People v. Mata CA4/3

FACTS

Mata and his brother Juan worked at Slauson Foods with Ismael Galvan, who owned a Pontiac Trans Am. While at work one afternoon in 1998, at about 5:00 p.m., Mata saw his brother approach Galvan, who had stayed after his shift to wash his car. The two men began to argue, a fight ensued, and Mata saw his brother put a plastic bag over Galvan’s head. Mata rushed over to help his brother in the fight, and the two men hit Galvan 16 or 17 times until he was unconscious. They then picked Galvan up and put him in his Trans Am, which Mata’s brother used to drop Galvan near a dumpster. Galvan’s body was discovered near the dumpster at about 6:00 p.m., strangled and severely beaten. Medical evidence indicated he died between 4:00 and 5:00 p.m., and a Y-shaped ligature mark around the front of his neck, which could have been caused by a scrunched-up plastic bag, suggested he tried to get away when he was being strangled. When interviewed by police, Mata confessed to helping his brother beat Galvan. Although he claimed he did not realize Galvan had died, Mata also repeatedly said his brother dropped off the “body,” suggesting he knew Galvan was dead or dying after their interaction. A…