VAN NUYS : Driver Convicted in Fatal Robbery

A La Crescenta man was convicted of conspiracy Tuesday for driving the car used in a botched robbery attempt in Van Nuys that led to the fatal shooting of one of the would-be thieves, a former Glendale High School football star.

After a non-jury trial, Superior Court Judge Kathryne Ann Stoltz convicted Ian Jerde, 20, of conspiracy to commit robbery in the Nov. 13 incident.

Jerde, a Glendale College student, faces up to five years in state prison when he is sentenced on July 23.

Stoltz found that Jerde and two passengers knew that 17-year-old Shawn Cole was armed with a BB gun that looked like a real semiautomatic pistol and that he planned to “jack” someone when he instructed Jerde to cruise darkened suburban streets in search of a victim.

Cole, who was Glendale High’s leading rusher last season until he was suspended for academic reasons, selected off-duty Sheriff’s Deputy Robert Carr as the target.

But when Cole and his best friend, Abel Tiannti Cason, 18, approached Carr, the rookie deputy pulled his own weapon and shot Cole three times in the chest.

Although Jerde was in his car several houses away during the attempted robbery, he never formally told the others that he was not part of the plot to commit a robbery, said Deputy Dist. Atty. Linda Acaldo.

“It was a very foolish thing to do--not to leave when someone is going to commit a crime--but this is not a crime,” defense attorney Stephen Lee said as he asked Stoltz to acquit his client.

Jerde and Cason were both originally charged with murder, but two different judges dismissed the charges because of insufficient evidence.

Cason, who ran from the scene when shooting broke out, pleaded guilty to the same conspiracy charge. He was sentenced last month to one year in jail and three years probation.

The fourth man involved, 18-year-old Andrew Wright, was not prosecuted because he agreed to testify against the other two and because he clearly stated that he wanted no part of the planned armed robbery, Acaldo said.