People v. Cazessus CA4/2

BACKGROUND

Only a brief factual and procedural background is necessary. The evidence at trial

established that, in the early morning hours on April 22, 2024, defendant arrived and

parked his car near the trailer in which Almon Chastain and his girlfriend, Griselda

Sandoval, lived. Defendant knew Sandoval, and Sandoval knew Chastain was jealous of

other men at the time. Chastain had also warned defendant to stay away from him

because of their mutual involvement in drugs.

Defendant knocked on the trailer door around 7:15 a.m. and Sandoval exited to

speak with him. When Chastain came to the trailer door, he engaged in a screaming

match with Sandoval, and, by his own admission, Chastain pushed defendant, punched

him, and kicked him. Chastain threatened defendant and followed him to defendant’s car.

As defendant stood behind his car door, Chastain slammed the door on defendant’s leg.

Sandoval testified at trial that Chastain had something in his hand when he earlier

followed defendant to the car, but threw the object towards the trailer on the way; in

earlier testimony, Sandoval had said the object was a pair of scissors, but she was not sure

at the time of trial. In her…