Special to The Enterprise
A former West Sacramento man serving a life sentence for his role in a 1992 gang-related murder was denied parole for the fourth time Thursday, according to the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office.
Several members of the victim’s family joined a prosecutor and crime victim advocate in arguing against Harold Rigsby’s release at his parole hearing at RJ Donovan State Prison in San Diego.
Rigsby, now 40, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder following the Dec. 14, 1992, slaying, during which Rigsby and several other members of the Broderick Boys gang lured victim Pierre Fortier to a West Sacramento home, then beat and fatally shot him “because he had made disparaging remarks” about the gang, the DA’s office reported. Rigsby was identified as the shooter.
A Yolo Superior Court judge sentenced Rigsby to 15 years to life in prison, the defendant’s pre-sentencing probation report saying the crime “represents the ultimate violation of society’s morals, values and the basic human inherent goal to preserve and cherish life. Simply stated, the defendant callously and senselessly murdered an innocent person.”
In response to the Broderick Boys’ illegal activities, including the murder, the DA’s Office later sought an injunction creating a 3-square-mile “safety zone” restricting the gang members’ activities. Imposed in 2011, the injunction remains in effect.
Fortier’s mother, two of his brothers and sister-in-law attended the parole hearing along with Yolo County Chief Deputy District Attorney Jonathan Raven and Christine Ward of the ICAN Crime Victim Assistance Foundation.
After a nearly five-hour hearing and more than an hour of deliberations, commissioners deemed Rigsby unsuitable for parole “because of the commitment offense, his prior criminality, his unstable social history, and his poor record while in prison including his gang affiliation,” though they did note Rigsby’s “excellent progress” over the past six years, the DA’s Office reported.
Rigsby had been housed at Pelican Bay State Prison’s Security Housing Unit due to his validation as a member of the Northern Structure prison gang, but was transferred to the San Diego facility in 2010 after disassociating from the gang.
