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LAKE COUNTY – A Clearlake man found guilty in Sonoma County of second degree murder had his conviction overturned in the state's First Appellate District Court.
Lance Ernest Laumann, 52, won the decision on Feb. 16, according to court documents, after the judges ruled his conviction was based on an improper legal theory.
Laumann was convicted in 1999 of several charges, chief among them second degree murder for the death of his girlfriend, Sandra “May” Lyndall, who died while Laumann was attempting to escape from police.
He also was convicted of vehicular manslaughter, evasion of a police officer, being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and several drug offenses.
In April 1999, Sonoma County officials found a loaded sawed-off rifle and the components of a methamphetamine laboratory in a car linked to Laumann.
The next month, during an early morning traffic stop, Laumann sped away from police. He led them on a high-speed chase reaching speeds of 70 to 80 miles per hour before crashing his car.
Lyndall, who was riding in the car with him, was ejected from the vehicle during the collision and later died.
Court documents say that the second-degree felony murder conviction against Laumann was predicated on his attempt to evade police, which prosecutors claimed caused him to drive in a “willful and wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property while fleeing from the police,” according to Vehicle Code Section 2800.2.
Laumann was sentenced to 30 years to life – 15 years to life for second degree murder and 15 years for the other offenses. He has been serving time in San Quentin State Prison.
Since his conviction, Laumann had repeatedly made appeals at the appellate and state Supreme Court levels. Among his arguments was that Vehicle Code Section 2800.2 was not an inherently dangerous felony under the felony murder rule, and thus could not be a predicate felony for second degree felony murder, according to court documents.
Both the appellate and Supreme Court upheld his conviction. Then, in January 2005, in reviewing another case, the Supreme Court concluded that section 2800.2 can't serve as the basis for a valid theory of second degree felony murder.
In November 2006, Laumann filed another appeal based on the January 2005 ruling. That appeal resulted in the Feb. 16 ruling.
In addition to finding that Laumann's murder conviction was based on an invalid theory, the court ruled that the jury in Laumann's trial was not instructed on the elements of implied malice necessary for a second degree murder conviction.
The court ruled that Laumann's case be remanded to the trial court in Sonoma County for further proceedings, which could include retrial under a valid murder theory or resentencing.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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The school's efforts were recognized this week by the state, when State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell named the school one of 13 Model Continuation High Schools for 2007.
It's the third time the school has received the honor, which recognizes schools for outstanding programs designed to help at-risk students.
The school's previous wins came in 2002 and 1995.
"These 13 schools provide promising practices that other continuation high schools may emulate to help students with diverse needs complete their high school education," said O’Connell. "These schools were selected because of their exemplary programs that are designed to close the achievement gap, keep kids in school so they can graduate, and adequately prepare them for careers or college.”
Continuation high schools such as Carle serve students aged 16 years or older who are at risk of not graduating from high school.
The state reported that more than 69,000 California high school students attended 521 continuation high schools in 2005-06, the latest data available.
Ninety-five students were enrolled at Carle during the 2005-06 school year, according to CDE statistics; there are 3,200 students in the entire Konocti Unified School District.
Carle's dedicated faculty and staff, led by Principal William MacDougall, have been recognized locally for their efforts as well.
The school's Web site reports that Carle has received six-year accreditations from the Western Association of Schools and Colleges in 1992, 1998 and 2004, as well as Exemplary Program Recognition Awards from the California Continuation Education Association for its Career Pathway Program in 1999 and its Treating the Influence classroom program in 2004.
Carle also offers its students the chance to participate in real-world business projects, such as Pegasus Promotional Products, which markets, designs and manufactures personalized products; and the video production business Pegasus Productions, which creates public service announcements and videotapes special events such as concerts at Konocti Harbor Resort & Spa, according to the school's Web site.
Among its noted staff are husband and wife teaching team Alan and Angie Siegel both have received Lake County Teacher of the Year honors, in 2005 and 2006 respectively.
Alan Siegel – who teaches history, civics and economics – went on to be named one of five California Teachers of the Year for 2005.
In 2006, the school staff won a Stars of Lake County Award in the “youth advocate, professional” category.
The school even had its own cat, Jack, who showed up on the school's doorstep several years ago, sick, injured and hungry. Science teacher Tom Essex's son, Scott, who happens to be a vet, fixed Jack up, and he became a fixture in the school's office, where he liked to lounge on Secretary Barbara Dye's desk.
“Jack found his way here all on his own, and it was just meant to be,” said Dye.
For the school, Jack became a symbol of what love and nurturing can do. The school's Web site said of Jack: “Jack-the-Cat reminds us of our students in many ways. He arrived in sad shape, but with a little time and nurturing, he has blossomed into a fine and happy cat.”
Jack died last May 15, but still remains on the school's site. “We haven't had the heart to take him off,” said Dye.
They've been offered plenty of new cats, but haven't taken one, she said. “We figure some day another cat will wander in if it's meant to be.”
Continuation education isn't a new idea. The California Department of Education’s (CDE) Continuation Education program has been an option for students since 1919.
The program emphasizes career technical education, uses exemplary instructional strategies, offers students guidance, counseling services, and more flexible school schedules to meet their needs.
The Model Continuation High School Recognition Program is a partnership of the CDE and the California Continuation Education Association that identifies and recognizes outstanding programs and creates a resource list of quality programs for school visitations. Fourteen schools applied for the recognition.
Applicants must be accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, demonstrate exemplary program effectiveness, school management, curriculum, instructional strategies, assessment and evaluation, education climate, and guidance and counseling, CDE reported.
Parents, students and community members were required to submit narrative statements supporting their respective schools, according to CDE. A review team visited the schools and recommended 13 for model school status.
The selected schools retain their title for three years and must submit an annual assurance of compliance with model school guidelines in order to maintain the designation.
Carle and the 12 other schools join 61 previously designated Model Continuation High Schools.
Visit Carle High School online at www.carle.lake.k12.ca.us/.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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