Intent Plus Aiding Required For SB 1437; But Only The Underlying Felony Has To Be Aided March 28th, 2023
“Senate Bill 1437’s author described the purpose of the new law as “‘restor[ing] proportional responsibility in the application of California’s murder statute [by] reserving the harshest punishments for those who intentionally planned or actually committed the killing.’” (Assem. Com. on Public Safety, June 26, 2018, Rep. on Sen. Bill No. 1437 (2017-2018 Reg. Sess.), at […]
Tags: CC 402 , CC 403 , CC 540A , CC 540B , CC 540C , CC 541A , CC 541B , CC 541C , SB 1437; Felony Murder
Judge’s Duty to Draft and Give Instructions Not Included in CALCRIM May 3rd, 2022
In People v. Pettigrew (2021) 62 Cal.App.5th 477, 500 the judge erroneously instructed the jurors that they could consider the defendant’s attempted suicide as flight per CC 372. Instead, because no CC instructions addressed the issue of attempted suicide vis-a-vis consciousness of guilt the judge (or prosecutor who had presented the attempted suicide evidence and […]
Tags: CALCRIM Is Not The Law , CALCRIM Not Always Correct , CC 372 , CC 402 , Judge Duty to Instruct , Judge Duty To Instruct Correctly , Pattern Instructions Not Sacrosanct
SB 1437 Update June 12th, 2021
This post: SB 1437, Which Amended the Natural and Probable Consequences Doctrine as It Relates to Murder, Bars a Conviction for Second Degree Murder Under That Theory December 23rd, 2020 discusses People v. Gentile (2020) 10 Cal.5th 830, 842 which barred a conviction for second degree murder under the natural and probable consequences […]
Tags: Accomplice Liability , Aider and Abettor , Appeal , Attempted Murder , CC 400 , CC 401 , CC 402 , CC 403 , CC 415 , CC 416 , CC 417 , CC 521 , CC 600 , CC 601 , Chiu Doctrine , Natural and Probable Consequences , PC 1170.95 , Premeditation and Deliberation , Retroactivity , SB 1437
Defendants Whose Cases Are Pending on Appeal May Seek to Stay Their Appeals in Order to Pursue Relief Under SB 1437 January 4th, 2021
People v. Gentile (Dec. 17, 2020, S256698) concluded that SB 1437 bars a conviction for second degree murder under the natural and probable consequences theory. It also held that the procedure set forth in section PC 1170.95 is the exclusive mechanism for retroactive relief and thus the ameliorative provisions of SB 1437 do not apply […]
Tags: Accomplice Liability , Aider and Abettor , Appeal , Attempted Murder , CC 400 , CC 401 , CC 402 , CC 403 , CC 415 , CC 416 , CC 417 , CC 521 , CC 600 , CC 601 , Chiu Doctrine , Natural and Probable Consequences , PC 1170.95 , Premeditation and Deliberation , Retroactivity , SB 1437
SB 1437, Which Amended the Natural and Probable Consequences Doctrine as It Relates to Murder, Bars a Conviction for Second Degree Murder Under That Theory December 23rd, 2020
When an accomplice aids and abets a crime, the accomplice is culpable for both that crime and any other offense committed that is the natural and probable consequence of the aided and abetted crime. Natural and probable consequences liability can be imposed even if the accomplice did not intend the additional offense. (People v. McCoy […]
Tags: Accomplice Liability , Aider and Abettor , Appeal , Attempted Murder , CC 400 , CC 401 , CC 402 , CC 403 , CC 415 , CC 416 , CC 417 , CC 521 , CC 600 , CC 601 , Chiu Doctrine , Natural and Probable Consequences , PC 1170.95 , Premeditation and Deliberation , Retroactivity , SB 1437
SB 1437 and Attempted Murder August 27th, 2020
A recurring issue in Court of Appeal opinions is whether SB 1437 applies to attempted murder liability under the natural and probable consequences doctrine, and there is currently a split in authority. The California Supreme will consider this issue in People v. Lopez (2019) 38 Cal.App.5th 1087, review granted 11/13/2019 (S258175/B271516). See this post: Two […]
Tags: Accomplice Liability , Aider and Abettor , Appeal , Attempted Murder , CC 400 , CC 401 , CC 402 , CC 403 , CC 415 , CC 416 , CC 417 , CC 521 , CC 600 , CC 601 , Chiu Doctrine , Natural and Probable Consequences , PC 1170.95 , Premeditation and Deliberation , Retroactivity , SB 1437
Prosecution’s Constitutional Challenge to SB 1437 Rejected and CSC Review Denied April 14th, 2020
SB 1437 bars liability for felony murder where the defendant wasn’t the actual killer, didn’t intend to kill, and wasn’t a major participant in the underlying felony. In Gooden, the C/A People v. Superior Court (Gooden); 42 CA5th 270 rejected the DA’s argument that SB 1437 unconstitutionally amended Proposition 7 or Proposition 115. Furthermore, People […]
Tags: Accomplice Liability , Aider and Abettor , Appeal , Attempted Murder , CC 400 , CC 401 , CC 402 , CC 403 , CC 415 , CC 416 , CC 417 , CC 521 , CC 600 , CC 601 , Chiu Doctrine , Natural and Probable Consequences , PC 1170.95 , Premeditation and Deliberation , Retroactivity , SB 1437
Aiding and abetting: Natural and probable consequences–Does Chui Doctrine apply to Lying in wait? March 25th, 2020
People v. Gastelum (Feb. 25, 2020, D075368) ___ Cal.App.4th ___ [pp. 3] held that People v. Chiu (2014) 59 Cal.4th 155 does not apply to first degree murder based on lying in wait. The court observed that because Chiu did not consider the first degree lying-in-wait murder at issue here, and Gastelum did not provide […]
Tags: Accomplice Liability , Aider and Abettor , CC 400 , CC 401 , CC 402 , CC 403 , CC 415 , CC 416 , CC 417 , CC 521 , CC 600 , CC 601 , Chiu Doctrine , First Degree Felony Murder , Lying in Wait
Two Issues Regarding Accomplice Liability for Attempted Murder Currently Before the CSC March 17th, 2020
In 2018, the Legislature and the Governor signed into law Senate Bill No. 1437, (Penal Code which restricted the circumstances under which a person can be liable for felony murder and abrogated the natural and probable consequences doctrine as applied to murder. (Stats. 2018, ch. 1015.) It also established a procedure permitting qualified persons with […]
Tags: Accomplice Liability , Aider and Abettor , Appeal , Attempted Murder , CC 400 , CC 401 , CC 402 , CC 403 , CC 415 , CC 416 , CC 417 , CC 521 , CC 600 , CC 601 , Chiu Doctrine , Natural and Probable Consequences , PC 1170.95 , Premeditation and Deliberation , Retroactivity , SB 1437
Aider and Abettor: Natural and Probable Consequences – Unanimity as to Commission of Nontarget Offense October 22nd, 2019
The majority opinion in People v. Smith (2014) 60 Cal. 4th 603 concluded that the requirement of juror unanimity as to all essential elements of the charge does not apply to commission of the nontarget offense alleged under the natural and probable consequences doctrine: The prosecution theory was that Littleton was the killer. But […]
Tags: Accomplice Liability , Aider and Abettor , Apprendi , Attempted Murder , CC 3500 , CC 3501 , CC 3502 , CC 400 , CC 401 , CC 402 , CC 403 , Homicide , Mens Rea , Natural and Probable Consequences , Premeditation and Deliberation
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