The alleged victim, M.H., came from Mexico to California alone in 2011. She was picked up by the Defendant, Mr. Bravo, who she had never met. They travelled to Washington State, where they stayed with Mr. Bravo’s aunt, uncle and children. M.H. slept on a mattress with Mr. Bravo. She was 8 at the time. Read More…
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“Judges Can’t Judges Themselves!” State v. J.M.H. Sup. Crt. #102658-7
I try to confine my writing to blurbs about recent sex cases, but ‘J.MH.’ is a case of general importance for everyone involved in the criminal justice system, J.M.H. plead guilty to a misdemeanor in juvenile court in 2022. She failed to follow the judge’s court ordered conditions of disposition. The judge issued an arrest Read More…
Limiting Evidence Instruction “Egregiously Defective” Reversal of Multiple Child Molest Counts State v. Villa Div 1 #85627-8-1 [Unpublished]
Division 1 found the Trial Court here gave a very erroneous limiting instruction on how a jury was to regard 404(b) evidence of ‘other bad acts’. The instruction, propounded by the State prosecutor, inappropriately allowed, almost directed the jury to consider ‘propensity evidence’ in determining whether the State proved the elements of the crime. Propensity Read More…