Driver sentenced in woman’s death
Jackson Bell
A Sylmar man who pleaded no contest last month to running over and
killing a Burbank woman was sentenced to 18 years in prison Monday.
Cameron Duty, 24, received 10 years for gross vehicular
manslaughter while intoxicated in connection with the death of Anna
White. In addition, Duty received five years for hit and run and
three years for causing great bodily injury.
Duty was charged with the Sept. 9, 2002, death of White, 21, when
he backed his Ford F-150 truck onto a sidewalk and into a crowd of
Justin Timberlake fans standing outside KIIS-FM’s (102.7) studio near
Avon Street and Warner Boulevard. Duty entered his plea before a
trial was set to begin in Pasadena Superior Court.
White, who was pinned under the trunk and dragged 200 feet as Duty
drove away, was pronounced dead at St. Joseph Medical Center. Burbank
Police arrested Duty a few hundred feet from the incident.
“This is a horrific accident that happened because he was out
there and drinking for 12 hours, and it’s something that could have
been prevented if he had not gotten into his car,” Deputy Dist. Atty.
Shelly Torrealba said.
Torrealba said the tone of the courtroom was somber.
“It was a very emotional sentencing,” she said. “Emotional for
[Duty’s] family and the family of the victim, and I think it was
difficult for them even though they concurred with the outcome.”
Barry Bernstein, Duty’s defense attorney, agreed.
“This is the type of case where everybody suffers,” Bernstein
said. “Cameron pleaded [no contest] to prevent the deceased girl’s
family the pain of going through the trial, but by doing so he caused
his family a lot of pain because they felt his sentence was too
severe.”
Duty must serve 85% of his sentence before he is eligible for
parole, Torrealba said.