The Sunnyvale Sun

News

Three accused of killing face trial soon

By JASON GOLDMAN-HALL

Three men indicted in the July 12, 2005, shooting death of Sunnyvale resident Cephus Brown are scheduled to go on trial in Santa Clara County in August on charges of murder and attempted murder.

Deputy District Attorney Peter Waite is assigned to the case. He said the trial is scheduled to start Aug. 14, but adds, "I don't expect it to start then. It will probably be continued to give the defense time to prepare."

It's been almost exactly one year since Brown was killed and the three men were arrested in connection with the slaying.

On July 12, Brown--a former Homestead High School football star--and his cousin Laville Harvey were shot while driving north on Sunnyvale-Saratoga Road near Alberta Drive.

By July 27, 2005, police had arrested three men: San Jose residents Eric Pape and Devin Furlanicbabic, and Los Gatos resident Bryson Cole. The trio were charged with murder, attempted murder and conspiracy to commit murder.

On the evening of July 12, Harvey said he and Brown dropped a friend off near Sunnyvale-Saratoga Road and were heading north when another car began following them. The two men slowed down, thinking it was the police, but Harvey said he saw one of the men pulling a gun and told his cousin to "floor it."

Harvey said the first bullet hit Brown in his shoulder and made him crash the car. The two then tried to run away, but Brown was shot again, this time in the head.

Harvey managed to escape after being shot, but Brown was declared dead at a local hospital.