People v. Means CA2/1

Background

I. The Hal Shaw Murder

A. Shaw is found dead. In 1996, Hal Shaw, a tall and thin 48-year-old, lived in a home in a densely populated Whittier neighborhood. Although he lived alone, he was known as a “happy emotional drunk,” who would drink day and night, and often pass out with frequent visitors—including Means. Shaw left a voicemail on a neighbor’s phone sometime before 11:00 p.m. on June 11. About 7:25 a.m. on June 12, another neighbor noticed as she left for work in her black Nissan Stanza that Shaw’s carport area gate was closed and a blue Dodge Colt was on jack stands in the carport. Sometime between 9:00 a.m. and noon on June 12, 1996, a cable installer arrived at Shaw’s home to install a TV box. He discovered Shaw on the floor, and the kitchen floor smeared with blood and a yellowish liquid. He called 911. When the police arrived the gate was open, the carport was empty, and Shaw’s body was lying on the floor, with blood on his head, spattered on the walls, ceiling, and couch, and bloody rags and a flannel shirt that appeared to have been used to wipe the floor. There were no signs of forced entry, and the house had not been ransacked. A yellow gelatinous…