People v. Langi CA1/4

BACKGROUND

Evidence of the offense In late December 2002, Miguel Martinez, Jose Martinez, Francisco Molina, Domingo Huerta, and Danny Jesus went out to celebrate Jesus’s birthday.2 After going to a party for a few hours, the group went to a dead-end street in East Palo Alto sometime after midnight. All five had something to drink at the party, although Miguel was taking it slow, and they continued drinking in East Palo Alto while standing in a circle. Sione Fakalata, Langi, Joe Ngaloafe, and a fourth individual approached. The first three appeared to be of Tongan descent, and the fourth man said he was Puerto Rican or Costa Rican. Fakalata was wearing black pants, a black hooded sweatshirt, and a black leather jacket. Langi was wearing black shorts and a black hooded sweatshirt, and Ngalaofe had on a red sweatshirt. Langi was 19 years old, 6 feet tall, and weighed 195 pounds at the time. The newcomers appeared to have been drinking, and Langi was slurring his words and saying he was drunk and high. The newcomers dispersed into the circle. The discussion was friendly at first, with Miguel and his friends offering drinks to the newcomers and chatting. Langi bragged about his old…