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NBCSanDiego.com

Video: Emotions Boil Over Outside Courtroom


Emotions Boil Over Outside Courtroom

SAN DIEGO -- Emotions ran very high at the East County Courthouse where a man is accused of manslaughter in connection to the death of a 22-year-old woman.

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Images: Truck Driver Arrested After Fatal Pileup
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Amy Kortlang's family is upset that the man accused of killing their loved one, Rafael Ramirez Perez, has been allowed to change his attorney the day he was supposed to be sentenced and may soon be allowed to change his guilty plea.

Perez asked for a new attorney last Wednesday and also said he wanted to change his guilty plea to second-degree manslaughter and DUI for Kortlang's death. She was killed in a head-on crash on state Route 67 in Ramona in October by a car driven by Perez.

Kortlang's family went to the courthouse expecting to see Perez sentenced; instead, the case has been continued. Outside the courtroom, the Kortlang family faced off with Perez's relatives.

"Where's the Border Patrol?" Melanie Kortlang, Amy's mother, said while gesturing at Perez's family.

"God bless everybody, to all of you," said a female relative of Perez's.

"God bless everybody," said a male relative.

"You think that's going to take care of it?" a man in the hallway told Perez's family. "You think that takes care of it? That doesn't take care of it."

In court Monday, Perez had little to say. His new attorney successfully argued for a delay in sentencing for four weeks.

Perez had at least four other DUI convictions in the past, and, after serving time for his last conviction, he was deported to Mexico. The incident in which Kortlang was killed took place seven months later.

Melanie Kortlang told NBC 7/39 that she thought Perez is making a mockery of the legal system.

"I can tell you, I'm sick to death," said Kortlang. "I want the SOB behind bars forever -- that's even too good for him, because what I would really like is the death penalty, and I swear to you I will be working on getting some kind of law, because you get behind the wheel drunk and you kill somebody, by God you should be held just as accountable for what crime you committed."

Perez was given a new sentencing date of Feb. 22, but that date is not etched in stone, because if he is allowed to change his plea, the court process will move on from that point.

Previous Stories:
January 18, 2007: Request To Change Plea Outrages Victim's Family
October 12, 2006: Man Accused Of Killing Woman Was In U.S. Illegally
October 12, 2006: Suspect In Fatal Pileup Has 4 DUI Convictions
October 10, 2006: Truck Driver Arrested After Fatal Pileup

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[AMOS]

Where's Border Patrol? Two of them are in jail for shooting a drug smuggling illegal alien in the butt. He went back over the border and left behind some 700+ plus pounds of pot. US authorities went after him and offered immunity for his testimony against the agents. Charged with violating his civil rights. Violating the civil rights of a non-civilian. Good trick if ya kin do it.

Once again, where am I?

Can't find a link right now.