People v. Cooper CA4/2

I. FACTUAL BACKGROUND

A. The Circumstances of the Charged Offenses

About 12:30 p.m. on December 22, 2011, defendants broke into the home of the

Escamilla family with the intention of taking property.

B. Expert Gang Testimony

The prosecution introduced the following gang evidence: Defendant Dillard and

other known associates, namely, Lyndell Roberts, Germane Riley, and Frankie Cooper,

admitted on their jail classification forms that they were members of the criminal street

gang, “Dangerous Crew” (DC). Defendant Dillard’s moniker is “D.” Lyndell Roberts’s

moniker is “Brics” or “Big Bricks,” Germane Riley’s moniker is “Chief,” and Frankie

Cooper’s moniker is “Coop” or “Snaggles.”

Prior to the burglary, law enforcement created “gang cards”3 for defendant Dillard

and others, who signed the cards after admitting their membership in the gang. While

defendant Dillard, along with fellow gang members, admitted being members of DC,

they claimed that it was a rap music group, not a gang. Officers testified it is not

Frankie Cooper is the brother of defendant George Cooper.

3 Initially, officers create field investigation cards on individuals; however, once the officers…