People v. Amaral CA6

I. BACKGROUND

A. The Information On June 8, 2021, the Santa Cruz County District Attorney filed an information charging Amaral with murder (§ 187, subd. (a); count 1), attempted willful, deliberate, premeditated murder as to victim T. (§§ 664, 187, subd. (a); counts 2), attempted murder as to victim C. (§§ 664, 187, subd (a); count 3), carjacking (§ 215, subd. (a); count 4), possession of a firearm by a felon (§ 29800, subd. (a)(1); count 5), and possession of ammunition by a prohibited person (§ 30305, subd. (a)(1); count 6). As to counts 1 and 2, it was alleged that Amaral personally and intentionally discharged a firearm causing great bodily injury (§ 12022.53, subd. (d)), and as to count 3, it was alleged that Amaral personally used a firearm (§ 12022.53, subd. (b)). The information further alleged that Amaral had two prior strike convictions (§ 667, subd. (b)-(i)) and had two prior serious felony convictions (§ 667, subd. (a)(1)). B. The Trial 1. The Charged Crimes A member of Komar Vargas Trece, a Sureño criminal street gang, Kevin Medina-Lopez confided to his friend, T., that he was concerned about his standing in the gang: some members wanted him…