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California Man Blames Steroids for Beating Gym Member to Death
Kenneth Osako was sentenced to 17 years in prison for bludgeoning a man to death inside a San Francisco gym. Osako attempted to use the “dumbbell defense” to blame anabolic steroids and “roid rage” for his actions. Osako was sentenced on April 24, 2016.
Osako assaulted gym patron Diego Galindo. Galindo was a popular butcher at Carniceria Tepa in San Francisco. The assault took place in front of six to eight horrified witnesses inside the Bally Total Fitness South San Francisco gym on the night of September 17, 2014. Osako used an 18-inch steel triceps extension bar to strike Galindo repeatedly on the back of the head three to four times. Osako dropped the bar and left the scene.
Galindo was transported to the San Francisco General Hospital where he subsequently died the next morning as a result of the injuries sustained during the attack. Galindo was a motorcycle and car enthusiast who had apparently jokingly offered Osako's girlfriend a ride on his motorcycle two days prior to his death.
Jealousy may have been a motive in the death. Osako learned from his girlfriend that Galindo had flirted with her. The fatal confrontation was preceded by an altercation in the men's locker room. Osako's girlfriend was not present in the gym during the fatal attack
Osako pleaded no contest to second-degree murder during a court hearing before California Superior Court Judge Jack Grandsaert on March 2, 2016. Osako had originally pleaded not guilty after his arrest in September 2014. Upon the advice of his defense attorney Steven Chase, Osako changed his plea to avoid being convicted in court of first-degree murder which carries a minimum sentence of 30 years to life.
Osako's daughter suggested that her dad's actions were the consequence of undiagnosed and untreated bipolar disorder. But Osako's attorney had another explanation – anabolic steroids and “a little bit of methamphetamine”.
"Mr. Osako is very remorseful," Chase said. "He apologized to the victim's family...
“He feels horrible, he killed basically an innocent man because he was so wired up from using steroids and a little bit of methamphetamine that he wasn’t thinking clearly...
“It’s just a tragedy what steroids can do to somebody, and a life has been taken because of it. … That’s something he’s going to have to live with for the rest of his life.”
Osako's girlfriend cooperated with the police during the course of the investigation. She also decided to marry Osako while he was incarcerated in jail pending trial.
Osako assaulted gym patron Diego Galindo. Galindo was a popular butcher at Carniceria Tepa in San Francisco. The assault took place in front of six to eight horrified witnesses inside the Bally Total Fitness South San Francisco gym on the night of September 17, 2014. Osako used an 18-inch steel triceps extension bar to strike Galindo repeatedly on the back of the head three to four times. Osako dropped the bar and left the scene.
Galindo was transported to the San Francisco General Hospital where he subsequently died the next morning as a result of the injuries sustained during the attack. Galindo was a motorcycle and car enthusiast who had apparently jokingly offered Osako's girlfriend a ride on his motorcycle two days prior to his death.
Jealousy may have been a motive in the death. Osako learned from his girlfriend that Galindo had flirted with her. The fatal confrontation was preceded by an altercation in the men's locker room. Osako's girlfriend was not present in the gym during the fatal attack
Osako pleaded no contest to second-degree murder during a court hearing before California Superior Court Judge Jack Grandsaert on March 2, 2016. Osako had originally pleaded not guilty after his arrest in September 2014. Upon the advice of his defense attorney Steven Chase, Osako changed his plea to avoid being convicted in court of first-degree murder which carries a minimum sentence of 30 years to life.
Osako's daughter suggested that her dad's actions were the consequence of undiagnosed and untreated bipolar disorder. But Osako's attorney had another explanation – anabolic steroids and “a little bit of methamphetamine”.
"Mr. Osako is very remorseful," Chase said. "He apologized to the victim's family...
“He feels horrible, he killed basically an innocent man because he was so wired up from using steroids and a little bit of methamphetamine that he wasn’t thinking clearly...
“It’s just a tragedy what steroids can do to somebody, and a life has been taken because of it. … That’s something he’s going to have to live with for the rest of his life.”
Osako's girlfriend cooperated with the police during the course of the investigation. She also decided to marry Osako while he was incarcerated in jail pending trial.
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