Kidnap-murder trial opens for Jesse James Hollywood [Updated]

Nine years after the slaying of a 15-year-old West Hills boy, Jesse James Hollywood on Friday faced a jury that will determine whether he is guilty in the crime that inspired the 2007 film "Alpha Dog."

Prosecutors allege that Hollywood masterminded the kidnapping and murder of Nicholas Markowitz to avenge a $1,200 drug debt owed by Markowitz's stepbrother. If convicted, he could face the death penalty.

In his opening statement, Santa Barbara County Deputy Dist. Atty. Joshua Lynn described Hollywood, now 29, as "a ruthless coward.'' 

He acknowledged that Hollywood, a high school baseball player turned San Fernando Valley drug dealer, was not present when the boy was marched up to a Santa Barbara trail head, beaten on the skull with a shovel, shot nine times and buried in a shallow grave.

But he likened Hollywood to an NFL coach "barking orders on the sidelines'' and choreographing the boy's execution.

Four others have been convicted in the crime. Ryan Hoyt, an old friend of Hollywood's dating to their Little League days together, has been convicted as the shooter and sentenced to death. 

Hollywood fled and was arrested in Brazil in 2005. 

[Updated, 3:30 p.m.: In his opening statement, defense attorney James Blatt said Hollywood participated in the boy's initial kidnapping from West Hills, but he had nothing to do with the later abduction from a Santa Barbara motel and his subsequent murder.

Hoyt took that upon himself, Blatt said, disputing the prosecution's portrait of Hollywood as a cold-blooded manipulator.

"He's no angel," Blatt said. "But he's not a powerful Manson-esque individual that somehow controls his crew and gets them to do his bidding."]

"Alpha Dog'' was at the heart of court battles for several years. Blatt tried unsuccessfully to have the Santa Barbara County district attorney's office removed from the case after it came out that prosecutor Ron Zonen had shared confidential files with producer Nick Cassavetes.

The state Supreme Court, while criticizing Zonen, said he had done nothing illegal, but the office assigned the case to another prosecutor.]

-- Steve Chawkins

Photo: Jesse James Hollywood in 2005.

Credit: Associated Press

Comments

[erik91764]

People like this Jesse James clown don't deserve any mercy at all.

[jojo]

bling bling amerika

[Marie]

Is that really his name?? What a punk! A Charles Manson in the making, barking orders to others while the coward stays behind.

[lula]

to jojo,

Like this doesn't happen in any other country ... take your socialist comment and your socialist self and ship yourself out of here.

[Pam]

to Lulu...do your really want to send jojo to a socialist country like Sweden or any of the other horrible socialist countries like Canada or the UK or France or Finland or.....? You must really like jojo! Do you have ANY idea of what you're talking about or just parroting idiots like o'reilly and limbaugh?!

[joe]

I have known Jesse since he was born his parents are my friends he has no magical power over anyone and is not Charles Manson the guy's who killed the kid have already been convicted and that is that.This is all about revenge.

[US_DOJ_Gov]

To JOE @ 3:33 PM:

You are clearly & severely biased due to "Being Friends With Jesse James Hollywood's Parents" & are not admitting to the evidence that lay in front of you.

If JJH were so innocent - Why did he flee San Fernando Valley to his uncle's home 1,000-miles away in Colorado within 1 day after the murder ??

Why did JJH then flee the United States to Brazil 5,100-miles away with the help of his Uncle & Father within a day after arriving in Colorado ??

Remember - JJH's uncle has already been convicted for his role in helping JJH flee the United States !!

JJH's father was also convicted, as well & served 1 year.

You do not flee the country that fast when you're innocent !!

JJH had no idea if his cohorts were even being arrested, let alone what they were saying to Police since JJH fled the country within a day after the murder.

So JJH certainly did not flee the country because he thought his friends were setting him up to take the fall for murder !!

That's just one (1) piece of evidence among several hundred that JJH is facing.

You may know of a particular side of JJH when gathered around the family holiday dinners, etc..., but as with most teenagers & early twentysomethings.... once they are around their friends they become a different person.

[Edward C. Stengel]

This guy Jesse James Hollywood is the classic sociopath.
He's trying to say that although he participated in the original
kidnapping of Nick Markowitz, he wasn't responsible for the
later kidnapping that occurred after he left the others with
the victim. It was all part of the same kidnapping.

[steve]

US_DOJ

didn't his father serve a year on a drug charge? wasn't the guy who was convicted of helping him just a family friend -no blood relation?

don't you think Jesse being scared of serving 10, 20 or life in prison for kidnapping is reason enough to flee? -without knowing about the murder or that 4 low-life proven liars were going to lie to try & save their own ass....?

you are also telling someone that knew jesse and his family (joe) that he doesn't know how he really is....

may I ask how you know Jesse and know what he was like around friends?????

[paul]

so bad