Salon Shooting Suspect Hurled Feces in Jail, D.A. Says

A man accused in the worst mass killing in Orange County history had to be restrained by sheriff's deputies in his cell in January, a factor that would come into play if his trial enters a death penalty phase, a prosecutor said today.

Scott Dekraai, who is charged with shooting nine people, killing eight of them, in and outside Salon Meritage in Seal Beach on Oct. 12, 2011, refused to come out of his cell on Jan. 26 and at one point hurled feces at deputies, Assistant District Attorney Dan Wagner told City News Service.

The incident would be considered "aggravating evidence" in a death penalty phase if Dekraai is convicted, according to Wagner, who submitted court papers detailing the clash.

Dekraai had to be subdued with pepper balls that day, and was taken to the medical ward for a mental health evaluation, said Jim Amormino of the Orange County Sheriff's Department.

At the time of the scuffle, Dekraai appeared to be "unhappy because he's not in general population," Amormino said.

The defendant was put in isolation for his own safety, a typical protocol for well-known inmates, he said.

Dekraai was in court again today as defense attorneys and prosecutors went over the exchange of evidence in the case.

His attorneys are pushing for more information about a confidential informant who chatted with Dekraai about the shootings over a five-day period.

Orange County Superior Court Judge Thomas Goethals told attorneys that the Sheriff's Department cannot provide the defense with all of the logs of jail visits because they are typically destroyed after a year.

Official visits to inmates are not monitored and there are no records of the housing maintenance, according to the sheriff.

Defense attorneys want information on the jailhouse snitch's background so they can prepare a motion that would prevent jurors from hearing what Dekraai told the inmate in a next-door cell.

Prosecutors believe they have enough evidence to prove Dekraai's guilt, but want jurors to hear about the conversations in the penalty phase when they would be considering whether to recommend that Dekraai be sentenced to death or life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Dekraai is charged with eight counts of murder, with a special circumstance allegation of multiple murders, and one count of attempted murder.

Dekraai is accused of walking into the salon and gunning down his 48- year-old ex-wife, Michelle Fournier, before opening fire on others inside the business.Also killed were the salon's owner, Randy Lee Fannin, 62; Victoria Ann Buzzo, 54; Lucia Bernice Kondas, 65; Laura Lee Elody, 46; Michele Daschbach Fast, 47; Christy Wilson, 47; and David Caouette, 64.Hattie Stretz, 73, survived her injuries.

-- City News Service