Adams

A jury convicted defendant Marcus Dorwin Adams of the 1994 first degree murders of Dayland Hicks, Lamar Armstrong, and Trevon Boyd (Pen. Code, § 187), the attempted murder of Luis Hernandez (§§ 187, subd. (a), 664), and carjacking (§ 215, subd. (a)). The jury found true the allegation that defendant discharged a firearm at an occupied motor vehicle causing great bodily injury and death within the meaning of section 12022, subdivision (b)(1), with respect to the three murder counts. The jury also found true the alleged multiple-murder special circumstance. (§ 190.2, subd. (a)(3).) With respect to the attempted murder, the jury found true the allegation that defendant personally inflicted great bodily injury upon the victim within the meaning of section 12022.7, subdivision (a). The jury returned a verdict of death for the three first degree murders.

The trial court denied defendant’s motion to reduce the penalty and his motion for a new penalty phase trial and sentenced defendant to death. The court also imposed, but stayed, a determinate sentence of nine years in prison for defendant’s attempted murder conviction and an indeterminate term of life with the possibility of…