People v. North CA2/4

INTRODUCTION AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

The Los Angeles County District Attorney charged defendant and appellant Demaruea North with, among other things, the murder of Efrem Reynolds. (Pen. Code, § 187, subd. (a).)1 In August 2017, at the request of defense counsel, the trial court held a preliminary hearing under section 1368.1.2 North and his co-defendant, Darius Walker, were held to answer on all charges and allegations. In October 2017, defense counsel declared a doubt regarding North’s mental competence. (§ 1368.) In February 2018, the trial court found North was not mentally competent to stand trial and suspended criminal proceedings. In January 2019, after receiving a report from Patton State Hospital indicating North was competent to stand trial, the trial court reinstated criminal proceedings. In March 2019, after concluding North had not been mentally competent at his 2017 preliminary hearing, the trial court granted North’s motion to dismiss and set aside the charges. The District Attorney re-filed the charges against North, alleging, among other things, that he murdered Reynolds (§ 187, subd. (a)) and, in the commission of the murder, personally and intentionally…