By Lookout Staff

March 9, 2022 -- The California Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to review the case of a man serving a 15-years-to-life sentence for the 2018 fatal stabbing of a homeless man in Tongva Park.

Jessie Ramirez Perez, who was 21 years old and on felony probation for assault with a deadly weapon at the time of his arrest, was convicted in September 2019 of second-degree murder. Perez's victim -- Eric Michael Perrine, an 18-year-old Hispanic -- was sleeping on a park bench across from City Hall on October 3 when Perez stabbed him "without provocation" at around 8 p.m., police said. A California Appeals Court upheld the conviction last December, stating that the facts "overwhelmingly" pointed to Perez as the killer.

The defense appealed, contending that the lower court had erred in admitting evidence that Perez had assaulted another homeless man sleeping in a Santa Monica park six months earlier.

The defense also argued that the court had failed to instruct jurors "on self-defense and the lesser crime of involuntary manslaughter," according to City News Service (CNS).

"That defendant stabbed and killed Perrine was not seriously disputed at trial," the Appeals Court ruled on December 21. "Indeed, evidence of these facts was overwhelming."

The Court noted that Perrine, who died of his injuries during surgery, identified Perez as his assailant.

Officers who arrested Perez shortly after the attack saw him throw away the knife, which had both the suspect and victim's DNA and Perrine's blood on the blade.

Perrine suffered a single stab wound to the abdominal area and was treated at the scene by paramedics, police said at the time.

He was transported to a local hospital, where he died of the injuries during surgery a short time later, according to the Los Angeles County Corner.

On September 16, 2019, a jury found Perez guilty of murder in the second degree.