Morganti
People v. Morganti
Opinion
Opinion
Haerle, J.
I. Introduction
Appellant Christopher Morganti (Morganti) was convicted of second degree murder, personal use of a knife during commission of that crime, and arson of an inhabited structure. He was sentenced to 16 years to life for the murder, and 5 years for arson, and ordered to pay a restitution fine of $4,200. Morganti’s codefendant George Paterson (Paterson), though charged with the same murder, was convicted as an accessory after the fact. On appeal, Morganti alleges multiple instances of reversible error and challenges the sufficiency of the evidence to support his convictions. We affirm.
II. Statement of Facts
On the evening of Saturday, November 16, 1991, Ronald Turner (Turner) was found dead in the manager’s unit at the La Grande Motel in Cloverdale. Turner had been stabbed 26 times and his skull was fractured. The building where Turner was found was locked and on fire. Investigators determined the fire was caused by arson. Evidence collected at the scene included a leather glove with a small piece of hair inside, a section of linoleum imprinted with a bloody shoe print, and a bloodstained door chain from the manager’s unit.