Locals Remember Policeman, Seek Justice

By: Corinne Speckert, The Spartan Daily

Posted: 10/29/08

About 300 people met at Jeffrey Fontana Park during Tuesday night's candlelight vigil to listen to Fontana's parents and lead prosecutor speak about the ongoing case against his alleged killer.

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Seven years to the day after a policeman was shot in the head at Calle Almaden off of Almaden Expressway, 300 people gathered on Wednesday night to remember him and bring attention to his slaying.

Jeffrey Fontana, then 24 years old and an SJSU alumnus, was on patrol when he was killed only two weeks after he began patrolling on his own for the San Jose Police Department, said his mother Sally Fontana.

"I don't think I'll ever have closure, but I'll be able to move forward," Fontana said. "I want to be able to wake up in the morning and know that I don't have this hanging over my head."

DeShawn Campbell, now 29, awaits trial in the case, which has been held up because defense attorneys have said he is mentally retarded.

"Last year we were in court for six months, four days a week for the mental retardation hearing and that was only one motion," Fontana said.

Friends, family, police officers and supporters of Fontana's also gathered for an 8 a.m. rally at the Santa Clara Superior Courthouse to raise awareness that no one has been convicted of the murder. The day ended with a march from Calle Almaden to Jeffrey Fontana Park on McAbee Road, where speakers talked about the injustice in the case so far.

Rob Davis, San Jose chief of police, said he was notified of Jeffrey's death when his daughter was 3 years old and that she is now 10.

"There have been high-profile cases in this state that happened after this homicide and have been adjudicated since that homicide and we feel like enough's enough," he said. "Let's get this thing to trial. We're not asking for anything other than a fair trial for this individual."

Nick Barry, a San Jose police officer who attended SJSU and the police academy with Fontana, said the delay in the case makes him feel like the judicial system isn't behind him.

"Why this has taken so long I have no idea," he said. "Personally for me, being a friend of his, it's unnerving. It upsets my family along with his to know that it feels like we're not being backed up by the system."

Fontana said the court process makes her feel like a victim of the justice system.

"The justice system is obviously broken," she said. "Because if you can't get justice for a police officer killed in the line of duty, I don't know who we can get justice for."

Chi Pi Sigma, the SJSU student criminal justice fraternity that has offered support to Fontana's case in the past, decided to help out in a personal way this year.

"This year we wanted to take a different approach and personally get involved with Sandy so we helped get more participation for the rally, where around 60 people showed up," said Antonio Tovar of the fraternity Chi Pi Sigma. "The main slogan Sandy choose was 'Justice delayed is justice denied,' so we were chanting that."

Rebecca Marquez, a San Jose police officer who knew Fontana casually ended the memorial by telling the Fontanas that she hopes justice will be served.

"It's a history in legend that has us believe that the number seven beholds luck and I told Sandy and Tony (Jeffrey's father) that I hope that holds true for them this year," she said.

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