In re Hill

BACKGROUND

I. Hill’s Conviction and Post Trial Proceedings A. The Offenses Our description of the case presented at trial is taken largely from the California Supreme Court’s opinion affirming Hill’s convictions. (People v. Hill (1992) 3 Cal.4th 959 (Hill), overruled on unrelated grounds in Price v. Superior Court (2001) 25 Cal.4th 1046, 1069, fn. 13), supplemented as appropriate by our review of the trial record. After a preliminary hearing held in April and May 1986, Hill was charged by information on May 19, 1986, with two counts of murder, one count of robbery, special circumstances of multiple murder and murder committed during a robbery, and enhancements for use of a firearm, and alleged that he had previously been

2 convicted of possession of narcotics for sale. (Hill, at pp. 972-973.)2 Hill pleaded not guilty and denied the special circumstances and other allegations, but subsequently amended his plea to admit the alleged prior conviction. (Id. at p. 973.) 1. The People’s Case “On August 15, 1985, the bodies of Anthony Brice, Sr. (Brice), and his four-year-old son, Anthony Brice, Jr. (Anthony), were found by police on the floor of the jewelry store operated by Brice”…