Gene Evin Atkins murder retrial begins in Los Angeles

A jury has begun deliberations in the retrial of Gene Evin Atkins, who is charged with second-degree murder in connection with a 2018 shooting in Silver Lake, Los Angeles. The incident involved a gunfight between Atkins and police that resulted in the death of Melyda Maricela Corado, a 27-year-old Trader Joe’s assistant store manager who was killed by an officer’s bullet after being caught in the crossfire.

During closing arguments, Deputy District Attorney Ben Schwartz argued that Corado’s death was a direct consequence of Atkins’ actions. Conversely, defense attorneys contended that the shooting was not a foreseeable result of the defendant's conduct.

Atkins was previously convicted in June on 40 other counts, including false imprisonment, attempted murder, and assault with a firearm on an officer. While that initial jury deadlocked on the second-degree murder charge regarding Corado, the current jury is expected to continue deliberations into Tuesday.