A man convicted of killing his 17-year-old passenger during a 2013 street race has been denied parole.
On May 23, 2025, the Kern County District Attorney’s Office announced that the Board of Parole Hearings rejected Cesar Duarte’s release, citing that he still poses an unreasonable risk to public safety.
According to prosecutors, Duarte caused the death of 17-year-old Iman “Faith” Amin on November 6, 2013, when he sped through a street race with a friend at over 93 mph while intoxicated. Around 4 a.m., a witness saw a white vehicle and a red Mercedes racing at a dangerously high speed along Harris Road. The Mercedes, driven by Duarte, appeared to be chasing the other car before both flew over the Old River Road intersection.
Duarte’s car lost control, hit a block wall twice, and landed upside down. The other vehicle slowed briefly at the scene before fleeing. First responders arrived to find Duarte still strapped into the driver’s seat while Amin’s arm was pinned beneath the car. She died at the scene.
Investigators determined Duarte’s blood alcohol content was 0.17%—more than twice the legal limit. He had a prior 2009 DUI conviction and had already been warned about the dangers of impaired driving.
In 2015, while in custody, Duarte joined four other inmates in a violent jail assault. The group stormed another inmate’s cell and repeatedly stomped on the victim’s head, sending him to the hospital.
A Kern County jury convicted Duarte on April 14, 2015, of second-degree murder and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. On December 18, 2015, he received a sentence of 15 years to life. Just days later, Duarte pleaded guilty to gang-related activity for his role in the in-custody assault and was given a two-year sentence to run concurrently.
During his initial parole hearing on May 23, 2025, commissioners reviewed Duarte’s record, citing his lack of insight into his crimes, prison gang involvement, history of substance abuse, credibility issues, and limited participation in rehabilitation programs.
Now 34, Duarte has served nearly 11 years behind bars. The District Attorney’s Office urged the Board to deny his release. The commissioners agreed, ruling Duarte not suitable for parole and a continuing danger to society. He received a three-year parole denial but could be eligible for a hearing again in 18 months.
Assistant District Attorney Joseph Kinzel remarked, “Duarte consistently made reckless and dangerous choices—driving under the influence, engaging in street racing, and even assaulting another inmate while incarcerated. Each of these decisions has not been victimless, and Duarte must face the consequences by serving an appropriate prison sentence.”
