Man admits to shooting friend in face

A Lodi man who accidentally shot a friend in the face pleaded guilty Monday to discharging a firearm with gross negligence and is now temporarily in prison while awaiting sentencing.

The plea deal nearly brings to an end the lengthy case against Austin Noori, 20, who was arrested in September.

Noori and some friends were playing drinking games on Sept. 20 when he fired a gun in a home in the 900 block of Rutledge Drive, thinking it wasn't loaded, according to court hearings. The gun discharged and struck 19-year-old Joshua House in the face. House subsequently underwent several surgeries.

Noori pleaded no contest to an assault charge in November but was later allowed to withdraw the plea because he wasn't advised of all the consequences. The case continued through the court process, until a preliminary hearing when a judge ruled there was enough evidence for a trial on most of the charges, except the assault charge.

On Monday, he pleaded guilty to the charge of discharging a weapon, according to San Joaquin County court records.

A judge then placed Noori in a diagnostic program with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The program, which lasts up to 90 days, places a defendant in state prison, where officials evaluate his behavior in prison and recommend whether he should remain there or in jail. Judges sometimes use it as a way of showing defendants what prison is really like.

The case had also been slightly delayed in July, when Noori was arrested after trying to steal $156 worth of liquor and a foam ice chest from Safeway in Lodi. He subsequently missed a court date in the shooting case because he was still in jail on the theft case.

On July 15, three days after the theft arrest, Noori pleaded guilty to second-degree commercial burglary and resisting arrest, both misdemeanors. He was ordered to stay away from Safeway and serve 60 days in jail.

Reader Feedback

Layla Bohm, reporter wrote on Aug 8, 2008 4:36 PM:

" Thanks for the feedback about my comments. Posting comments here is a new thing for me (though not in my LNS blog), and I don't want to come across as argumentative or opinionated. There is always more than one side to a story, so I don't want to stifle that, either. But if someone is confused, or wants more information, I'd much rather set the record straight and/or answer a question. "

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blackandwhitereadallover wrote on Aug 7, 2008 4:25 PM:

" T & C: YOU ARE A RACIST!!! Don't judge a book by it's cover...in this case, a name.

Thank you Layla Bohm, reporter...for the extra info. "

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T & C wrote on Aug 7, 2008 4:22 PM:

" " THANK YOU to Layla Bohm, Reporter for posting. I want to thank you for updating people on these blogs",because it shows you take a personal interest in what is being commented here. "

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jay dubb wrote on Aug 7, 2008 3:29 PM:

" THANK YOU to Layla Bohm, Reporter for posting. I want to thank you for updating people on these blogs. They tend to get out of control very quickly and it is always nice to see your factual information posted. I appreciate your updates on here. "

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Layla Bohm, reporter wrote on Aug 7, 2008 11:37 AM:

" LodiReader: He was out of custody until he was arrested for the alcohol theft. That means he was responsible for getting to the court date (in Stockton) on time. However, he was in the Lodi jail, and Lodi jailers don't transport people to the Stockton courthouse.

T & C: He's a U.S. citizen, so the only place he would be deported is to Lodi. "

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cmd wrote on Aug 7, 2008 11:36 AM:

" Yikes T & C. What horrible comments you have. How do you know the ethnic background of the guy who shot his buddy in the face? I must have missed the part where it says he is hispanic. When looking up the origin of the name Noori = Pakistani, not Mexican. The first name of Austin also does not really point to the ethnic background you mention. The only time ICE comes up is because the guy tried to steal an ICE CHEST.
Sounds like the weapon accidentually went off, as I'm sure the friend shot attested to. Austin properly plead guilty to the appropriate crime. Assault requires you intend to frighten someone. It does not sound like he possessed the requisite intent to frighten his friend into thinking that he was going to harm him. I don't see Cheney being convicted of anything & he accidentually shot his friend who also was not pressing charges. . . "

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T & C wrote on Aug 7, 2008 11:15 AM:

" T & C wrote on Aug 7, 2008 11:13 AM:

" This "Amigo" Obviously refuses to obey the law! Has ICE agents put a deportation hold on him? How about minors in possession of alcohol charges? How about charges against the adult who bought them the beer? How about charges against the owner of the firearm? Why are prosecutors always making "PLEA DEALS" with those who are obviously guilty? Expediency? NO! They are always being easy on the hispanic offenders, plain and simple! "

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T & C wrote on Aug 7, 2008 11:13 AM:

" This "Amigo" Obviously refuses to obey the law! Has ICE agents put a deportation hold on him? How about minors in poseession of alcohol charges? How about charges against the adult who bought them the gun? How about charges against the owner of the firearm? Why are prosecutors always making "PLEA DEALS" with those who are obviously guilty? Expediency? NO! They are being easy on the hispanic offenders, plain and simple! "

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LodiJoe wrote on Aug 7, 2008 9:20 AM:

" OBVIOUSLY ALL THE PARTIES CONCERNED ARE FUTURE CANDIDATE FOR "AMERICA'S DUMBEST CRIMINALS" AND "AMERICA'S MOST WANTED" OR AT THE VERY LEAST WATCH FOR THEM TO POP UP ON FUTURE EPISODES OF "COPS". TOO MANY IDIOTS, TOO FEW COMETS. "

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LodiReaderFromStockton wrote on Aug 7, 2008 9:15 AM:

" He subsequently missed a court date in the shooting case because he was still in jail on the theft case.

Now that's stupid, they had him in custody and there's a bus that goes to the courthouses every day. He shouldn't have missed the court date. "

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wtf wrote on Aug 7, 2008 9:01 AM:

" weezer love your comment!! LOL! "

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weezer wrote on Aug 7, 2008 8:27 AM:

" Ooopps! I thought this article was about VP Cheney. "

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joesr wrote on Aug 7, 2008 8:05 AM:

" Sounds like this young man needs some serious help before he kills himself or others. "

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16925 wrote on Aug 7, 2008 7:54 AM:

" What kind of "drinking" games? They are all under 21! "