District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that convictions against Ignacio Ixta, Jr. (DOB 12/20/88), of Oxnard, will be reversed. In 2010, Ixta was convicted by a jury of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, and shooting at an inhabited dwelling. The case was investigated by the Oxnard Police Department and prosecuted by the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office.
Ixta recently learned of evidence in unrelated investigations that could have been used to impeach the credibility of the prosecution’s key witness in his case. When Ixta brought this newly discovered information to our attention, a comprehensive investigation was undertaken by our Conviction Integrity Unit.
The conviction integrity investigation revealed that potential impeachment information was inadvertently omitted from investigatory case materials submitted to the prosecutor who tried Ixta’s case. As a result, that information was not provided to Ixta prior to his conviction. While there is no evidence of intentional misconduct or withholding of evidence by anyone associated with the case, our office concluded that Ixta was legally entitled to a reversal of his convictions. Contrary to recent news reports, this decision was not based upon evidence that another person committed these crimes.
District Attorney Erik Nasarenko stated, “After a thorough and comprehensive investigation by our Conviction Integrity Unit, we determined that the defendant was entitled to a reversal. Not only is this the legally required outcome, but it is also the right thing to do in light of the newly discovered evidence and information.”
Pursuant to our commitment to conviction integrity, we collaborated with Ixta’s attorney to expedite the court hearing regarding the reversal. It is anticipated that Ixta’s convictions will be reversed at the next court appearance at the Ventura County Superior Court on April 12, 2021, at 1:30 p.m. in courtroom 26.
We are actively reevaluating the case to determine whether the charges can still be proven beyond a reasonable doubt given the passage of time, the newly discovered information, and additional discovery provided by the defense. That decision will be made as soon as possible.
The District Attorney’s Office and the Oxnard Police Department are working together to ensure this type of omission does not happen again in other cases.
The Ventura County District Attorney’s Office is the public prosecutor for the county’s 850,000 residents. The office employs approximately 280 employees including attorneys, investigators, victim advocates, and other professional support staff who strive to seek justice, ensure public safety, and protect the rights of crime victims.
Follow the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office on Twitter @VenturaDAOffice
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