News briefs for November 19, 2001

Monday, Nov. 19, 2001 | 9:48 a.m.

Police shooting victim sentenced

A man who won a $15 million settlement after being shot and paralyzed by Los Angeles Police officers has been placed into drug diversion program because of local drug charges.

Javier Ovando, 23, pleaded guilty to transportation of a controlled substance in August and was sentenced by District Judge Michael Douglas Thursday, Deputy District Attorney Melisa de la Garza said.

Participants in diversion programs are placed on probation for three to five years and ordered to participate in such things as community service and Drug Court.

If Ovando successfully completes probation, the transportation charge will be dismissed. If he does not, he will go to prison for one to six years.

Ovando was arrested along with five others on March 13 after police discovered $50,000, cocaine and marijuana in a vehicle in which they were allegedly speeding.

Ovando's shooting by L.A. police in 1996 was one of the the cases highlighted when it was revealed that a number of police at the Rampart station beat, robbed and shot suspects.

Convict loses high court appeal

Michael M. Fultz, sentenced to 270 years in prison for pulling a string of robberies in the Las Vegas Valley in 1993, has lost his appeal to the Nevada Supreme Court.

The court rejected Fultz' petition to withdraw his guilty plea to kidnapping and robbery charges, a plea he said he made because he didn't understand the possible sentences.

Fultz, now 27, also said he was not competent to plead guilty because he was on psychotropic medication. That claim was also turned down.

Fultz, Michael Lambert and Narviez Alexander pulled off numerous robberies, including two at Albertsons supermarkets on Oct. 15, 1993, and a third one five days later.

Alexander received a 210-year sentence and Lambert got 70 years.