In Re John B.

This is an appeal from orders of the juvenile court adjudicating appellant John B., a minor (date of birth June 11, 1973), a ward of the court (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 602) and committing him to the California Youth Authority. The juvenile court’s adjudication followed the minor’s admission that he committed voluntary manslaughter (Pen. Code, § 192, subd. (a)). The minor disputes the admissibility of a confession he gave the authorities and the juvenile court’s finding that he was of sufficient mental competence to allow the action to proceed. We will affirm.

Statement of Case

In an amended supplemental petition, the minor was alleged to have violated section 187 (murder), section 148 (resisting, delaying or obstructing an officer), and Vehicle Code section 10851 (taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent). Also included in the petition were allegations of firearm use during the commission of the murder and the minor’s aggregate confinement time on prior adjudicated petitions. He denied each of the averments.

Prior to the jurisdictional hearing, the minor filed a motion to suppress his confession as an involuntary product of subterfuge, trickery, and promises of…