A purse snatcher has been given a seven-year prison sentence for tragically causing the death of a well-known California bakery owner and activist while attempting to escape in a getaway car.
On Friday, 20-year-old Ishmael Jenkins Burch received his sentence for the tragic passing of 48-year-old Jen Angel. Burch entered a plea of no contest to charges of voluntary manslaughter and second-degree robbery.
According to the San Jose Mercury News, Angel’s family and friends have expressed their support for the sentence, considering it to be the most favorable outcome given the current legal system and political climate.
According to a statement, it is believed that Jen would not want anyone involved in her death to spend a long time in prison. The statement also mentions that there is hope for Ishmael to make amends for the harm he has caused.
The defense attorney, Annie Beles, assured the newspaper that her client would pay tribute to Angels’ memory both during and after his time in prison.
“Ishmael, his family, and I are so pleased with the compassion and humanity that Jen Angel’s community and friends showed toward Ishmael,” Beles said, the newspaper reported. “We are so hopeful that the conversation about restorative justice will continue within the Oakland community.”
According to a report by Law&Crime, Angel tragically lost her life on Feb. 6, 2023, in downtown Oakland. A thief broke into her car while she was inside, stole her purse, and quickly fled in a getaway vehicle.
Angel bravely pursued the thief, but unfortunately, she was forcefully knocked down during the struggle. In a harrowing turn of events, she was caught by the door of the getaway car and dragged for over 50 feet before finally falling onto the street and sustaining a head injury.
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According to the police, Burch was promptly identified as the driver and was connected to another robbery that occurred nearby on the same day.
Unfortunately, Angel passed away three days later at the hospital after experiencing a complete loss of brain function and being removed from life support.
She has experience running an alternative magazine and starting her own business, Angel Cakes.
In 2016, she established a storefront bakery at 745 Fifth Street in Oakland, in the historic Gingerbread House, a beloved Oakland institution from the 1970s to 2007.
Doug Mason shared a heartfelt tribute on Facebook dedicated to his dearest friend.
“We designated each other as our ‘medical designated agent’ years ago, knowing that no matter what else happened in life, we could always count on each other,” he wrote. “It’s one of those things you wouldn’t expect to need for decades.”
“My heart is shattered,” he added. “It’s difficult for me to describe what a wonderful person she was and what a precious friend she was to me. I’m going to miss you terribly, Jen Angel.”
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