People v. Martinez CA2/5

FACTS

A. The Murder

On April 17, 2009, eighteen-year-old Le Blanc went to a large party in Pomona with friends.2 The boys were not familiar with Pomona. They learned about another party in Pomona through a “party text.” They were not able to find the party, but as they were driving they saw a bunch of kids parking cars and walking down the street. The boys asked if there was a party and were told there was, so they decided to park and go to the party. The party was held at Leslie C.’s house. She asked her adult cousin, Deborah M., to help her set up the party and to arrange for security. Leslie C. wanted to exclude certain boys from the party, including Martinez, Adam Delgado, Victor

1 All further statutory references are to the Penal Code.

2 The party was attended by teenagers mostly between the ages of 13 and 19 years old, so we refer to the party-goers using terms that describe minors. Martinez was 15 years old at the time. No disrespect is intended.

2 Guillen, Edgar Cisneros, and “their . . . crowd” because they were “troublemakers.” Deborah M.’s boyfriend, Joshua R., who worked as a security guard at a nightclub, provided security along with two other people. The…