One Convicted Of Attempted Murder In 2006 Stabbing of Moraga Man

~Bay City News Service

After more than two days of deliberations, jurors on Monday convicted 23-year-old Blake Mastro of attempted murder and robbery for an Oct. 25, 2006 knife attack that left Hamed Mirabdal of Moraga paralyzed on his left side for the rest of his life.

Jurors acquitted Mastro's accomplice, 27-year-old Nicolas Flatbush, of attempted murder but did convict him of robbery in connection with the "street rip-off" a prosecutor said took a murderous turn that night.

Prosecutor Eric Swallwell said jurors believed Flatbush's testimony that he only intended to rob Mirabdal and had no idea that Mastro would stab Mirabdal 25 times in the neck and chest while the three met on an isolated Berkeley Street.

After the verdicts Mirabdal's father, Ali, said he was "not happy" that Flatbush was acquitted of attempted murder even though he agreed with the prosecution's theory that Mastro planned the crime and was the only person who actually stabbed his son.

Mirabdal said Flatbush "may not be as guilty as Mastro, but he should have gotten more" because he did not think Mastro would have been able to stab his son without Flatbush's assistance.

Mirabdal also expressed frustration that his family had to wait four-and-a-half years for the case went to trial.

"No family should have to wait this long for justice," he said.

Mirabdal said his son has had to undergo surgery every few months since the attack and will have to have open-heart surgery soon.

Hamed Mirabdal was a 19-year-old former Campolindo student, football player and small-time marijuana dealer eking out thin profits and some respect from his peers by reselling cannibis secured with a medical card from East Bay medical marijuana dispensaries.

Swallwell told jurors that Mirabdal wanted to enhance a "tough guy" reputation by purchasing firearms from Mastro, who offered to sell him weapons at a discounted rate. The prosecutor alleged that Mastro never intended to sell guns to Mirabdal and instead wanted to trick him into bringing a large amount of cash so he could kill Mirabdal and take his money.

Mastro faces up to 16 years in state prison when he's sentenced by Alameda County Superior Court Judge Allan Hymer May 13. Flatbush faces a maximum term of five years when he is sentenced by Hymer on April 19.

Hamed Mirabdal currently attends classes at Diablo Valley College.