A Menlo Park man was sentenced to life in prison Friday for his part in a gang-related homicide in 2012, according to San Mateo County prosecutors.
Jerry Coneal III was convicted of first degree murder with special circumstances and gang enhancements after a 29 day trial for fatally shooting Christopher Baker Oct. 5, 2012.
Coneal was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. He also received a second consecutive term of 25-years-to-life in prison for using a gun to commit the crime.
"He is unlikely to get out," Deputy District Attorney Karen Guidotti said.
Guidotti also said that Coneal winked at the victim's mother at the conclusion of today's sentencing.
"She immediately notified the court and it was noted for the record," Guidotti said. "What else do you do when someone's sentenced to life without parole?"
According to prosecutors, on Oct. 5, 2012 Baker was at a memorial for another gang member in front of a home in East Palo Alto when Coneal jumped out of a car, chased Baker up a driveway and shot him multiple times.
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Another Menlo Park man, 26-year-old Miguel Rivera Jr., pleaded no contest to second-degree murder in Baker's death. Rivera was sentenced July 28 to 35 years to life for Baker's death and another 14 years 4 months for a sperate robbery in Santa Clara County.
Coneal's defense attorney, Peter Arian, declined to comment on the case.
