People v. Sengsongkham CA5

BACKGROUND

The following background facts, up to our remand to the trial court, are taken from our prior opinion, People v. Leuth Sengsongkham (Oct. 22, 2019, F076337) [nonpub. opn.] (Sengsongkham).

“Defendant and [Rattana] Chounramany lived together for over 30 years and raised seven children. [They considered themselves married.] In 2014, however, they began to experience [domestic] problems. Approximately six months before the events of April 18, 2015, defendant and Chounramany started sleeping in different rooms. Communication between the two diminished and they were becoming more distant. Approximately one to two months before April 18, 2015, Chounramany stopped cooking for defendant. Conversely, she began cooking for [another man—Somkeo] Thongkhamvilay, their friend and fellow farmhand who frequently attended family gatherings. A few weeks before April 18, 2015, at one such function, Chounramany was overheard telling defendant ‘he was a very jealous person,’ ‘he doesn’t know what he’s talking about,’ and ‘she was going to leave [him].’ Defendant did not respond. Instead, he remained ‘very quiet’ and ‘show[ed] no emotions.’

2. “On the morning of April 18, 2015, defendant…