People v. Dixon CA2/7

INTRODUCTION

Duane Dixon was convicted of the first degree murders of Kevin Jones and Jamie Blankenship with robbery and multiple murder special circumstance findings as to both, and the willful, deliberate, and premeditated attempted murder of Patricia Lacey, along with personal firearm use findings as to all the offenses. The trial court sentenced Dixon to two consecutive sentences of life without the possibility of parole (LWOP) for the murders and a consecutive life term for the attempted murder, plus 15 years for the firearm enhancements. Dixon was 22 years old at the time of the offenses. He appeals from a postjudgment order denying his motion for a hearing under People v. Franklin (2016) 63 Cal.4th 261 (Franklin) and In re Cook (2019) 7 Cal.5th 439 (Cook).1 The superior court determined Dixon was ineligible for a youth offender parole hearing under Penal Code section 30512 because he was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. Dixon contends section 3051 violates his federal and state constitutional rights to equal protection because young adult

In Franklin, supra, 63 Cal.4th at pages 283 to 284, the California Supreme Court held a juvenile offender…