People v. Garcia CA1/1

I.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL

BACKGROUND

A. Background Garcia and S.E. were from the same town in Guatemala, and their families were friends. In the spring of 2015, S.E. and her infant daughter moved to Oakland. S.E. re-connected with Garcia, who already lived there. S.E., who was about 18 years old at the time, and Garcia, who was nine years older, began regularly spending time together. S.E. testified that she “always knew [Garcia] as a good person who was never violent,” and S.E.’s mother also offered the opinion that Garcia was not violent. Later that year, S.E. met Diaz, who was the same age, at the church she and Garcia attended. S.E. and Diaz quickly began dating. S.E. testified that their relationship was “[s]ometimes good and also toxic at the same time,” and they broke up and got back together several times. S.E. testified that at one point or another during the relationship, Diaz had yelled at and insulted her, cheated on her, and hit her. S.E. testified that she continued to see Garcia “constantly” after starting to date Diaz. Both she and Garcia, who testified in his own defense, denied they were ever in a romantic relationship. Garcia admitted that he had feelings…