California judge frees second murder suspect without bail as DA warns 'people's lives' are at risk

A California judge has once again released an individual charged with murder without requiring them to post any bail — marking the second such decision in just a matter of weeks and inflaming tensions between the bench and prosecutors.

The latest defendant to walk free pending trial is Agustin Sandoval, one of two men charged in connection with a fatal shooting that occurred outside a Sunnyvale nightclub on June 8, 2017. Authorities say the killing, which left 21-year-old Edu Veliz-Salgado dead and a 24-year-old man wounded, was tied to gang activity. For years, the investigation stalled, but in 2024 detectives from Sunnyvale’s Department of Public Safety identified Sandoval and a second suspect, Vicente Aguilera-Chavez, as those allegedly responsible. Prosecutors have said Sandoval is believed to have been driving the vehicle from which the gunfire was unleashed.

During a hearing held Friday, Judge Hector Ramon granted Sandoval release on his own recognizance — meaning the accused murderer was freed without paying any bail. This mirrors Ramon’s decision from Oct. 31, when he released Aguilera-Chavez under the same conditions despite prosecutors’ protests that Aguilera not only had a violent criminal history, but also had been in state prison twice and was a documented gang member.

Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen expressed alarm, insisting that the judge’s choices have now placed two murder suspects back into the community. Rosen stated that the likelihood of one of them reoffending or evading prosecution had effectively been doubled, adding that “people’s lives ride on those odds.” He emphasized that he was particularly stunned when Aguilera — whom Rosen described as extremely dangerous — was permitted to leave custody. According to Rosen, these judicial decisions go far beyond the bounds of what any reasonable judge might do and represent a serious threat to public safety.

The district attorney’s office tried, unsuccessfully, to persuade Judge Ramon to reverse his ruling regarding Aguilera’s release. In their filing, prosecutors argued that although Aguilera had not been arrested in recent years, this should not outweigh his long criminal record or the brazen way he allegedly shot and killed a stranger in public simply because the victim was intoxicated and being verbally disruptive.

Defense attorneys, however, pushed back against the DA’s framing. Sandoval’s lawyer, Deputy Alternate Defender Kristin Carter, claimed in court that her client has not committed any new felonies or caused harm to anyone in the years since the 2017 shooting. For Aguilera-Chavez, Deputy Public Defender Jennifer Redding filed a motion in October arguing that her client had strong community ties, posed no threat if supervised, and was eager to clear his name. Redding insisted there was no compelling public-safety rationale for keeping Aguilera behind bars before trial.

With both men now free without posting bail, the controversy surrounding Judge Ramon’s decisions continues to grow, particularly as critics warn that the rulings could endanger the community while supporters of the defendants maintain that the judge merely recognized their right to await trial outside of jail.

SOURCE: FOX NEWS