Family of fallen officers continue testimony in penalty phase of cop-killer trial

Family members of two officers killed in a barrage of bullets are testifying Thursday in the penalty phase of the trial of the 28-year-old man convicted of the attack.

“I wanted to see her grow old and I wanted to grow old with her,” Britta Kling told jurors Wednesday about her younger sister, 27-year-old Lesley Zerebny during the penalty phase of the double-murder trial of John Hernandez Felix, who is facing a possible death penalty for the officers’ killings.

“Part of me died with her that day — the best part of me.”

Zerebny and 63-year-old Officer Jose Gilbert Vega were killed Oct. 8, 2016, when Felix fired an AR-15 rifle from inside his family’s home in the 2700 block of Cypress Avenue, where they had gone in response to a domestic disturbance call.

Jake Ingrassia has been in Indio court since day one of the trial and is in the courtroom today. Follow his live notes from court below:

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“It brings me a little bit of comfort because part of me (is) with her,” Kling said, but she said the rest of her is “broken, cold, impatient.”

Zerebny had been with the department for 18 months and had just returned to duty following maternity leave, having given birth to a daughter, Cora, four months earlier.

Her daughter watched from the courtroom gallery as her father, Zachary Zerebny — a Riverside County sheriff’s deputy — testified about his late wife Wednesday afternoon.

“Lesley had that drive to be a cop for far longer (than I), with her father in law enforcement and a law career, she held it very high and it’s something that she always wanted to do,” he said.

Asked by Deputy District Attorney Michelle Paradise if he was ever scared about her going out in the field, Zerebny smiled and said, “I would take her as a backup in a tough situation over 99% of the males that I work with.”

Zerebny described his wife as a fiery woman who could handle business and loved the outdoors.

“She was my wife, but more importantly my best friend,” he said.

Jurors on Monday convicted the 28-year-old Felix of two counts of first-degree murder, six counts of attempted murder, unlawful possession of an assault weapon, unlawful weapon possession by a prohibited person and unlawful possession of ammunition. They also found true special-circumstance allegations of murder of a peace officer and multiple murders, opening Felix to the possible death sentence.

Jurors are being asked in the penalty phase of trial to recommend either a death sentence or life in prison without parole for Felix.

Felix’s defense attorney Jacob Devane argued Tuesday that jurors should spare his client from the death penalty, saying the Palm Springs man has intellectual disabilities.

Deputy District Attorney Michelle Paradise countered that the killings of two police officers warranted the death penalty.