People v. Taylor CA2/5

I. BACKGROUND

A. Joseph Obtains a Civil Restraining Order Against Defendant In 2013, Joseph, his wife, and three children moved to a home on South Mansfield Avenue in the City of Los Angeles. At the time, defendant lived on the same block, just two houses away from Joseph and his family. Four years after becoming neighbors, a dispute arose between defendant and Joseph over the upkeep of an apartment building located on the same block. The building belonged to one of Joseph’s sisters. After his sister moved away, the grass on the building’s lawn grew, in Joseph’s words, “out of control. It was just wild.” Defendant complained to Joseph about the overgrown lawn, believing it was Joseph’s responsibility to maintain the

1 Undesignated statutory references that follow are to the Penal Code.

2 property’s appearance. When Joseph did not cut the lawn, defendant began to harass Joseph and his family, which led Joseph to obtain a civil restraining order protecting him and his family from defendant. That restraining order, issued in October 2018, allowed defendant to access his home if he acted in a “peaceable” manner but otherwise required him to stay 100 yards away from Joseph, his…