his sentence was handed down. This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version. You can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on X to get the latest alerts.
News24
3 days ago
- News24
DA proposes anti-corruption commission amid NPA criticism on botched cases
Our_DA / Twitter The DA has proposed an independent anti-corruption commission and constitutional reforms to strengthen the NPA. NPA head Shamila Batohi admitted setbacks in Timothy Omotoso and the Gupta brothers' extradition cases but defended the progress, blaming underfunding. Batohi insists the NPA is recovering from state capture's damage. The DA has called for sweeping reforms to the country's criminal justice system, including the establishment of an independent anti-corruption commission. The party accused the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) of systemic failures in the handling of high-profile corruption cases. Briefing the media on Friday, DA MPs Glynnis Breytenbach, Damien Klopper and Nicholas Gotsell outlined concerns over the NPA's inability to secure convictions in state capture cases. They cited recent blunders such as the botched extradition from the US of Moroadi Cholota, the ex-personal assistant of former Free State premier Ace Magashule. 'Monotonous' failures Breytenbach criticised the NPA for 'failing to prosecute with any kind of conviction', pointing to procedural errors in high-stakes cases. She highlighted the Cholota matter, where the Free State director of public prosecutions, rather than the justice minister, incorrectly applied for her extradition, a misstep that derailed the case. On Tuesday, the Bloemfontein High Court overturned Cholota's extradition from the US to face corruption charges in the ongoing R250 million Free State asbestos corruption case involving her former boss Magashule, businessperson Edwin Sodi and others. The court upheld a special plea Cholota raised on the NPA's decision to haul her back to SA. Cholota will no longer appear as a co-accused in the case. These mistakes keep happening with monotonous regularity. Glynnis Breytenbach Breytenbach added that not a single politically connected individual had been imprisoned for state capture. She cited other failures, including the Thales corruption case and the withdrawal of charges in the Phala Phala matter due to procedural errors. Klopper expanded on these concerns, referencing the high-profile case of Nigerian televangelist Timothy Omotoso, in which the NPA's mishandling led to a 'disastrous acquittal'. He also noted the DA's recent private prosecution of a common assault case after the NPA declined to pursue it, questioning the institution's capacity to handle even basic prosecutions. Omotoso was acquitted last month and later deported to Nigeria. Calls for structural reform The DA proposed three key interventions: An anti-corruption commission – A chapter 9 body independent of executive control, with its budget determined by National Treasury rather than the justice minister Strengthening NPA independence – Constitutional amendments to remove the president's sole power to appoint and dismiss the National Director of Public Prosecutions Capacitating the NPA – Urgent budget increases to fill vacancies and attract skilled prosecutors, alongside performance audits by the Auditor-General. Gotsell added that a 'watching brief' programme, piloted in the Western Cape, could improve the coordination between the NPA, the SA Police Service and the victims of crime. He also suggested employing final-year law students to assist the prosecutors with administrative tasks. Batohi defends NPA's record Meanwhile, NPA head Shamila Batohi, speaking on SABC News earlier in the day, acknowledged the setbacks but denied a crisis within the institution. Batohi admitted that the Omotoso case was 'devastating' but said the NPA was appealing the court judgment and it was also investigating prosecutors' conduct. On state capture, Batohi defended the NPA's progress in the cases, noting that the Investigating Directorate had enrolled 33 cases. However, she conceded that there were challenges, including underfunding and salary disparities that were driving skilled prosecutors to other agencies, and 'internal chaos' caused by some staff allegedly undermining the NPA's mission. There has been no political interference during my tenure, Shamila Batohi She admitted she could not guarantee that individual prosecutors were not influenced. She also expressed frustration over the delays in extraditing the Gupta brothers, blaming the United Arab Emirates (UAE) court's refusal and pledging to reapply with additional evidence. In 2023, the UAE dismissed SA's request to extradite the Guptas, and government's attempts have yielded no fruit since then. With her term ending in January next year, Batohi vowed to intensify efforts in the remaining months of her contract. The DA, however, remained sceptical, arguing that only bold reforms, not 'slapdash legislation', could restore public trust in the NPA.
