Guadalupe Solis-Diaz Jr. looks to see who is sitting in the courtroom benches this afternoon.
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – Guadalupe Solis-Diaz Jr., now 23, will have to wait two extra months to find out if his nearly 93-year sentence might get reduced.
The former Centralia High School student was given the lengthy term for a drive-by shooting in downtown Centralia days before his 17th birthday, an incident in which several bar patrons on a sidewalk escaped injury.
Last year, the state Court of Appeals last year tossed out his virtual life sentence referencing various matters that should have been handled more thoroughly, given that he was a juvenile.
The expected half-day hearing was set for mid-December, but Lewis County Superior Court Judge Nelson Hunt will be out for several weeks.
This afternoon, Lewis County Senior Deputy Prosecutor Sarah Beigh and defense attorney Robert Quillian told the judge they could conduct the proceedings on Feb. 21.
Solis-Diaz made a brief appearance in court, shackled and chained at the ankles. His mother and other family members were among those in the courtroom, clad in matching black T-shirts featuring the young man’s face, his name and the words, “Needs a second chance in life.”
Solis-Diaz was convicted in 2007 of numerous offenses, including multiple counts of first-degree assault while armed with a firearm the terms for which state law mandated must be served consecutively.
Quillian said he’s still waiting to hear back from the judge about his request for funds for an expert to evaluate his client’s emotional and mental maturity, something Quillian said he understood the appeal decision called for.
The decision came from a personal restraint petition filed by Kimberly D. Ambrose of the University of Washington School of Law Race and Justice Clinic in 2011. A number of other attorneys filed briefs as well on Solis-Diaz’s behalf.
The challenge was made in light of a 2010 U.S. Supreme Court decision that held a sentence of life without parole is forbidden for a juvenile who did not commit homicide, however the appeals judges focused on the deficient performance of the court-appointed attorney.
A U.W. law school student of Ambrose’s among those assisting Quillian traveled to the courthouse as well today and met with the family, but declined comment.
•••
For background, read: “Lewis County judge takes issue with forced do-over of drive-by shooter sentencing” from Wednesday September 11, 2013, here
Guadalupe Solis-Diaz Jr.’s family wear their support of him on T-shirts.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
I was in the jury pool for his trial. They wanted to make sure of a fair trial so they had twice the usual number of prospective jurors. They still chose the jury out of the first half, so I was not considered, thankfully.
However, during the entire jury questioning process there was a young man standing at the back of the court room glaring at everyone. It was somewhat intimidating. These are people so filled with hate you really don’t want them out in society. Still, the penalty was excessive. Fifty years would have been enough.
BobbyinLC writes, “The Supreme Court ruling was handed down in 2010 and this conviction was in 2007. The rulings should be like new laws. You can’t pass a law today and charge someone for breaking it yesterday.”
You’re correct that ex post facto laws are forbidden by the US Constitution. However, a Supreme Court ruling such as this is not a new law, as it wasn’t written by the Legislature. It is a determination that an existing law (or set of laws) was never legal to begin with.
Guess he should have taken the plea bargain.
Man up and take responsibility for your actions!
I WANT TO ASK”WHY THIS NUMBER?”IS IT A COMBINATION OF ALL HIS CHARGES COMBINED? IF SO,HE DID THE CRIMES AND I BET IT WASNT HIS FIRST TIME IN TROUBLE WITH THE LAW…IM SICK OF KIDS THINKING THEY CAN GET AWAY WITH ANYTHING DUE TO THEM BEING MINORS! MAKE THEM TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR ACTIONS!
Jackie…he had a chance. He had a chance to NOT shoot into a crowd while driving down the street. But he chose the chance of getting his ass thrown in jail for being stupid and he just got lucky that nobody was killed or seriously injured. Doesn’t matter the outcome of his stupidity; he still did it. Do you mean you think they are RACIST?? Not sure what racis means. It’s a stupid statement, regardless of how you spell it.
Everyone deserves a chance 90 years is pathetic I feel there racis
He is in prison serving his sentence. The Supreme Court ruling was handed down in 2010 and this conviction was in 2007. The rulings should be like new laws. You can’t pass a law today and charge someone for breaking it yesterday. The sentencing was legal when it was imposed in 2007. I agree 93 years is a little over board especially where no one got hurt. On the other hand firing randomly at a crowd as you drive by is a serious offense. Just glad i am not a judge!
They aren’t trying to get him off. They just think the punishment should fit the crime. Which it clearly doesn’t here. I have seen worse crimes get less time right here in LC.
The shirts should read:
“Needs a second shot.”
Perhaps when he gets out he can live next door to Kimberly Ambrose.
Send this piece of shit to prison already.