Meki Gaono Receives Life Sentence Without Parole for 2006 Murder of Oceanside Officer

Meki Gaono, now 36, was resentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 2006 murder of Oceanside police officer Daniel Bessant, which he committed at the age of 17. Gaono, who was convicted of first-degree murder in 2009, has faced a complicated legal battle due to recent changes in California law that allowed for his case to be reconsidered under juvenile jurisdiction. However, San Diego Superior Court Judge Peter Deddeh ruled that Gaono's case would remain in adult court, leading to his resentencing. Prosecutors described the shooting as a calculated act, with Gaono shooting Bessant while he assisted another officer during a traffic stop. Despite the life sentence, changes in the law mean Gaono is likely to receive a parole hearing in the future due to his status as a youthful offender. Judge Deddeh emphasized the premeditated nature of the attack, calling it an 'assassination' rather than a random act of violence.