Man Convicted in ‘Cowboy’ Robberies

A Chatsworth man known as the “Cowboy Bandit” because of the Western-style hat he wore in a string of holdups in the San Fernando Valley was convicted of 12 counts of robbery Friday by a Van Nuys Superior Court jury.

After a monthlong trial, James Brammer, 38, was convicted of all charges stemming from a two-month robbery spree in 1989. He faces a maximum of 35 years in prison when sentenced June 7 by Judge John S. Fisher.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Carole Chizever said Brammer used a handgun to rob small stores in areas near his home and along the Ventura Boulevard corridor. He was charged with the robberies after a witness to one holdup provided police with a partial license plate number of a getaway car and it was traced to Brammer, she said.

During the trial, one of the victims testified that the robber asked if he was insured for the loss.

Though friends and relatives of Brammer testified as alibi witnesses for each of the robberies, the jury apparently did not believe that testimony and found him guilty of the charges after three days of deliberations.