Benson

Filed 4/28/25

CERTIFIED FOR PUBLICATION

IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

SECOND APPELLATE DISTRICT

DIVISION EIGHT

THE PEOPLE, B334490

Plaintiff and Respondent, (Los Angeles County Super. Ct. No. TA151039-01) v.

JOHN BENSON,

Defendant and Appellant.

APPEAL from a judgment of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County. Sean D. Coen, Judge. Affirmed.

Deborah L. Hawkins, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Defendant and Appellant.

Rob Bonta, Attorney General, Lance E. Winters, Chief Assistant Attorney General, Susan Sullivan Pithey, Assistant Attorney General, Steven D. Matthews and Gary A. Lieberman, Deputy Attorneys General, for Plaintiff and Respondent.

_______________________ John Benson, convicted of the first degree murder of Chloe Evans and other felonies, appeals his convictions. Benson contends the trial court erred by admitting certain evidence, granting a continuance during trial, and failing to investigate a juror; he also claims prosecutorial error during closing argument. We affirm the judgment.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

A. Investigation and Charges On October 25, 2019, Chloe Evans was shot to…