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David Cramer, John Harold Luebbers’ attorney, began his opening statement of the trial by admitting that his client shot and killed Louisiana Schnell School Principal Sam LaCara on Feb. 2, 2011. Luebbers would later be convicted of murder. “There’s no disputing that fact at all,” Cramer said, noting he was not surprised at the charges [...]
John Harold Luebbers, the former janitor convicted of murdering Louisiana Schnell School Principal Sam LaCara, appeared in court Friday afternoon for a partial restitution hearing. Deputy district attorney Joseph Alexander began the hearing by noting that he had submitted information regarding restitution that was only received by David Cramer, Luebbers’ attorney, earlier that day. As [...]
John Harold Luebbers, 45, the man found guilty of the slaying of Louisiana Schnell School Principal Sam LaCara, was sentenced to 50-years-to-life in prison Friday afternoon.
Luebbers was met with a packed courtroom, many wearing a white shirt emblazoned with “Schnell School Spring Walk-a-thon 2011.”
LaCara’s widow, Lisa, was first to come to the podium to read a victim impact statement.
“It’s pointless to put into words … the nightmare I and my daughters have lived,” she said …
After a little over two hours of deliberation, the jury of the John Harold Luebbers murder case returned a verdict of guilty in the charge of murder in the first degree April 24, and found all three special allegations true.
The trial began earlier that day with both prosecution and defense resting.
After submitting additional evidence for the jury’s use that had already been used in testimony, Deputy District Attorney Joe Alexander rested his case against Luebbers. David Cramer, Luebbers’ attorney, rested his case immediately after, calling no witnesses and offering no further evidence.
“Murder cases are never pretty,” deputy district attorney Joe Alexander told El Dorado County Judge James R. Wagoner at the start of the second day of the John Luebbers murder trial Thursday. Alexander was arguing for the use in the case of an autopsy photograph of Louisiana Schnell School Principal Sam LaCara’s heart, with a [...]
Editor’s note: This is Part II of a two-part story about the first day of the Luebbers trial. Part I can be found here. Louisiana Schnell School Principal Sam LaCara had a routine he went through each day. He arrived at his office around 7:30 a.m. An hour later, he stood out in front of [...]
David Cramer, John Harold Luebbers’ attorney, began his opening statement of the trial by admitting that his client shot and killed Louisiana Schnell School Principal Sam LaCara on Feb. 2, 2011.
“There’s no disputing that fact at all,” Cramer said, noting he was not surprised at the charges brought against his client. “It could be murder, but looks can be deceiving. This case is about one thing — was there malice and forethought?”
Cramer claimed that the killing of LaCara was an act of passion over a “sudden quarrel.”
The somber atmosphere of Jonathan David Pereira’s sentencing hearing took a turn to the absurd when the defendant pleaded with the court to grant him the death penalty.
Pereira, who was found guilty on six counts relating to child molestation and possession of child pornography by a jury in March, was first determined by Judge Daniel B. Proud to not be eligible for probation. After declaring this, Judge Proud opened the floor to the counsel.
Dain Weiner, Pereira’s attorney, noted that Pereira was being judged over a single incident that took place over a few minutes in Pereira’s home. He believed that the sentence of three terms of 15 years-to-life should be served concurrently.
A short hearing concerning the case of John Harold Luebbers took place in the early afternoon of April 5 to pin down the timeline leading up to the trial. El Dorado Superior Court Judge James R. Wagoner met with Luebbers’ attorney David Cramer and deputy district attorney Joe Alexander to hammer out details of a [...]
John Harold Luebbers appeared behind closed doors on April 2 to confirm the counsel is ready for a trial. After the hearing, Deputy District Attorney Joe Alexander confirmed the trial will start on April 10 with jury selection. There will be no room for the public or media during the selection. Once the jury is selected [...]
John Harold Luebbers appeared in court behind closed doors Friday morning, with an end result of his trial being pushed back. Due to an out-of-service elevator, Luebbers, among other inmates, had his hearing held behind closed doors due to lack of space in a small courtroom. As a result of the hearing, Luebbers’ trial has [...]
John Harold Luebbers appeared in court on Friday for a quick pre-trial hearing. Luebbers appeared alongside other inmates and accused criminals, with his portion of the proceedings taking no more than five minutes. David Kramer, Luebbers’ public defender, told El Dorado Superior Court Judge James R. Wagoner that there had been issues within his office, [...]
By all accounts, Sam LaCara was a good man. Loved by his family, friends and students, LaCara was as well-known for his compassionate, empathetic nature as he was for his white short-sleeved button-up shirts. LaCara had found his true calling as an educator. For needy students, he was known to buy new shoes or help settle cafeteria [...]
John Harold Luebbers, the El Dorado man charged with the first-degree murder of Louisiana Schnell School principal Sam LaCara, appeared in court Monday afternoon for a brief pre-trial hearing. During the hearing, which lasted no more than two minutes, Luebbers’ public defender, David Cramer, told El Dorado County Superior Court Judge James R. Wagoner that [...]
The man accused of gunning down Louisiana Schnell School principal Sam LaCara briefly appeared in court Monday afternoon, just 24 hours shy of the six-month anniversary of the beloved administrator’s death. John Harold Luebbers was present Monday for a readiness and settlement conference in Placerville’s Main Street Courthouse. Luebbers, 44, is accused of fatally shooting LaCara, 50, [...]
EL DORADO HILLS — Nearly five months after the shooting death of Louisiana Schnell School principal Sam LaCara in Placerville, El Dorado County law enforcement staged its annual Active Intruder Training this week, ensuring that all county agencies are prepared for future threats on school campuses. This year’s training, the ninth annual hosted by the El [...]
The man accused of shooting and killing Louisiana Schnell School Principal Sam LaCara was formally indicted by a grand jury Monday morning. John Harold Luebbers, 44, was present in an El Dorado County Superior Courtroom Monday with deputy public defender David Cramer when news of the indictment was announced. Superior Court Judge James R. Wagoner presented [...]