People v. Pittman CA3

BACKGROUND

During the relevant time period, defendant lived with his great uncles Gregory and Larry. Gregory’s girlfriend also lived with them. Months before the murder, Gregory had obtained a restraining order against defendant, and Gregory’s girlfriend had served it, telling defendant it was about him moving out of the house. Gregory celebrated his 60th birthday at the house on the afternoon of April 26, 2019. Defendant drank brandy and beer, but at some point he yelled that someone had poured out his drink. At the time, Gregory and his girlfriend were outside with others, and Larry was in his bedroom. Defendant locked the front door from the inside and turned up the music. The side and back doors of the house were also locked. Defendant subsequently opened the front door holding a knife and told people to get off the porch, threatening to “slash” them. Someone called the police, and responding officers repeatedly asked defendant to exit the house, but he did not cooperate. When an officer said she wanted to check on the other person in the house, defendant told the officers to leave. He said there was no one else inside the house and everything was fine. However, when an…