Strother

BACKGROUND

Appellant’s juvenile record began in 1979, when he was 14 years old, with a sustained petition for robbery with the use of a deadly weapon, a knife. In 1980, a petition was sustained against him for attempting to take a vehicle without the owner’s consent; a second petition was sustained against him for escaping from camp.2 He was committed to the California Youth Authority (CYA) and released on parole in 1981. In 1982, a petition was sustained against appellant for robbery and attempted robbery with the use of a firearm; he was still on parole at the time. Appellant was committed to the CYA and released on parole in January 1985. In July 1985, appellant was convicted of assault with a firearm as an adult and sentenced to two years in prison; the victim was attempting to escort his sister away from a group of drug dealers when appellant and another man shot at but did not hit the victim. In 1986, appellant was convicted of possession of a controlled substance in prison.3 In 1988, appellant violated parole and was returned to prison. In 1989 appellant again violated parole and was returned to prison.

Appellant contends the 1979 robberies and the attempted vehicle…