Opinion ID: 2639471
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Defendant's Attitude Toward the Victims

Text: Several teenage girls testified that prior to Denise's murder on June 12, 1984, defendant had made rude and threatening comments toward the three victims. For example, Michele D. (Michele), age 15, testified that she met defendant in April of 1984 and that defendant called Denise a slut, stated that Debbie was turning out real bad, and called Lynda a hoser. Michele further stated that defendant's whole attitude changed in the spring and summer of 1984. He became obscene and started listing people, labeling them, what they were and stuff. Defendant told Michele that she shouldn't be like them. Lynette H., age 16, testified that in early April of 1984 she was riding in defendant's car when he told her that some of the girls downtown had a bad reputation to him, and that they were sluts. Lynne A., a high school student, testified that she knew Debbie, Denise, and Lynda from downtown Placerville. In May of 1984, she was with the three victims and two other girls near The Oz when defendant came by, called the girls sluts, and made a vulgar sexual reference toward them. On another occasion, Lynne A. testified that Lynda and two other girls were seated on a bench and defendant yelled from his car, Does your mama know where you sluts are at? Darlene testified that defendant called Denise a slut. She stated that in the spring of 1984, she and defendant were in his car and they saw Denise smoking a cigarette outside the foster home. Defendant told Darlene three would be eliminated from the foster home and three more. On cross-examination, however, Darlene stated that eliminate was her word.