People v. Meals CA4/1

INTRODUCTION

Raheem Malik Meals appeals a judgment of conviction after a jury found him guilty of the first degree murder of Ismael Abouabid (Pen. Code,

§ 187, subd. (a); count 1),1 second degree robbery (§ 211; count 2), carrying a concealed firearm (§ 25400, subd. (a)(2); count 3), and attempted second degree robbery (§§ 211, 664; count 4). The jury returned a true finding on a robbery-murder special circumstance allegation related to count 1. (§ 190.2, subd. (a)(17)(A).) For counts 1 and 2, the jury found Meals personally and intentionally discharged a firearm causing great bodily injury or death. (§ 12022.53, subd. (d).) The jury also found the concealed firearm giving rise to count 3 was loaded, in Meals’s immediate possession, and readily accessible, and Meals was not listed as the firearm’s registered owner. (§ 25400, subd. (c)(6).) The trial court found true four aggravating circumstance allegations and sentenced Meals to state prison for an aggregate term of 23 years 8 months, plus life without the possibility of parole (LWOP), calculated as follows: LWOP for the murder conviction, plus 20 years for the related firearm enhancement, plus eight months for the concealed…