P.

BACKGROUND

On September 6, 2011, a team of about 12 Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) vice officers were out on the streets in the vicinity of Figueroa and 84th Street in Los Angeles. Officer Juan Barillas was part of the team, working in an undercover capacity. He testified at trial that he observed—from a distance of about 15 feet—a man hand defendant some money, and defendant hand the man an object that resembled rock cocaine. The man walked past Barillas, who testified he saw an “off-white, rock-like substance that resembled rock cocaine” in the man’s open palm. Defendant entered a van parked about 25 to 30 feet away on the opposite side of the street, did something, then got out and walked away as Barillas informed other members of his team of his observations. Officers Angela Tumbeiro and Nicholas Hartman both testified at trial. They approached defendant in a marked police car and called out to him. Defendant began

2 backing away from their car. As they got out of their car, defendant dropped two things from his hand and ran. Hartman chased and caught defendant. The van was registered to defendant. Officer Leslie Salinas testified at trial that she searched it and…