A 25-year-old man was charged Friday in connection with the fatal stabbing of another man on June 23 in Stockton.
Zion Gary entered a Stockton courtroom dressed in an orange jail jumpsuit as he heard for the first time the charges against him.
At the hearing, Gary was charged with the murder of Charles Clay, 35, who was killed on June 23 in the 400 block of San Joaquin Street.
Allegations for the murder count include the personal use of a non-firearm – a knife – as well as a special circumstance of robbery. Gary’s second charge was the robbery of Clay with an enhancement of the personal use of a non-firearm – a knife.
He was arrested on June 24 in Stockton, according to Stockton police.
In the back row of the courtroom there were several supporters of the victim who listened as the hearing took place.
Gary told San Joaquin County Superior Court Judge Chrishna Martinez that he needed a public defender, but when the judge tried to appoint him one she was told that the public defender’s office had a conflict.
Attorney Phillip Krueger took the case to represent Gary during the hearing, but it is expected that a different attorney will be appointed at the next hearing.
Bail was not allowed for Gary provisionally, Martinez ordered.
Gary is set to appear back in court at 1:30 p.m. on June 29 in Stockton.
A fatal stabbing
Stockton police officers responded at about 8:45 a.m. to the 400 Block San Joaquin Street on a report of a stabbing.
Clay was found at the scene suffering from multiple stab wounds, police said.
He was taken to a hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
Clay’s death marked June’s sixth homicide with a total of 15 homicides this year.
Record reporter Victoria Franco covers public safety in Stockton and San Joaquin County. She can be reached at vfranco@gannett.com. Support local news, subscribe to The Stockton Record at https://www.recordnet.com/subscribenow.
This article originally appeared on The Record: 25-year-old man arraigned in connection with Stockton June 23 homicide
Reporting by Victoria Franco, The Stockton Record / The Record
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By Victoria Franco, The Stockton Record | USA TODAY Network
