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Decade Old Conviction Thrown Out In Ventura County At Prosecutor's Request

Man freed after DA's Office decides not to pursue retrial

A Ventura County man convicted of attempted murder, and other charges stemming from a 2009 shooting has had his convictions reversed, and is now free.

A review by advocates for Ignacio Ixta helped bring to light
information which questioned the credibility of the key witness in the case.

The DA’s office says there was no evidence that prosecutors at the time knew about the issue. But, they also say the questions about the witness mean that the convictions should be reversed, which a judge approved.

A veteran prosecutor was assigned to review the evidence to determine if Ixta should be retried. Based on available evidence, they decided they wouldn’t be able to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The judge approved the prosecution’s recommendation that all charges be dropped. Ixta was released from custody with his convictions cleared.

Lance Orozco has been News Director of KCLU since 2001, providing award-winning coverage of some of the biggest news events in the region, including the Thomas and Woolsey brush fires, the deadly Montecito debris flow, the Borderline Bar and Grill attack, and Ronald Reagan's funeral.