Judge Sets Bail for Man Accused of Fatal Stabbing

The former Berkeley City College student accused of fatally stabbing of a UC Berkeley senior last year was granted bail yesterday afternoon.

At the bail motion in Oakland, Alameda County Superior Court Judge Morris Jacobson set Andrew Hoeft-Edenfield's bail at $2 million.

Hoeft-Edenfield is charged in connection with the May 3 slaying of 21-year-old Christopher Wootton. Hoeft-Edenfield was previously denied bail in August.

Wootton, a member of the Sigma Pi fraternity, was found in the Warring Street parking lot of the Chi Omega sorority.

Witnesses said that both Hoeft-Edenfield and Wootton were part of a large group engaged in a verbal exchange, according to a Berkeley police statement. Hoeft-Edenfield then allegedly stabbed Wootton in his upper chest.

Wootton was on track to graduate with a degree in nuclear engineering that spring.

Yolanda Huang, Hoeft-Edenfield's private attorney, said she looked forward to presenting his case to the jury.

"We think he has a good defense," Huang said. "We are glad that the judge is following the California Constitution in granting Andrew Hoeft-Edenfield's right to bail."

Joe Mazzella, former president of Sigma Pi, attended Hoeft-Edenfield's bail motion.

"We're trying to show our support by attending the trials," Mazzella said.

Neil Bell, current president of Sigma Pi, said Wootton was still a presence in the fraternity.

"We have a picture of him up in our living room so we feel that he's still with us when our hanging out," Bell said. "We're doing fine, staying strong with each other ... But that may change as it gets close to the anniversary."

Hoeft-Edenfield's preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 23.

-Emily Grospe

Police Shut Down Party in Gaia Building on Friday

Berkeley police shut down a large party that had gotten out of control Friday night at the Gaia Building in Downtown Berkeley.

At about 9:04 p.m., the Berkeley Police Department received a call reporting the party at the building located at 2121 Allston Way, officers said.

A police report stated that there were more than 400 attendees between the ages of 18 and 21, exceeding the building's maximum occupancy, according to UCPD Assistant Chief Mitch Celaya.

Berkeley police blocked off Allston Way between Shattuck Avenue and Oxford Street to shut down the party.

"We tried to drive back to the Gaia Building and the whole street was blocked off and there were a bunch of people crowded around the lobby," said Krister Barkovich, a UC Berkeley sophomore driving past the building.

Celaya said Berkeley police called UCPD to the scene for reinforcement.

"They requested our assistance and we helped … because they had all their units there," he said.

At about 10:08 p.m., Berkeley police officers they heard several loud shots from an unknown source.

"I'm not convinced they were gunshots, but I heard something that sounded like either gunshots or firecrackers," Barkovich said.

The officers dispersed the crowd about two hours later.

UC Berkeley sophomore Peggy Chuang, who lives in the building, said large parties occur "once in a while."

But Terry Doran, a member of the city's Zoning Adjustment Board, said another large party triggered a similar incident a few months ago.

"The people attending the party spewed out into the street, the police were called and they had a very difficult time dispersing the crowd," he said. "It's very disturbing because this may be an abuse of the use permit for that space."

-Jessica Kwong

Police Respond to Fight Outside Blakes on Telegraph

Multiple police units responded to a fight that occurred late Sunday night outside Blakes on Telegraph.

At 11:07 p.m., two suspects got into an altercation in front of the restaurant, located at 2367 Telegraph Avenue, according to UCPD Lt. Doug Wing.

"It was an argument that was tending (toward) a fight, so it was getting ready to be a fight involving around 10 people," he said.

Wing said the two suspects ran through Unit 3 before confronting each other again in front of Blakes.

"They circulated back and started an argument again at Blakes and then were stopped at Dwight (Way)," Wing said.

UCPD Assistant Chief Mitch Celaya said the crowd involved were between the ages of 14 and 21. He said some of them might have been UC Berkeley students.

Some arrests were made, Celaya said.

Online traffic generated through blogging Web site LiveJournal.com spread rumors of a shooting.

However, Celaya said no shots were fired.

-Jessica Kwong

Tags: CRIME, SHOOTING, COURTS, UCPD, GAIA BUILDING