Features

Murder suspect makes first court appearance

Daily Planet Wire Service
Thursday October 17, 2002

OAKLAND – A 17-year-old boy suspected of shooting an Oakland police officer in the head last month made his first appearance in Alameda County Superior Court Wednesday. 

Terrence Hunter of Oakland has been charged in adult court with attempted murder of a police officer, assault with a firearm upon an officer, and unlawful possession of a firearm. 

Hunter appeared in court wearing a dark blue sweatshirt and tan pants. His hands were handcuffed to a chain encircling his waist during the short proceeding in which Judge Allan D. Hymer read the charges aloud. 

When the judge asked Hunter whether he could afford an attorney, the boy shrugged and said he could not. Hymer said he would assign an attorney from the public defender's office to the case and ordered Hunter to return to court today at 2 p.m. 

The allegations stem from the morning of Sept. 27, when Officer Ilario Juarez, 30, stopped in front of the Mosswood Motel at 683 W. MacArthur Blvd. at about 2:45 a.m. 

As Juarez, who was patrolling alone, approached a group of individuals lingering in the motel's driveway, one person immediately separated himself from the others and fired on the officer, police said. A bullet grazed Juarez's head. 

Hunter was stopped by police on the day of the shooting and later arrested when a check revealed that he was wanted on a probation violation, police said. He had been convicted of robbery in Contra Costa County last year and sentenced to stay at a group home, from which he allegedly fled.