Two different incidents with alcohol involved, fights and claims that Brandon Watson said he was a Southside crip or a Sureno crip

Testimony at the Brandon Watson preliminary hearing started with Count 2. The incident at the Pearl was not prosecuted in 2016 and this count was added later in an amended complaint in January 2019.

The first witness for the People who testified at the Brandon Watson preliminary hearing was Antony Besselieu-Hill. He was at the Pearl in Eureka with his friend Brian Edwards. "We were drinking, enjoying time and hanging out with friends. We had contact with the defendant in front of the bar. My friend Brian and I were talking about gangs; that there were more of them; particularly 18th street gang."

"We were talking; the defendant interjected into our conversation. He seemed quite hostile to begin with. He said we didn't know what we were talking about. He said he was a Sureno crip."

"After Brian said we don't care, he ended up striking my friend Brian in the face." Besselieu-Hill said it was a "closed fist strike to the face."

"An altercation ensued between Brian and the defendant in front of the bar. The bouncer came out and separated us. Bouncer directed us to go out at the back of the bar." Besselieu-Hill said Watson was still out in front of the bar.

"When we got ushered out in the back, the door locked. Besselieu-Hill and Edwards got into another altercation with Watson and some other people.

Besselieu-Hill said he got stabbed by Watson. He said he was stabbed 10 times in the stomach, neck and left arm.

During cross examination by Watson's attorney, Ms. Andrea Sullivan, Besselieu-Hill said he had never seen Watson before. He learned Watson's name from law enforcement.

Besselieu-Hill, at that time was a correctiinal officer. He said he had three drinks that night.
Besselieu-Hill acknowledged that he and Edwards were asked to leave the Pearl for fighting. He could not remember "who with Brandon" attacked him first. He said Watson attacked him from the back. "It felt like weak punches." He didn't realize he was being stabbed at that time. Besselieu-Hill said Watson was in his peripheral vision.

The second witness was Edwards. "Antony was saying there were a lot of 18th street people in the jail lately." According to Edwards, Watson said, Fuck 18th Street. I am a Southside crip. We tried to ignore him. He wouldn't leave us alone."

In response to Watson asking "where they were from," Edwards said Sacramento. Edwards currently works at Pierson's. Watson said he was from Arizona.

Edwards told Watson, "I don't give a shit dude. That's when he punched me."

"We fought. Basically, I took him to the ground. I was pulled off him by Antony and the bouncer Jerome."

Edwards said that there were at least four other people outside with Watson. This is when they were behind Pearl. "He came and swung at me. I took him to the ground. I was on top of him. I was surrounded by people. I was being punched and kicked."

Edwards said another person, not Watson "followed me out in the alley. He kicked me. I pulled my hand out and it was soaked in blood. That's when Antony came out of the alley. He said, ,'I got stabbed' and that's when I realized I had been stabbed."

Edwards was in the hospital for 10 days. He had four stab wounds in the bacl.

When questioned by Ms. Sullivan, Edwards said he could not recall how many drinks he had at the Pearl; he said he was a "little bit intoxicated."

Edwards acknowledged he was in court "towards the end of Antony's testimony." Edwards said "at first" Watson's "demeanor was not hostile." He also acknowledged that Besselieu-Hill and he were asked to leave the Pearl because of the fight.

"We both got attacked at the same time," said Edwards. This was behind the Pearl. He did not see what was going on with Besselieu-Hill.  Edwards did not see any weapons in Watson's hand. Edwards only saw Watson with Besselieu-Hill. He said the others ran down the alley. Edwards said that Watson stabbed him.

"My whole back is covered in scars," said Edwards. Edwards removed his shirt and showed scars on his back. Edwards said he had a "punctured lung and punctured diaphragm."

The last People's witness was APD Detective Luke Scown. He responded to the Arcata Plaza  on October 25, 2018 to investigate a report about a stabbing. The crime scene was the corner of 9th and H. He saw "medical supplies and blood on the ground" outside the Garden Gate.

"I found blood drops of varying sizes from the No Parking sign to the alley to the Garden Gate."

Detective Scown went to the hospital and spoke with Sage Rios who identified the victim as "his friend Bo."

Rios told Detective Scown that the stabbing occurred in the alley. "He and Bo had been at Jambalaya. They had drinks and went outside the nightclub to smoke. "Bo was approached by someone. He recognized the person from Eureka." Bo is Peter Triantos.

"That person made some comment about gang banging, demanded $40 and said he was a Eureka crip."

The next day Rios identified Watson in a photo. After Watson made the comment and demanded money, ,"Bo laughed at him."

"Mr. Watson sucker punched Bo and a fight ensued," said Detective Scown. "The fight was broken up by some bystanders and staff of the Jambalaya. At that point, Bo, Sage, Mr. Watson and one other person movrd north on H street. Some comments were made in thr group. A fight occurred. They moved into the alley. Bo, Mr, Watson got into a fight, then Sage saw Mr. Watson tag him; stabbing him with a knife. Sage pulled Bo away."

Surveilance video was collected from ReMax Realty, said Detective Scown. Investigator Mar got video from other businesses. "The video was similar to what Mr. Rios told me."

"There was a white hat consistent with suspect description. The person with the long hair had distinct shoes." The shoes matched the ones collected from Triantos' belongings at the hospital.

When Detective Scown testified that Triantos "appeared deceased", Bo's father was crying, he wiped his tears. Detective Scown said Bo had a "total of four wounds consistent with sharp elements."

"Bo approaches the person with the white hat and slaps the back of his hat. That incident is broken up. Then another altercation ensues." Video doesn't capture some of that altercation. "Bo appears on video with Sage. Bo was hunched over."

Detective Scown told Ms. Sullivan, the video was not very clear. In the first altercation there were 5-10 people could be seen, "possibly 3 actively fighting."  Same thing with the second video. Detective Scown said there were 6 people in the second altercation. Hard to identify who was "actively involved. He said you cannot see someone stabbed in the video.

Detective Scown spoke with Watson two days after the stabbing. "Watson had a black eye. Watson told Detective Scown "he had been sleeping in the woods." There were additional photos taken at the jail. Watson had a bruise on his body. Watson told Detective Scown "he had been jumped by 6 people. Watson said that Bo lifted up his shirt. This is something Rios also told Detective Scown. Rios saud "blood was gushing out of his (Bo's) chest." Watson also said this to Detective Scown.

Ms. Sullivan asked how Triantos felt about the first fight and what he had said to Rios. "His impression was Mr. Triantos was pissed and he wanted to fight him some more."

Watson told Detective Scown that "he went into survival mode and that he was defending himself."

Detective Scown could not find information during the preliminary hearing on Triantos' blood alcohol content. Detective Scown also did not recall Sage Rios saying anything about Triantos drinking alcohol or using drugs or marijuana on October 25.

I did a post on October 26, 2028 about Triantos' arrest in Alabama.

https://johnchiv.blogspot.com/2018/10/peter-samuel-triantos-was-arrested-in.html?m=1


Ms. Andrea Sullivan asked that any allegations in Count 2 pertaining to Brian Joseph Edwards be stricken as no evidence was provided that Watson assaulted him. Ms. Sullivan said the evidence regarding Besselieu-Hill was weak.

Regarding Count 1, Ms. Sullivan said that the People had not shown pre-meditation and there "was a strong current of self defense" and provocation.

Previous posts:

https://johnchiv.blogspot.com/2019/04/peter-bo-triantos-parents-cried-in.html?m=1

https://johnchiv.blogspot.com/2019/04/brandon-watson-held-to-answer-on-murder.html?m=1