People v. Richardson CA5

BACKGROUND

On May 17, 2021, defendant and Jane Doe3 attended a marital counseling session at around 4:00 p.m. due to ongoing marital issues. Those issues stemmed from defendant’s frustration that Doe had friendships outside the marriage that meant she was not spending enough time with him. During the counseling session, defendant was “very angry.” He accused Doe of “lying to the counselor to make him look bad and he was very agitated” toward Doe. At one point, he left the session, came back, and called her names. After the approximately hour-long session, defendant and Jane Doe left in defendant’s vehicle to go to a casino. Doe sat in the front passenger seat. Their dog was in the vehicle’s back seat. As they drove, defendant renewed his accusations that Doe lied to the counselor and made him “look bad.” Doe thought he was “general[ly] angry with [her]” and “irritated.” On the way to the casino, defendant stopped at a “grocery store” and purchased a beer. He drank some of it in the vehicle while driving to the casino. The couple argued about defendant’s drinking until they arrived at the casino. Once they arrived at the casino, defendant “demanded” Doe to come in with him. Doe…