Man given life sentence in police officer's murder

Then, as prosecutors affirmed their commitment to seeking the death penalty, news hit that the FBI and Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department had launched probes into alleged officer misconduct and excessive use of force, further slowing the court timeline as Garcia's defense requested more time to evaluate the possible impact of the investigations on their case.

Reached by phone, Garcia's attorney, Seymour Amster, said they wanted to make sure the death penalty was taken off the table.

“We just had to fully explore these options,” Amster said.

He also thanked prosecutors and the Pavelka family for agreeing to the plea deal.

Attempts to reach Pavelka's parents on Tuesday were unsuccessful.

Prosecutors announced in 2004 that they intended to seek the death penalty against Garcia, but agreed to life in prison without parole in exchange for Garcia's plea, Head Deputy William Hodgman, of the district attorney's Target Crimes Division, said in a statement.

A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office also confirmed that federal prosecutors had agreed to seek only life in prison for a 2005 indictment alleging that Garcia and members of a San Fernando Valley street gang were involved in racketeering, weapons, narcotics and other crimes.

Garcia was already in custody when federal authorities took down members of the gang as part of “Operation Silent Night.”

At the time, former Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton vowed retribution against anyone responsible for Pavelka's death.

After “Operation Silent Night,” Bratton said authorities had “fulfilled that promise to the Pavelka family and to the communities that we serve.”

Prior to Pavelka's death, Burbank police had not lost one of their own in a shooting since 1920.

veronica.rocha@latimes.com

jason.wells@latimes.com

Staff writer Maria Hsin contributed reporting.