Opinion ID: 4022550
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Prosecution Case

Text: Reis-Campos was charged with first-degree murder in violation of California Penal Code § 187. In his July 2007 jury trial, the prosecution argued that Reis-Campos executed Fuentes to gain status in the Norteño gang, and that Fuentes disrespected the Norteños by wearing blue shoes in Norteño territory. The prosecution also contended that Fuentes was an easy target because his six-year-old son was present. While the prosecution acknowledged that Fuentes belonged to MS13, it downplayed his violent history, at one point characterizing Fuentes as “a family man,” emphasizing that “[h]e has kids and he’s a [house] painter.” The prosecution contended that Reis-Campos’ self-defense claim was “fabricated” and that his testimony about Fuentes’ prior threats was not credible. To support its case, the prosecution called, among other witnesses: (1) Fuentes’ son; (2) an eyewitness to the shooting; and (3) Reis-Campos’ cellmate, who testified that ReisCampos confided that he had confronted Fuentes, and after Fuentes pulled a knife and told him to leave him alone, chased down and shot Fuentes. The prosecution also called San Francisco Police Sergeant Mario Molina, the case investigator and gang expert. Molina testified about various gang practices. He opined that the killing benefitted Reis-Campos by helping him rise in the Norteño ranks, and the Norteños by providing recognition and warning rival gangs. REIS-CAMPOS V. BITER 5 In addition, Molina testified about his relationship with Fuentes. He claimed that he knew Fuentes primarily from soccer games at a local playground, and did not know of Fuentes’ high rank in MS-13 until after Fuentes was shot. On direct examination, when asked about the March 2004 Norteño killing of an MS-13 member, Molina agreed that this killing could lead to MS-13 retaliation against Norteños. When asked whether he knew of any such retaliation, Molina first said that he did not recall any. Asked again, Molina said that he could not “think of any incident right now.” And on cross-examination, he again denied any knowledge of retaliation: “I am not sure there was any specific retaliation for his death that said we are going to go kill somebody because [of the March 2004 killing]. I don’t have that information.” Consistent with his professed lack of knowledge, Molina said he was unaware of any specific MS13 calls to kill Norteños.