Simi Man to Face Charge of Murder

Despite his claim of self-defense, a 26-year-old Simi Valley man was bound over for trial Wednesday for allegedly murdering his neighbor and longtime enemy.

Christopher Harbridge, a former Moorpark College student, is accused of fatally shooting Ronald Rowe on Dec. 5 after a shouting match on Rowe’s front lawn.

He was ordered to stand trial on a murder charge after a brief hearing during which his attorney argued that the charge should be reduced to manslaughter.

“This appears to be a sudden and heated display of anger on the part of the victim and Christopher Harbridge that resulted in the death of Ronald Rowe,” said Van Nuys defense attorney James Goldstein.

But Superior Court Judge Vincent O’Neill was not swayed. He found sufficient evidence to support a prosecutor’s contention that Harbridge retrieved a gun and shot to kill.

Deputy Dist Atty. James Ellison argued that Harbridge came out of his house with the gun hidden behind his back and waited for the 30-year-old construction worker.

“His purpose was to lure Ronald Rowe back out of the house,” Ellison said. “I think the evidence in this case is overwhelming that the defendant should be held to answer for murder.”

During the hearing, relatives of Rowe and Harbridge sat on opposite sides of the courtroom, occasionally directing harsh looks at one another.

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Rowe’s two brothers sat behind the prosecutor’s table. Harbridge’s father, a former Los Angeles police officer, sat directly behind his son, who was clad in blue jail clothes.

Former schoolmates at Simi Valley High, Harbridge and Rowe had a long-standing feud and fought frequently, relatives said.

According to John Harbridge, his son eventually bought a gun to protect himself from his neighbor. He also argued that his son was attacked by Rowe with a can of pepper spray, which prompted the shooting.

But the only witness to the confrontation was Ronald Rowe’s father, John Rowe. He testified Wednesday that he never saw his son squirt pepper spray on Harbridge.

Authorities did recover a can of pepper spray at the scene, however.

For about three hours Wednesday, John Rowe recounted the events that exploded on his front lawn on the morning of Dec. 5. A little after 8 a.m., his son walked out of the family’s house with a cup of coffee and a cigarette, planning to walk their dogs.

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The 55-year-old father heard loud voices and immediately became concerned because he recognized the voice of Harbridge, who had an ongoing dispute with his son.

The voices became louder and angrier, John Rowe testified, so he went outside. The two men were apparently arguing about a light at the Rowe house that was shining onto the Harbridge property.

Ronald Rowe and Harbridge were standing about a foot from each other on the grassy turf between their neighboring homes, he said.

Harbridge kicked Rowe’s son, forcing him to drop his coffee cup and cigarette, the father said. Harbridge quickly turned and ran and Ronald Rowe chased after him.

They chased and dodged each other for some time, until John Rowe persuaded his son to go back inside their house, he said.

“I was trying to convince him to calm down and call the police,” he testified.

But when his son looked out a living room window and saw Harbridge standing near their front yard, he went after him again.

“I told him not to go out,” the father said. “I feared for him because I suspected some foul play.”

The chase began again, but this time Harbridge wheeled around in mid-sprint and fired a gun, the father testified.

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Ronald Rowe stopped, threw up his arms and said, “What are you going to do, shoot me?”

That’s when Harbridge fired the fatal shot, said John Rowe, who had followed his son outside.

He said Harbridge then pointed the gun at him, and without uttering a word, walked back up his driveway.

The father ran into the house and called police. He came back outside and heard Harbridge yell into his own house, “Lock the doors and don’t let anybody in” before getting into a van parked on the street.

“I ran to my boy,” John Rowe said. “As I was kneeling by my son, Chris backed up [in the van] and took off.”

It was after the shooting that John Rowe said he noticed the can of pepper spray on the ground.

After the judge’s ruling to bind Harbridge over for trial, defense attorney Goldstein asked for a bail reduction from $750,000 to $100,000.

O’Neill set bail at $500,000 and ordered Harbridge to stay away from the Rowe family if he makes bail. Harbridge’s Superior Court arraignment is set for Jan. 22.

The judge also told the defendant not to enter the Simi Valley city limits. Harbridge’s family has moved out of the city, and their home is for sale.