People v. Mason

A jury convicted Michael Baraka Mason of three counts of first degree murder (Pen. Code, § 187, subd. (a)) and found true the special circumstances of robbery murder (§ 190.2, subd. (a)(17)) and multiple murders (§ 190.2, subd. (a)(3)) as to each. The jury further convicted Mason of one count of attempted murder (§§ 187, subd. (a), 664), two counts of attempted robbery (§§ 211, 664), one count of burglary (§ 459), five counts of false imprisonment by violence (§§ 236, 237, sub. (a)), one count of assault with a firearm (§ 245, subd. (a)(2)), two counts of shooting at an inhabited dwelling (§ 246), and four counts of possession of a firearm by a felon (former § 12021, subd. (a)(1)). The jury also found true several gang- and firearms-related sentencing enhancements. (§§ 186.22, subd. (b)(1), 12022.53, subd. (d).) Mason admitted suffering two prior serious felony convictions under section 667, subdivision (a)(1), and three “strike priors” for purposes of section 667, subdivisions (b) through (i).

Following a penalty phase trial, the jury fixed the penalty for one of the murder counts as life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. The jury was unable to reach a…