In Re Jesse P.

Minor was declared a ward of the court and committed to the California Youth Authority after the court sustained a petition filed under Welfare and Institutions Code section 602, finding that the minor had committed first degree murder. On appeal, minor contends the petition did not adequately advise him he was being charged with first degree murder. He also contends his confession was not voluntary.

I

Facts

On March 13, 1990, the badly decomposed body of Joshua Martin was found in Honda Valley outside the city limits of Hesperia in San Bernardino County. The victim had been dead for at least one month at the time the body was discovered. The cause of death was multiple gun shot wounds to the body. Shell casings taken from the scene of the crime were tested and matched with shots from two guns owned by the minor’s father which were recovered from a neighbor’s house. The neighbor testified that near the end of February 1990, the minor’s father had asked him to hold on to the guns.

Prior to his death the victim had been staying with the minor’s family. Witnesses testified that he was last seen around that house around February 10 or 11, 1990, or possibly as late as…