People v. Lopez CA4/1

DISCUSSION

The sole issue raised on appeal is whether there is sufficient evidence that the killing was criminal. Lopez argues the evidence is insufficient because Stokes suffered from hypertension, heart disease, strokes, and emphysema, and these chronic conditions would have led to his death regardless of the blunt force trauma Lopez inflicted on him. We disagree. To determine the sufficiency of the evidence, “we review the entire record in the light most favorable to the prosecution to determine whether it contains evidence that is reasonable, credible and of solid value, from which a rational trier of fact could find that the elements of the crime were established beyond a reasonable doubt.” (People v. Tripp (2007) 151 Cal.App.4th 951, 955.) We must “view the evidence in the light most favorable to respondent and presume in support of the judgment the existence of every fact the trier could reasonably deduce from the evidence.”

3 (People v. Lewis (1990) 50 Cal.3d 262, 277.) Reversal based on insufficient evidence is warranted only if “it appears ‘that upon no hypothesis whatever is there sufficient substantial evidence to support [the conviction].’ ” (People v. Bolin (1998)…