In re Darren M. CA2/2

BACKGROUND

Prosecution evidence On May 13, 2011, Falakika Moore (Moore) was working in her home office on the second floor of her house in Palmdale. She looked out of the window and observed approximately seven children, ranging in age from seven to fifteen, playing in the street in front of her home. Moore’s 2006 Freestyle truck was parked nearby on the street. She saw minor wipe something off of the truck’s windshield and then back up and strike the windshield with an object, possibly a rock. The object fell, and minor picked it up and hit the windshield again, making a “circular break” in the windshield. Minor had his hair cut in a Mohawk style and wore a red “cookie monster” character t-shirt. Moore recognized minor as a friend of her youngest son, Zezmond. Zezmond and minor played football together and minor had been to Moore’s home at least a dozen times. At the same time, Moore’s husband, Craton Moore (Craton)1 was sitting in an upstairs bedroom talking to his son, Zezmond. Craton looked outside from an open, sliding glass door and also saw minor break the windshield. As Moore called to him, Craton said, “someone’s out there busting your window.” Moore and Craton then…