Man convicted of killing Janessa Ramirez has sentence reduced

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Brian Cooks, the antheral convicted of sidesplitting nine-year-old Janessa Ramirez, got his condemnation chopped down by respective years.

Six years aft Brian Cooks archetypal learned helium would walk 21 years successful situation for manslaughter, helium petitioned for a re-sentencing nether a caller California law.

Late Wednesday greeting astatine the Fresno County Courthouse, the loved ones of 9-year-old Janessa Ramirez shared their affectional statements to Brian Cooks.

"My grandbaby is dormant Because of immoderate choices that Mr. Cook made connected January 15th," said Victoria Posas, Janessa's grandmother. "There's not a time that goes by, I person unrecorded with grief, and mourn and loss."

In January 2015, Fresno Police said Cooks fired 1 slug from a 9mm weapon astatine a rival pack member. The slug struck and killed Janessa, who was lasting successful beforehand of a West Central Fresno laundromat with her mother.

Stacy Gonzales, Janessa's mother, addressed Cooks successful the courtroom.

"You took my champion person distant from me," said Gonzales, "like they said, I didn't get to spot her postgraduate precocious school. I didn't get to acquisition thing you get to bash with a daughter."

Earlier this month, Cooks petitioned for a caller condemnation nether a California law, which allows definite radical who were convicted of aiding and abetting an attempted execution oregon radical who were charged with execution but convicted of manslaughter, tin inquire to beryllium resentenced.

"It's the injustice of the instrumentality that's not lone going to impact my family, but galore families," said Posas.

Cooks was convicted of sidesplitting Janessa successful 2018 and sentenced to 21 years successful jail.

However, successful court, Cooks agreed to retreat his petition. The tribunal decided to onslaught down a five-year anterior enhancement, reducing Cook's condemnation to 16 years.

Action News spoke to household members of Brian Cooks aft the hearing.

"Nothing we accidental oregon bash volition bring Janessa back, but if we privation justice, we indispensable fto her psyche rest," said Maishell Akins, a relative of Cooks. "We profoundly apologize to the family, and we would emotion to find immoderate mode to bring our families closer. Yes, this was an accident, but my relative is not a kid killer. He is precise remorseful for what happened."

Cooks is besides ordered to wage restitution to Janessa's family.

In 2015, Cooks spoke with Action News and said helium didn't mean to deed Janessa and that helium was lone shooting successful self-defense.

In a statement, the Fresno County District Attorney's Office addressed Cooks's condemnation being shortened.

"In 2015, the execution of 9-year-old Janessa Ramirez sent shockwaves passim Fresno County. On March 5th, 2015, portion lasting extracurricular of a laundromat, Janessa was changeable and killed by Brian Cooks.

On March 5th, 2018, Brian Cooks was sentenced to a determinate word of 21 years for her murder. Senate Bill 1437 was signed into instrumentality successful aboriginal that twelvemonth and provided a process for those convicted of murder, attempted murder, and voluntary manslaughter to petition for re-sentencing, which permitted Brian Cooks the accidental to petition the tribunal for a simplification of his sentence.

Today, Brian Cooks was resentenced to a reduced word of 16 years due to the fact that of SB 1437.

Today's resentencing subjected Janessa's household to further symptom and trauma that the State Legislature caused erstwhile enacting this portion of legislation.

Today's resentencing exposes 1 of the galore travesties that the overarching transgression justness reforms are causing successful the transgression justness systems, it further victimizes those who person mislaid loved ones owed to senseless acts of violence."