Judge reduces bail for former California Assembly speaker's son
It is cut in half to $1 million each for Esteban Nuñez and three co-defendants in the fatal stabbing of a San Diego college student.
Reporting from San Diego — A judge today reduced bail to $1-million each for the son of a former California Assembly speaker and three other co-defendants in the alleged murder of a San Diego college student.
Brad Patton, a lawyer for Esteban Nuñez, said the family will be able to meet the bail requirements. Nuñez, 19, is expected to be released from jail by late tonight.
San Diego County Judge David Szumowski reduced the bail over the protest of Deputy Dist. Atty. Jill DiCarlo, who said it should remain at the $2 million set last week when Esteban Nuñez and the three co-defendants were arraigned.
His father, former Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez, attended the brief hearing, as did two dozen other family members and friends.
DiCarlo scoffed at letters submitted on behalf of Esteban Nuñez by family friends. She submitted pictures from MySpace.com showing him stabbing a frog and preparing to stab a kitten.
Patton protested the "notion that my client is playing the daddy card."
Esteban Nuñez; Rafael Garcia, 19; Ryan Kelly Jett, 22; and Leshanor Thomas, 19, are accused of murder and three counts of assault with a deadly weapon in an alleged knife attack on a group of partygoers Oct. 4 near San Diego State that left Luis Dos Santos, 22, dead of a stab wound to the heart.
Perry is a Times staff writer.
tony.perry@latimes.com
