Opinion ID: 1450284
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Substantial evidence supports the verdict finding defendant guilty of first degree murder.

Text: The trial court instructed the jury that it could find defendant guilty of first degree murder on either of two theories: premeditated murder, or murder committed in the course of committing a felony; namely, an attempted robbery involving a theft of the victim's car. We examine the evidence to support the verdict on both theories. (1b) We observe first that the evidence is ample to support a verdict finding premeditated murder. Three prosecution experts testified that defendant, although intoxicated to some degree, was capable of premeditation and deliberation at the time of the killings. Although defendant argues that proof that he was able to premeditate does not prove that he did so, the testimonial account of the crime and events leading up to it strongly suggests that defendant did in fact premeditate the murders. In People v. Anderson (1968) 70 Cal.2d 15, 27 [73 Cal. Rptr. 550, 447 P.2d 942], we suggested three factors which might lead an appellate court to sustain a finding of premeditated murder: (1) facts showing prior planning activity; (2) facts suggesting motive; (3) facts about the manner of the killing which suggest a preconceived design. The evidence in the present case, viewed in the light most favorable to the prosecution (see Jackson v. Virginia (1979) 443 U.S. 307, 319 [61 L.Ed.2d 560, 573, 99 S.Ct. 2781]) supports a finding of premeditation under the Anderson analysis. Lufenberger testified that earlier in the day the defendant suggested to Lufenberger that they kill the victims. [10] Shortly before the killing he repeated that suggestion. Then, when the victims packed up their equipment and prepared to leave, defendant followed them to their car, carrying a loaded gun. About 80 feet from the car, defendant halted and began shooting. After wounding Henderson and Soto (the latter fatally), he reloaded his gun, walked 30 feet closer, and resumed shooting. Defendant killed Henderson when Henderson attempted to flee. He then saw Bufflo looking at him from under the car, shot at Bufflo, and wounded him. Then when Etayo came out from behind the car and approached him, asking him to stop shooting, defendant according to his own statement warned her to stop. When she continued to approach he shot and killed her. The foregoing chronicle shows both a preconceived plan to kill the victims, and a manner of killing which indicates careful and deliberate action. The fact that defendant paused at least once to reload his gun, and that he shot Etayo only after warning her not to approach him, strongly suggest that he was not in the grip of an impulsive, uncontrollable explosion of violence, but was able both before and during the killings to weigh and plan his actions. The only questionable factor in the Anderson analysis is that of motive. Defendant may have intended to steal the car, as discussed subsequently in this section; he may have simply been venting his anger and frustration as the prosecution psychiatrists opined. But regardless of whether or not defendant acted with conscious motive, the evidence of planning and deliberate execution of his plan to kill the victims supports a finding of premeditated murder. (2b) The prosecution's alternative theory of first degree murder  a killing in the course of a felony  presents a closer question. Indeed, the prosecution itself seemed to have doubts about this theory. It did not charge defendant with attempted robbery or automobile theft, nor specify premeditated killing in the course of robbery as a special circumstance. [11] It presented three expert witnesses who stated that in their opinion the defendant killed in reaction to cumulative frustrations; none said he did so in order to steal an automobile. Nevertheless, the court instructed the jury on a felony-murder theory, and the district attorney argued that theory to the jury. The principal evidence to support that theory is Lufenberger's testimony that defendant kept on saying, `let's shoot the people,' or something like that. He wanted to steal the car or something. [12] When the victims prepared to leave, defendant, seeing his last opportunity to take the car and perhaps fearing that they would leave him and Lufenberger stranded in the desert, took his gun and followed them to the car. The public defender notes, on the other hand, that defendant had numerous earlier opportunities to steal the car, but did not attempt to do so. Even when defendant began shooting at the victims, he did not demand possession of the car. By shooting at persons hiding behind and under the car, he risked disabling the vehicle. Finally, when the shooting was over he did not take the car, but his failure to do so may be explained by his statement that he saw something leaking from it. Weighing this evidence, we conclude that it is sufficient to support a verdict on a felony-murder theory. The jury was entitled to believe Lufenberger's testimony which indicated that defendant was thinking of stealing the car. It is true that the evidence cited by the public defender suggests that defendant would not have been satisfied with a nonviolent theft of the vehicle. It does not, however, necessarily indicate that defendant did not act with the concurrent goals of killing the victims and taking their car. [13]