People v. Jackson CA2/1

BACKGROUND

On November 9, 1997, the dead body of Janice Carol King was found in an alley in Los Angeles with a single gunshot wound to the back of her head. The body lay prone over a photo album containing photos of four young children. Almost simultaneously, in Durham, North Carolina, police found Lori Champion and Terry Jackson1 shot to death at Terry‘s home. Shortly thereafter, Durham police received a report that Champion‘s house was on fire. The three murders resulted in an information filed by the Los Angeles County District Attorney‘s Office on May 26, 2009, charging Jackson with first degree murder of King (Pen. Code,2 § 187, subd. (a); count 1), and one count of conspiracy ―with another person . . . whose identity is unknown‖ to commit murder (§§ 182, subd. (a)(1), 187, subd. (a); count 2). The information further alleged as to both counts 1 and 2 that Jackson personally used a handgun. (§ 1203.06, subd. (a)(1), 12022.5, subd. (a)(1).) The information charged seven overt acts in furtherance of the conspiracy (count 2), all occurring in California and North Carolina on November 9, 1997. The acts alleged to have taken place in North Carolina on November 9, 1997 were that…