People v. Lara CA3

BACKGROUND

In November 2019, Lara and a codefendant were charged with felonies relating to their alleged assault of a prison inmate with a sharp instrument while they were serving life sentences. A few months later, the COVID-19 pandemic struck. “On March 4, 2020, Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in response to the global outbreak of COVID-19, a ‘new disease, caused by a novel (or new) coronavirus that has not previously been seen in humans.’ (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), Frequently Asked Questions [as of June 9, 2020].).)” (Stanley v. Superior Court (2020) 50 Cal.App.5th 164, 167 (Stanley).) “Despite state and local shelter in place orders throughout the country, including in California . . . ,

2 according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention there have been almost two million cases of COVID-19 in the country and over 110,000 deaths caused by the virus. California itself has seen nearly 130,000 cases and over 4,600 deaths. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), Cases in the U.S.…