Chief prosecution witness offered several versions of killing, mother testifies

A man accused as an accessory to murder in an August 2006 drive-by shooting told his mother that he was actually the killer, a Costa Mesa detective testified in court Monday.

Patricia Morin testified during the Joshua Blount murder trial Monday that her son, Anthony Dispensa, told her that he shot a gun during the Aug. 2, 2006 slaying of Israel Maciel in Costa Mesa and then asked her to be his alibi. Costa Mesa detective Dana Potts corroborated her story, testifying he remembered Morin saying her son admitted to shooting Maciel.

Defense attorneys maintain that Blount did not participate in the drive-by shooting he’s accused of coordinating. Defense attorney Barry Bernstein said Dispensa was the shooter.

Blount, 24, is on trial for murder and four counts of attempted murder after allegedly opening fire on a group of men from a car in an alley in the 1300 block of Baker Street, according to prosecutors. Dispensa is charged as an accessory to murder.

The story Dispensa told his mother during that conversation was one of many, she testified. In other versions, Dispensa, or “Tony,” as his mother calls him, said he was not there when the shooting occurred, that he only shot in the air or that his friend Paul Velarde was the only shooter. Dispensa testified Blount was driving.

None of the stories Morin testified she was told match the evidence, prosecutor Matt Murphy argued. Previous witnesses testified that the driver of the car, a silver Chevy Impala, was the only shooter. Potts testified there was only one shooter.

Morin testified during cross-examination that her son later told her neither he nor Blount shot anyone that day, and she believed him.

Bernstein is expected to rest his case this afternoon, followed by closing arguments by both attorneys. Jurors will most likely start deliberating tomorrow.