A gang member suspected of killing Janessa Ramirez admitted to firing a gun that police believe killed the 9-year-old girl outside a Fresno laundromat a year ago, a police detective testified Friday in Fresno County Superior Court.
Police say Janessa was killed by a stray bullet fired during a gunfight between two rival gang members on Marks Avenue north of Clinton Avenue during the evening hours of Jan. 18, 2015.
Prosecutor William Terrence contends Brian Cooks, 23, committed murder because he fired a gun in the gunfight that ended up killing Janessa.
Defense attorney Curtis Sok, however, says Cooks is not guilty of murder because he fired his gun at a drive-by shooter in self-defense.