DISTRICT ATTORNEY BOB LEE ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT DAMIEN SETH SMITH WAS CONVICTED OF 1ST DEGREE MURDER IN THE DEATH OF DON PAUL KOVAKOVICH. THE JURY TRIAL LASTED 6 WEEKS. KOVAKOVICH WAS FOUND DEAD IN A SANTA CRUZ HOTEL ROOM, IN APRIL OF 2003. HE HAD BEEN BRUTALLY BEATEN AND STRANGLED . SMITH, WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON SEEN WITH KOVAKOVICH , WAS ARRESTED WHILE USING THE VICTIM'S CAR. EVIDENCE PRESENTED AT TRIAL ESTABLISHED THAT THE 2 MEN SHARED DRUGS AND HAD A SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP. THE JURY DELIBERATED FOR ALMOST 4 DAYS BEFORE REACHING THEIR VERDICT.

IN THE SCOTT PETERSON TRIAL, BOTH SIDES HAVE CONCLUDED THEIR CASE AND JURORS BEGAN DELIBERATING TODAY. PETERSON IS SUSPECTED OF MURDERING HIS PREGNANT WIFE LACI IN DECEMBER OF 2002. JURY SELECTION STARTED IN REDWOOD CITY BACK IN MARCH. IF THE JURY DECIDES ON A GUILTY VERDICT, THERE ARE 2 CHOICES THEY COULD MAKE. ONE IS 1ST-DEGREE MURDER, IN WHICH A DEATH SENTENCE IS POSSIBLE, OR LIFE WITHOUT PAROLE. THE OTHER CHOICE IS 2ND-DEGREE MURDER, CARRYING 2 SENTENCES OF 15 YEARS TO LIFE.

OUT OF 13 MEASURES VOTED ON IN MONTEREY COUNTY, ONLY 5 PASSED. THEY ARE:

MEASURES C, D, E, L, AND M.
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IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY THERE WERE ALSO 13 MEASURES, BUT ONLY 4 OF THEM DID NOT GET APPROVED BY THE VOTERS. THOSE MEASURES THAT DID NOT GET VOTER APPROVAL WERE:

MEASURE J (THE HALF-CENT SPECIAL TAX)
MEASURE K (THE 9-1-1 FEE WAS NOT REPEALED)
MEASURE Q (THE INCREASED SALES TAX IN WATSONVILLE)
AND
MEASURE T (THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE FEE IN WATSONVILLE WAS NOT REPEALED).

5th DISTRICT SUPERVISOR MARK STONE WILL CONTINUE IN THAT ROLE AFTER GETTING 57 PERCENT OF THE VOTE.

4 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN CHOSEN IN THE SANTA CRUZ CITY COUNCIL RACE. THEY ARE EMILY REILLY, RYAN COONERTY, TONY MADRIGAL, AND ED PORTER.

IN SCOTTS VALLEY VOTERS CHOSE 3 CITY COUNCILMEMBERS. THEY ARE DENE BUSTICHI, RANDY JOHNSON, AND CLIFF BARRETT.

CAPITOLA VOTERS CHOSE 2 PEOPLE TO REPRESENT THEM ON THE CITY COUNCIL. THOSE 2 ARE KIRBY NICOL AND MICHAEL V TERMINI.

AND IN WATSONVILLE 3 SEATS WERE UP FOR GRABS ON THE CITY COUNCIL. MANUEL Q BERSAMIN WON THE
1ST DISTRICT RACE WITH 60 PERCENT, WHILE OSCAR RIOS RECEIVED 66 PERCENT OF THE VOTE IN THE 2ND DISTRICT, AND JUDY DOERING-NIELSEN RAN UNOPPOSED IN THE 6TH DISTRICT.