Opinion ID: 1119911
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Petitioner's Arrest and Confession

Text: Petitioner was arrested at his residence by El Monte police around 1 a.m. on December 12, 1981. Petitioner's brother Amelio and petitioner's girlfriend Martina Pereida were also arrested and placed in custody on charges unrelated to the murder. At a pretrial Evidence Code section 402 hearing petitioner testified on cross-examination that at the time of his arrest he was in the shower, with no water running, and wearing pants and shoes. At trial, however, he testified that he did not remember saying that and asserted that he remembered only that he was in the bathroom and was wearing pants. On December 14, 1981, petitioner was interviewed by Detective Johnston of the El Monte police, who was investigating the 1979 murder, Detective West of the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, who was investigating the 1981 murder, and Detective Parrott of the El Monte police, who was interpreting for the other two. Detective Parrott had spoken Spanish at home since the age of 10 and had studied it in high school and college. Detective Parrott was familiar with the vernacular used by petitioner and many other Spanish-speaking people in El Monte. Detective Parrott advised petitioner of his Miranda rights ( Miranda v. Arizona (1966) 384 U.S. 436 [16 L.Ed.2d 694, 86 S.Ct. 1602, 10 A.L.R.3d 974]) in Spanish from a Spanish-language rights card. Petitioner appeared to understand what Detective Parrott said and his answers were responsive to her questions; he seemed relaxed and cheerful. Detective Parrott testified that no promises or threats were made to petitioner or to any member of his family; petitioner's answers appeared to have been freely and voluntarily given. Detectives Johnston and West confirmed this. Detective Parrott asked questions formulated by Detectives Johnston and West; she had little independent information about the crimes. Pursuant to departmental policy, the interview was not tape-recorded. Petitioner admitted complicity in both murders. When he was asked about a man who had died on December 31, 1979, petitioner first said he was not in the country at that time. He then admitted shooting the man after being told that there were witnesses who could identify him. Petitioner said his cousin Mario had been fighting with the victim on Merced Street in El Monte. Mario told petitioner to shoot the victim, so petitioner shot him in the head with a blue steel automatic weapon. When asked about the death of Ascencion Hernandez on March 15, 1981, petitioner said he was there but that he did not kill him. Petitioner said he was there with Miguel Reyes (known as La Gusia) and Jaime Polido (known as Chu Cho or Chu Chi). They lived in neighboring apartments. Petitioner described how Miguel drove him and Jaime in Miguel's yellow Mustang to Chon's house about 10 p.m. (Miguel knew Chon from Mexico.) Miguel and Jaime had automatic weapons and petitioner had a knife; Miguel was wearing a beanie that was pulled down to cover his face. When they went inside the house, petitioner heard a lady talking in English and he thought there was a little girl there. The lady came into the room. The victim was watching television. Jaime called the man Chon and told him to give them the money. The man said he did not have it there. Petitioner said that Jaime and Miguel were doing the talking; he was standing by the door. Petitioner did not see the shooting, but he heard three or four bullets. Petitioner described Miguel as five feet eleven inches tall, heavyset, brown eyed, and having almost shoulder-length brown hair. He described Jaime as five feet two inches tall, chubby, with dark eyes and very dark, curly hair.