Murder Charge Against Robber Ends in Mistrial

A mistrial has been declared in the case of a robber charged with murder for his accomplices’ death at the hands of a controversial LAPD unit.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Carol Fisch said no decision had been made on whether to retry Michael Rochelle Smith for murder and other charges of assault on the police officers. The jury failed to resolve the assault charges.

Smith, who was a police informant, was prosecuted on the legal theory that holds all those who join to commit crimes are criminally responsible for each other’s acts.

Detectives with the LAPD’s Special Investigations Section were tailing Smith when he and three accomplices robbed the ClassRoom bar in Northridge as a getaway driver waited in the alley.

Police cornered the thieves in a cul-de-sac.

When one of the thieves pointed a gun at the officers, they opened fire and killed Smith’s three accomplices. Smith escaped unharmed.

The SIS unit has been mired in controversy for a decade, since a Times investigation revealed the detectives routinely waited for suspects commit serious crimes before attempting to capture them.

SIS detectives also had a relatively high percentage of shootings during arrests.

The same jurors on Monday had acquitted Smith of a second murder charge but convicted him of 14 robberies and three attempted robberies which preceded the shooting.