The Associated Press
COMPTON, Calif. (AP) -- A 19-year-old man was charged Thursday with murdering an off-duty Los Angeles County police captain who was taking a pre-dawn bicycle ride.
Orvis Camillo Anthony, 19, of Gardena pleaded innocent to one count each of murdering and attempting to rob Capt. Michael Sparkes, 53, commander of security at the county’s Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.
The murder charge was filed as a potential death penalty case, but the district attorney’s office said prosecutors had not decided whether to seek death or life in prison.
Anthony, alleged to be a gang member, was also charged with one count of attempted robbery.
Prosecutors also alleged four so-called special circumstances with the murder count: street gang murder, murder during an attempted robbery, murder during a drive-by shooting and murder of a peace officer. Another special circumstance alleged that both criminal counts involved street terrorism.
Sparkes was riding his bike in South Los Angeles about 5:30 a.m. Tuesday when he was confronted by two men, authorities said. One of the men was armed with an AK-47 assault rifle and there was an exchange of gunfire. Sparkes died at the medical center.
Anthony was arrested later Tuesday.