People v. Triplett CA4/3

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

I.

BACKGROUND

A jury found Triplett guilty of first degree murder (§ 187, subd. (a)) and second degree robbery (§§ 211, 212.5, subd. (c)). It also found true a special circumstance that the murder occurred during the commission of a robbery (§ 190.2, subd. (a)(17)(A)). Triplett was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the special circumstance murder. He was also given a five-year sentence for the robbery, which was stayed under section 654. The trial court also imposed various fines, including a $300 parole revocation fine (§ 1202.45, subd. (a)). The evidence at trial was largely undisputed. The victim worked at a marijuana dispensary in South Los Angeles (the dispensary). It was an all-cash business. The dispensary would take in around $20,000 a day on weekdays and $30,000 a day on weekends. It generally operated from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m. It was protected by four armed guards during business hours, and it was also monitored by surveillance cameras. The victim was responsible for picking up the cash from the dispensary every day and transporting it to the company’s office in Tustin. He generally followed the same…