Tag Archives: Homicide


What Is A “Major Participant” Within The Meaning Of Penal Code 190.2(d)?
March 7th, 2015

  Penal Code Section 190.2 (d) was enacted to bring California law into conformity with the High Court’s decision in Tison v. Arizona (1987) 481 U.S. 137 and the statutory language of section 190.2(d) derives verbatim from the decision in Tison. (People v. Estrada (1995) 11 Cal.4th 568, 575.) Tison held that the Eighth Amendment […]


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Aider And Abettor: Natural And Probable Consequences – Unanimity As To Commission Of Nontarget Offense
January 21st, 2015

  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. […]


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Gang Special Circumstance: Predicate Offense Must Occur Before Charged Offense
February 1st, 2014

  People v. Duran (2002) 97 Cal. App. 4th 1448, 1458, [predicate offense cannot be satisfied by a crime which occurred after the charged offense].


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Felony Murder Special Circumstances: Required Elements
February 1st, 2014

  In a felony-murder special-circumstances case the judge has a duty to instruct that the defendant must (1) have personally had the intent to kill or (2) have been a major participant in the commission of the underlying felony and have acted with reckless indifference to human life. (People v. Mil (2012) 53 Cal. 4th […]


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Voluntary Manslaughter: Defense Claims Rejected
January 10th, 2014

  In People v. Genovese (2008) 168 Cal. App. 4th 817, three challenges to CC 571 were rejected. First, the court rejected a claim that the voluntary manslaughter instructions were erroneous because they did not tell the jury the role that malice or lack of malice plays in reducing murder to voluntary manslaughter. Genovese rejected […]


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