Re-sentencing bid denied for man convicted of murdering ex-girlfriend

A state appeals court panel Wednesday rejected a bid for re-sentencing by a former Canoga Park resident who was convicted of murdering an ex-girlfriend who had testified against him.

The three-justice panel from California's 2nd District Court of Appeal turned down the defense's request to reverse a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge's order that found Mark Bowersock was not eligible for re- sentencing under a change in state law that affects defendants in some murder cases.

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Bowersock is serving life in prison without the possibility of parole for the Feb. 3, 1995, shooting death of 36-year-old Laurie Ann Prejean at her sister's home in Saugus.

He was convicted in June 1996 of first-degree murder and first-degree residential burglary, with jurors finding true the special circumstance allegation that the murder was committed in retaliation for Prejean's testimony in a criminal proceeding against him, according to the appellate court panel's 12-page ruling.

The appellate court panel noted that the judge found that Bowersock "was convicted under a currently valid theory of murder as a direct perpetrator of the willful, deliberate and premeditated murder of Laurie Ann Prejean," and that he was ineligible for relief.

Bowersock contended in his appeal that the judge erred by failing to grant his request to replace the attorney appointed to represent him in his request for re-sentencing, but the appellate court justices found that there was "no abuse of discretion" by the lower court in denying that request.

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