People v. Salinas CA2/8

background. Garay and Salinas both told police they were members of the Hangout Boys gang. The Hangout Boys and Playboys are rivals. Enrique Cardozo is a member of the Playboys criminal gang. His sister’s boyfriend, Javier Garcia, is also a member of the Playboys gang. His friend Rodolfo Alarcon is also a member. Garay, Salinas, Cardozo, Alarcon, and Garcia all attended a large baptismal party one evening. While dancing, a woman made a hand sign that represented the Hangout Boys. Shortly after, Alarcon got into a fistfight with a member of the Hangout Boys group toward the back of the party. When a crowd went toward the fight, it broke up. Garay had the following text message conversation with a contact labeled “LT” in his cell phone:

2 “GARAY: This shit is popping my boy. “GARAY: Are you coming? “LT: Give me the address. “GARAY: 640 West Hoover [additional directions] “GARAY: Bring the toy, we might need it my boy. “GARAY: I think we have some peanuts. “GARAY: Make that some dead bunnies. “GARAY: Hey, where are you at? We need that. “LT: I’m on my way, I got you vatos.” A gang expert testified that “toy” meant gun. “Peanuts” was a derogatory term for members of the Playboy gang.…