Appellant, William Satele, Reply Brief - California Courts - State of ...

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is accordingly quite possible that a properly instructed jury might have rejected premeditation and deliberation elements and concluded that a second degree murder verdict best encompassed the circumstances of the crime. Consequently, the court erred in not instructing the jury with CALJIC No. 8.31. E. The Error Was Not Harmless Respondent contends that the failure to give CALJIC 8.31 to the jury was harmless for several reasons. Respondent is wrong. In support ofthis contention, respondent claims that the "evidence of intent to kill was 'overwhelming[.]'" (RB at p. 155.) This is simply not true; to the contrary, the shooter's intent and the intent of the non-shooter remain a mystery even now. Admittedly, there was ample evidence that either appellant or Nunez fired the fatal shots. However, the evidence of intent of the non-shooter-- and even the shooter himself-- was ambiguous at best. Neither defendant testified, and there was no evidence of what conversation took place in the car prior to the shooting. There was also no evidence of any prior relationship between the defendants and the victims, and thus no basis from which to speculate as to a motive. The mere fact that one occupant of a car suddenly fires a rifle at total strangers on the street is not "overwhelming" evidence of intent to kill on the part ofthe other occupants or even the shooter. While the jury could have found intent to kill, the evidence equally supports a finding that the actions were a spur-of-the-moment offense, committed rashly and immediately upon seeing two targets ofopportunity. Thus, while the jury may find the requisite intent, the evidence is subject to multiple inferences and is not overwhelming. Because the evidence is subject to differing inferences, the jury must be instructed as to any crimes that may fall within that range of interpretations, and this includes second degree murder. 36
F. Conclusion In summary, by failing to instruct sua sponte on the lesser-included offense of implied malice murder of the second degree the trial court violated appellant's Fifth, Sixth, Eighth, and Fourteenth Amendment rights to due process of law, a jury trial, and a reliable determination ofthe penalty in a capital case required. Accordingly, reversal ofthe convictions set forth in counts 1 and 2 is 37
Page 2 and 3: TABLE OF CONTENTS APPELLANT WILLIAM
Page 4 and 5: 2. The Pleadings Failed To NotifY A
Page 6 and 7: VI THE JURy FAILED TO FIND THE DEGR
Page 8 and 9: C. Standard OfReview And Prejudice
Page 10 and 11: XIII APPELLANT JOINS IN ALL ISSUES
Page 12 and 13: Mitchell v. Esparza (2003) 540 U.S.
Page 14 and 15: People v. Cruz (2001) 93 Cal.App.4t
Page 16 and 17: People v. Scott (1978) 21 Cal. 3d 2
Page 18 and 19: CALlIC No. 8.31 passim CALJIC No. 8
Page 20 and 21: ARGUMENTS GUILT PHASE ISSUES I THE
Page 22 and 23: the facts indicate that only one de
Page 24 and 25: form finding "personal use" to have
Page 26 and 27: 57 Cal.AppAth 871, 877; 9 Witkin, C
Page 28 and 29: the weapon. Without again recountin
Page 30 and 31: Respondent notes that between the m
Page 32 and 33: In another apparent attempt to just
Page 34 and 35: appellant has repeatedly said, the
Page 37 and 38: not present them to the trial court
Page 39 and 40: In People v. Knighten (1980) 105 Ca
Page 41 and 42: Finally, it must be noted that the
Page 43 and 44: B. The Constitutional Issues Are No
Page 45 and 46: turn relied on the language from Wi
Page 47 and 48: Indeed, in this case the instructio
Page 49: as the prosecution's first-degree t
Page 53 and 54: As appellant explained in the openi
Page 55 and 56: in the manner suggested by responde
Page 57 and 58: Furthennore, it is well established
Page 59 and 60: Appellant has explained above and i
Page 61 and 62: Cal.App.3d 970, 992.) Instead, resp
Page 63 and 64: 3. Appellant's Did Not Forfeit His
Page 65 and 66: In Argument V of the Opening Brief,
Page 67 and 68: IV IN FAILING TO REDACT PORTIONS OF
Page 69 and 70: People v. Barraza (1979) 23 Ca1.3d
Page 71 and 72: have been unreasonable for the jury
Page 73 and 74: shot Fuller and Robinson, and that
Page 75 and 76: find 'intent to kill'" on the basis
Page 77 and 78: THE COURT'S ERRONEOUS INSTRUCTION A
Page 79 and 80: Robinson's wounds indicated the sho
Page 81 and 82: caused great bodily injury or death
Page 83 and 84: use enhancement, the statutory lang
Page 85 and 86: 192-193), but fails to explain how
Page 87 and 88: Then we have the words "personal us
Page 89 and 90: trial and had therefore forfeited t
Page 91 and 92: merits of appellant's claim. (AOB a
Page 93 and 94: jury trial. (People v. Gottman (197
Page 95 and 96: Respondent argues that another theo
Page 97 and 98: needs to rely on the penalty verdic
Page 99 and 100: may not cross-examine a witness upo
Page 101 and 102:
itself to appellant would be improp
Page 103 and 104:
B. The Court Erred In Refusing The
Page 105 and 106:
egarding the intent ofthe non-shoot
Page 107 and 108:
B. Respondent's Arguments Are Mispl
Page 109 and 110:
ut is only being allowed for use ag
Page 111 and 112:
x THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN PERMITTI
Page 113 and 114:
XI THE PROSECUTOR'S MISCONDUCT IN A
Page 115 and 116:
"guarantee." Appellant is not proce
Page 117 and 118:
v. Berryman (1993) 6 Ca1.4th 1048,
Page 119 and 120:
Contreras. Viewed in this context,
Page 122 and 123:
overwhelmingly showed that only one
Page 124 and 125:
XII GUILT AND PENALTY PHASE VERDICT
Page 126 and 127:
Where Juror No. 2211 is concerned,
Page 128 and 129:
The jury in Cruz was given a versio
Page 130 and 131:
PENALTY PHASE ISSUES XIV THE TRIAL
Page 132 and 133:
B. The Flaw In Respondent's Content
Page 134 and 135:
participation ofall jurors. Contrar
Page 136 and 137:
confuse[d]" (Harris) is no more tha
Page 138:
It is submitted that these instruct
Page 141 and 142:
inherent power to review an issue i
Page 143 and 144:
prospective jurors who were found t
Page 145 and 146:
(Id at p. 821.) This court has char
Page 147 and 148:
church. (18RT 4448:4-6,4451:11-14.)
Page 149 and 150:
(18RT 4450:12-14) or her mother (18
Page 151 and 152:
had in fact reached an impasse at t
Page 153 and 154:
There is an impasse. It is hung. Bu
Page 155 and 156:
establishes, for example, that, whe
Page 157 and 158:
and Code of Civil Procedure 233, wh
Page 159 and 160:
a demonstrable reality. The court a
Page 161 and 162:
CERTIFICATE OF WORD COUNT Rule 8.63
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