People v. Miller CA2/2

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

I. Facts

On a Monday afternoon in September 2018, defendant drove up alongside Jane Doe as she walked toward a bus stop. Doe had just finished her shift as a topless dancer at a bar in El Monte, California. Seeing her visible tattoos, defendant lied and told her he was looking for a receptionist at a tattoo parlor he operated in nearby Arcadia, California. When Doe considered the job offer, defendant offered to drive her to the parlor. She accepted, and got into his car. Defendant did not drive Doe to the nonexistent parlor. Instead, he drove to a car dealership, and after pretending to negotiate to buy Doe a car, drove her to his house in Pasadena, California. As defendant neared his house, defendant told Doe that he had a knife in his glove compartment; at this point, Doe was “borderline terrified.”

2 Afraid defendant might get angry if she objected or resisted, and mindful that defendant was substantially larger than her, Doe followed defendant into his house. Once inside, defendant insisted Doe “check out” his bedroom; at this point, Doe was “really, really scared.” Defendant told Doe to remove her clothes. Although Doe told defendant she…