SUPREME COURT COPY IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, Plaintiff and Respondent, v. DEATH PENALTY CASE RONALD BRUCE MENDOZA, Defendant and Appellant. SUPREME COURT FILED Los Angeles County Superior Court No. KA032 1 17 The Honorable Alfonso M. Bazan, Judge - 1 2008 Frederick K. ;)h~rtch Clerk RESPONDENT'S BRIEF - - -- .- Deputy- --:-.r. -& EDMUND G. BROWN JR. Attorney General of the State of California DANE R. GILLETTE Chief Assistant Attorney General PAMELA C. HAMANAKA Senior Assistant Attorney General KEITH H. BORJON Supervising Deputy Attorney General SHARLENE A. HONNAKA Deputy Attorney General JOHN R. GOREY Deputy Attorney General KAREN BISSONNETTE Deputy Attorney General State Bar No. 129981 300 South Spring Street, Suite 1702 Los Angeles, CA 9001 3 Telephone: (2 13) 620-6426 Fax: (2 13) 897-6496 Email:
[email protected] Attorneys for Respondent TABLE OF CONTENTS Page STATEMENT OF THE CASE 1 STATEMENT OF FACTS 3 I. Guilt Phase Evidence 3 A. Prosecution's Case-In-Chief 3 1. Significant Events Prior To The Murder Of Officer Fraembs 3 a. Appellant Is Released On Parole On Certain Terms And Conditions 3 b. Appellant Purchases A Haskell .45-Caliber Handgun "To Take Care Of Business" 4 c. Jason Meyers Buys .45-Caliber Bullets For The Firearm, As Appellant Did Not Have Proper Identification 5 d. Appellant's Relationship With Johanna Flores 6 e 2. The Murder Of Officer Fraembs And The Events Immediately Preceding The Murder 8 3. The Police Respond To The Crime Scene 14 4. Significant Events Preceding And Following The Murder 17 a.