People v. Thomas CA1/1

I. BACKGROUND2

Thomas was involved in a shooting in the home of a neighbor from whom he sometimes bought marijuana. On the evening of the crime, Thomas contacted his neighbor, D’Andre W., to buy a much larger amount of

1 All statutory references are to the Penal Code.

2 We incorporate by reference our nonpublished opinions in Thomas’s

prior appeals, People v. Thomas (Feb. 29, 2016, A142916) (Thomas I) and People v. Thomas (May 18, 2021, A159153) (Thomas II). marijuana than usual. D’Andre W. had gone out with some friends and told Thomas to meet him back at his house. Thomas went into the house with two other men, and they rummaged through D’Andre W.’s property. When D’Andre W. returned with his friends, one of the friends, Jahmad Karriem, was fatally shot by an unknown person. One of Thomas’s associates said it was Thomas who shot Karriem. Thomas, on the other hand, claimed he was caught between Karriem and the shooter as shots flew and that the others coerced him into letting them in to D’Andre W.’s house so they could steal from him. A. Thomas Is Prosecuted for Felony Murder and Pleads Guilty to Manslaughter Thomas was convicted by a jury of burglary and felony murder in…