A life sentence without the possibility of parole was the outcome once again for Meki Gaono, now 36, who, at the age of 17, shot and killed Oceanside Police Officer Daniel Bessant. This sentencing comes after changes to state laws prompted a reconsideration of Gaono's original sentence. NBC San Diego reports that the shooting was characterized as "a callous, orchestrated murder" by prosecutors, with San Diego Superior Court Judge Peter Deddeh handing down the sentence of life without parole plus a consecutive 51 years to life.
Though Gaono was initially tried as an adult, Proposition 57 necessitated a juvenile transfer hearing, which could have potentially decreased his sentence drastically. According to The San Diego Union-Tribune report, Judge Deddeh referred to the murder as "an assassination" and explained that he could not overlook the circumstances of the event. The resentencing reaffirmed a punishment nearly identical to the one imposed over a decade ago amidst a backdrop of evolving juvenile justice regulations.
Yet, state law has planted a seed of uncertainty for the future, with the youthful offender parole ruling potentially offering a chance at freedom. Under this law, young offenders who received life sentences must be granted parole hearings by their 25th year of incarceration, regardless of their sentence. Gaono, who missed the threshold of adulthood by just 45 days when he committed the crime, is expected to have his first parole hearing in approximately seven years. It was an outcome that Officer Bessant's father, Steve Bessant, described as "just" but only a temporary relief considering the forthcoming parole hearings.
Oceanside Police Chief Taurino Valdovinos, who had served alongside Officer Bessant, spoke to the lasting effects of the murder on the community. "Meki’s killing of Dan fractured the trust between the police department and a portion of our community," Valdovinos told The San Diego Union-Tribune. With Gaono continuing to face the consequences of his actions, the case against another alleged gang member, Penifoti Taeutui, awaits a similar review.
