Youth Pleads Guilty in Death of Transient in Burbank Park

A 16-year-old who told authorities that he wanted to rid a Burbank park of bums pleaded guilty in Juvenile Court Monday to murder and assault charges for his role in the severe beatings of two transients, one of whom died.

The boy, whose name is being withheld because of his age, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and assault with great bodily injury stemming from the July 14 attacks in Burbank’s McCambridge Park, said Deputy Dist. Atty. Edwin F. Greene.

Pasadena Juvenile Court Judge Carol Fieldhouse ordered the youth to undergo a psychological examination at the California Youth Authority. Sentencing is scheduled Dec. 14, pending the outcome of the examination.

The youth’s alleged accomplice, Timothy Cargle, pleaded not guilty to murder and assault charges Monday in Burbank Municipal Court. Cargle, also 16, will be tried as an adult because he was considered the leader in the attacks and has a history of violent behavior, Greene said. He was being held in lieu of $100,000 bail at County Jail and is scheduled to return to court Oct. 29 for a preliminary hearing.

The beatings resulted in the death of John Simpson, 32, and critically injured William Stahl, 45, who remains in a coma at St. Joseph Medical Center.

‘No Provocation’

“It was just totally a straight-out attack, with no provocation but the status of the victims in society,” Greene said.

According to police reports, the youths began their attack on Simpson with a “karate-like kick.” Greene said the two had often practiced karate moves together.

The youths told police that they had been drinking and were in the park about 10:30 p.m. when they spotted the victims, Greene said. “They made a statement that they were going to rid the park of bums,” he said.

Cargle told police that he had done a “flying drop kick,” hitting Simpson just below the base of the skull and knocking him to the ground, “using the same force he would normally use to break 2-by-4s,” Greene said. The youths then “started kicking and stomping on Simpson’s head and neck and shoulders.”

The beating lasted less than a minute, then the two attacked Stahl, Greene said. Six men who were playing a lawn-bowling game nearby saw the attacks and called authorities.

The youths were arrested the following day.

The juvenile who pleaded guilty said he had beaten the transients out of revenge for an attack on his brother’s girlfriend by a homeless man, according to police reports.

However, investigators “couldn’t determine whether this was true or not,” Greene said. “The judge didn’t think this was the motive.”