Gary Farmer Jr. was allegedly riding in a fellow Taliban gang member's gold coupe

Gary Farmer Jr. was allegedly riding in a fellow Taliban gang member's gold coupe in December 2008 when officers saw the car chase a green Oldsmobile on Pulgas Avenue in East Palo Alto, San Mateo County Chief Deputy District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said.
Farmer and the car's driver, Richard Lee Burns, then fired multiple rounds at the other vehicle from two separate guns, Wagstaffe said. Officers stopped them at Palo Verde and Bay Road but only recovered one of the weapons, a .45-caliber handgun found in the street. The occupants of the Oldsmobile were members of the De Ville gang and were not wounded in the shooting, Wagstaffe said.In September, Burns pleaded no contest to assault with a deadly weapon and was sentenced to 17 years and 8 months in state prison.Farmer will appear before a judge Feb. 10 for placement in a state mental hospital, Wagstaffe said. He added that he could not disclose what disorder the defendant suffers from but noted that many mental patients are able to stand trial after receiving medication and other therapy.Farmer's attorney, Michael Hroziencik, couldn't be reached for comment late Thursday afternoon.The defendant remains in custody in lieu of $750,000 bail.