Opinion ID: 844248
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Events Surrounding the Charged Crimes

Text: On May 8, 1993, the day before Mother's Day, defendant and his friend, Edward Bruce Pierce, drove in Pierce's car from Portland, Oregon, to Torrance, California. In Torrance, they planned to stay with George Aguirre, another friend of defendant's, and to buy marijuana for sale later in Oregon. Pierce testified at trial that the trio sampled Mexican weed in Aguirre's apartment that day. Aguirre confirmed this account. According to Pierce and Aguirre, defendant announced between 9:00 and 10:00 that night that he wanted to do a job, meaning he wanted to steal something. Aguirre offered to drive defendant, using Pierce's car. Defendant put on a black turtleneck shirt, and wore jeans and black Nike shoes. He also carried a fanny pack around his waist. The fanny pack contained a small chrome handgun and a pair of black gloves. A short time later, Aguirre dropped defendant off about one mile from the apartment. Aguirre waited 15 minutes and then drove home. On the way, he saw defendant walking on the street, carrying something he did not have beforea multicolored leather-like bag that closed with a rope. Defendant entered the car and said the bag held a bunch of change. Aguirre drove several blocks and defendant exited the car again, leaving the bag behind. This time, he jumped over a wall at a dead end on 180th Street. Aguirre went home with an uneasy feeling, arriving no more than one hour after he left with defendant. There, Aguirre spoke with Pierce about cops all around. Pierce said he would leave for Oregon alone if defendant did not return to the apartment by 3:30 a.m.