Deals in Oakland attack that killed dad, hurt son OAKLAND

Two men have pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter in connection with the fatal beating of a 59-year-old San Francisco man on a downtown Oakland street, attorneys in the case said Tuesday.

Lavonte Drummer, 20, and Dominic Davis, 19, both of Oakland, had been charged with murder in the 2010 death of Tian Sheng Yu, which came after what authorities called a random, unprovoked attack on his son, Jin Cheng Yu, then 27.

Drummer and Davis pleaded no contest last month to voluntary manslaughter and are expected to serve 11 years in prison if Judge Carrie Panetta of Alameda County Superior Court approves the plea deal with prosecutors.

Deputy District Attorney Tim Wellman declined to discuss what factors led to the plea deal.

But Drummer's attorney, Adanté Pointer, said he never believed the case rose to the level of murder. "These young men never intended to kill anyone," Pointer said. "My client and his family are happy to put this behind them and hope that the gentleman's family has closure." John McDougall, Davis' attorney, did not respond to requests for comment.

Prosecutors have said Drummer and Davis were upset about their lives, drinking rum and looking for someone to punch shortly before they attacked the Yus on April 16, 2010. The father and son were on their way to shop for coins at a jewelry store.

Authorities say the men sucker punched the son as the elder Yu was parking his car on Broadway. Tian Sheng Yu approached the two attackers near the Fox Theater on Telegraph Avenue. Speaking in Mandarin, the father demanded an explanation for the attack, and the assailants turned on him, police said.

Drummer told investigators that "he had anger and frustration over his life and planned on hitting someone," police wrote in a statement that outlined grounds for the arrests.

Carl Chan, a spokesman for the Yu family, said the plea deal was made in consultation with them. "I don't think they are totally satisfied with the result, but they have to accept the legal system."