Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Murder of Woman Officer

A Highland Park man pleaded guilty Thursday to attempted murder in the shooting of Los Angeles Police Officer Stacy Lim, who was seriously wounded in a point-blank shoot-out during which she killed a teen-age gunman.

Arvin Peter Mani, 20, faces a maximum sentence of 11 years in prison after pleading guilty in Newhall Municipal Court to charges of attempted second-degree murder and conspiracy to commit robbery as part of an agreement with prosecutors.

Mani was one of five young people who were driving on the freeway June 9 when they saw Lim in her Ford Bronco and decided to steal it. They followed her to her Santa Clarita home where the gunman, 16-year-old Joel Valenzuela, confronted the off-duty police officer, investigators said. Mani was at the wheel of the car when the shoot-out occurred.

Although she was hit by the first gunshot, Lim managed to shoot and kill Valenzuela.

Doctors at Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital believe that Lim, 27, will recover fully, authorities said Thursday. She has been transferred out of the hospital’s intensive-care unit.

“She is doing better,” said Deputy Dist. Atty. Susan M. Speer. “She was even able to get out of bed with help.”

Lim was well enough this week to give Speer and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s detectives her account of the early morning gun battle.

Lim told them she did not notice that she was being followed, authorities said, and first noticed the gunman approaching her from a few feet away as she climbed out of the parked Bronco. She was holding her gun in her hand because she routinely carries it next to her on the seat while driving and was taking it inside, detectives said.

There were no words exchanged before Valenzuela shot Lim in the chest at point-blank range, investigators said. They believe he may have fired because he saw Lim’s gun.

Lim returned fire, hitting Valenzuela three times, then staggered to her front door while the mortally wounded youth fired five shots, probably in a dying reflex action, Detective Michael Scott said.

After hearing Lim’s account, prosecutors filed an attempted first-degree murder charge against Mani because of his involvement in the events before the shooting. But they accepted Mani’s plea of guilty to attempted second-degree murder because they did not have conclusive evidence that the murder attempt was premeditated, Speer said.

Deputy Public Defender Alan Budde said he will ask that Mani receive the minimum prison term of five years because he has a clean record. Mani was described by detectives as a Highland Park gang “associate” rather than a gang member.

“He wanted to stand up like a man and take responsibility,” Budde said. “He said he’s praying for the officer.”

Mani will be sentenced July 12. A 13-year-old girl and a 14-year-old girl who were involved in the incident remain in Eastlake Juvenile Hall awaiting juvenile proceedings on charges of attempted murder, conspiracy to commit robbery, attempted robbery, attempted grand theft auto and assault with a firearm, Speer said. A 12-year-old boy was released without charges.