People v. Cordova CA2/8

Filed 12/17/24 P. v. Cordova CA2/8 NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL REPORTS

California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for publication or ordered published, except as specified by rule 8.1115(b). This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.

IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

SECOND APPELLATE DISTRICT

DIVISION EIGHT

THE PEOPLE, B327275

Plaintiff and Respondent, (Los Angeles County Super. Ct. No. NA102942-01 v. consolidated with NA111756-01)

DARWIN CORDOVA,

Defendant and Appellant.

APPEAL from a judgment of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County. Laura L. Laesecke, Judge. Affirmed. William P. Melcher, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Defendant and Appellant. No appearance for Plaintiff and Respondent. _________________________________

Darwin Cordova appeals from his judgment of conviction from a no contest plea. On May 9, 2016, the trial court conducted the first preliminary hearing for this case. The People adduced the following facts in the preliminary hearing. On June 28, 2015, Jacob Escobar, Sr., was in his girlfriend’s car with his three children in the back seat. While Escobar stopped at a red light, Cordova sat in another car, “mad dog[ging]” him. Then, Escobar drove to the home of his youngest child’s mother. Because the child did not want to stay with his mother, Escobar returned to the car with the child when he heard gun shots. Escobar was shot in his right ankle while putting his four-year-old child in a car seat. This child was also shot in the middle finger of his right hand. Escobar’s two older children were in the backseat when the car sustained damage from bullets, and Escobar’s girlfriend was in the front seat. Law enforcement arrested Cordova in a white 2000 Honda Civic, which matched Escobar’s description of the car that Cordova was driving just before the shooting. Escobar later reviewed a six pack of photos and identified Cordova as the person who shot him and his son. On August 21, 2019, the trial court presided over a second preliminary hearing regarding additional allegations where the People adduced the following facts. On July 2, 2015, as Luis Hernandez, who was 14 years old at the time, walked toward his friend’s house, he saw a white Honda Civic. Cordova exited from the Honda, walked towards Hernandez, and shot Hernandez once in the back and twice in the ribs. Cordova ran away after shooting Hernandez. Hernandez went into a coma, but he survived. On July 5, 2015, Hernandez identified Cordova from a photo lineup.