Man given life without parole in Tulare County gets sentence reduced to 7 years

VISALIA, Calif. ( KSEE/KGPE ) – A man who was originally given a sentence of life without the possibility of parole following a carjacking that turned deadly in 2003 has had his sentence reduced to seven years, according to the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office.

The DA’s office says 40-year-old Jesus Gayton was originally sentenced following an incident on Christmas Day 2003.

Gayton and other gang members attempted to steal a car from a man at an apartment complex in Visalia. One of the gang members was killed during the crime, leading to a conviction of special circumstance first-degree murder during a robbery.

However, earlier this month, the DA’s office says the defendant petitioned for a resentencing under SB 1437. The petition resulted in his conviction being changed to attempted carjacking with a prior strike.

Gayton’s sentence was reduced from life without the possibility of parole to seven years, officials say.

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