The People v. Matchem CA2/3

BACKGROUND

Viewed in accordance with the usual rule of appellate review (People v. Ochoa (1993) 6 Cal.4th 1199, 1206), the evidence established the following. 1. Prosecution evidence. On September 20, 2008, Chappell Bell was working as a loss prevention manager at the Burlington Coat Factory in Inglewood. While monitoring the store’s surveillance cameras, Bell saw defendant Matchem and two other people going in and out of the fitting room. Matchem then took some clothes from one of his companions and began walking toward the exit. As Matchem left the store, the alarm went off. Loss prevention managers Tim Baker and Sam Pinon escorted Matchem back into the store, and Bell joined them. Matchem suddenly shoved Pinon and turned toward Bell. Pinon grabbed Matchem, who began to reach into his front pocket. They fell to the floor struggling. Baker spotted a gun which he removed from Matchem’s pocket. When Inglewood Police Officers John Knapp and George Sanford responded to the store, they found Matchem still on the floor struggling with Pinon. Knapp and Sanford exchanged places with Pinon, got on top of Matchem and held him down, trying to handcuff him. Matchem struggled, fought with…