People v. Matthews CA2/2

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

In September and October 2019, Matthews and McGregor, along with codefendants Michael Agboola and Allen Asenuga (in the September incident), engaged in a series of actions involving following and robbing individuals who had purchased marijuana from illegal pop-up marijuana dispensaries in Los Angeles.

The four men were tried jointly before separate juries. We refer to them collectively as codefendants. Neither Agboola nor Asenuga are parties to this appeal.

2 September 21, 2019 incident On September 21, 2019, Matthews, McGregor and Asenuga flew from Texas to Los Angeles and met with codefendant Agboola, who was also from Texas, but had arrived earlier. The men gathered together at a hotel near Los Angeles International Airport. Thereafter McGregor, Agboola and Asenuga drove to a storage facility where they obtained a small safe. That evening McGregor, Agboola and Asenuga were directed by Matthews to a South Main Street pop-up marijuana shop in downtown Los Angeles (known as Cali Plug). They arrived in a BMW SUV and were soon joined by Matthews in his own vehicle. After talking with each other for a few minutes, Matthews entered the…