Jury finds Orland man guilty of domestic violence

By Larry Judkins

Glenn County Observer

On Monday, Aug. 29, a jury found an Orland man, Ma Lee, guilty of domestic battery on a girlfriend (a misdemeanor).

The trial was held at the Orland branch of the Glenn County Superior Court. The presiding judge was Alicia Ekland.

The incident took place at about 9:53 p.m. on Monday, March 28, when Lee, then-35, battered his girlfriend of 14 months, Jayme Jawn Barrera, then-44, (some sources say she was from Orland while others say she lived in Willows), near the Orland Arch.

(Note: A press release issued on Friday, Sept. 2, by the Glenn County District Attorney’s Office concealed the name of Lee’s girlfriend and used only her initials, J.B.; however, The Observer, using only internet sources readily available to the general public, was able to find the victim’s name in literally less than a minute. This being the case, The Observer saw little point in hiding the identity of the woman.)

As the assault was occurring, two people, Mr. J.M. and Ms. V.M., witnessed the incident. They honked their horn three times to draw Lee’s attention away from Barrera.

With Barrera being a reluctant victim who recanted her account of the event, the unbiased statements of these eyewitnesses made a significant impact in the case, the district attorney’s press release explained.

The district attorney’s office stated, “The People thank these two good Samaritans, just 18 and 20 years old, for taking the time to actively stop the domestic violence happening on the streets of Orland, calling the police, and staying on the phone until OPD was able to make contact with the abuser. True heroes like J.M. and V.M. exist among us every single day, admired for their courage and humility to help keep our community safe.

“If you see something, say something.”

When Orland police officers searched the area around Sixth Street at Almond Way, they found Lee and Barrera hiding behind a car at a private residence on Monterey Street near Moe’s Market.

Following an investigation, Lee was arrested for misdemeanor domestic violence and Barrera was arrested for a misdemeanor arrest warrant alleging failure to appear on a misdemeanor charge. Both were transported and booked into the Glenn County Jail.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Ruby Neumann, with assistance from Victim-Witness Advocate White and Orland Police Officer Kat Lowery, who was able to testify and explain the cycle of violence to the jury. The jury deliberated for 18 minutes before returning a unanimous verdict of guilty.

Court records indicate this case was tried previously, on June 27. That trial, however, ended in a mistrial due to a hung jury.

Lee’s sentencing is scheduled to take place at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 18, at the Willows courthouse.