In re Darren M. CA2/2

Filed 8/1/13 In re Darren M. CA2/2

NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL REPORTS California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for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 This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.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 TWO

In re DARREN M., a Person Coming B244358 Under the Juvenile Court Law. (Los Angeles County Super. Ct. No. MJ20928)

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA,

Plaintiff and Respondent,

v.

DARREN M.,

Defendant and Appellant.

APPEAL from a judgment of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, Robin R. Kesler, Juvenile Court Referee. Affirmed.

Jennifer Gerard, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Defendant and Appellant.

Kamala D. Harris, Attorney General, Dane R. Gillette, Chief Assistant Attorney General, Lance E. Winters, Senior Assistant Attorney General, Paul M. Roadarmel, Jr. and Daniel C. Chang, Deputy Attorneys General, for Plaintiff and Respondent.

The juvenile court sustained a petition under Welfare and Institutions Code section 602 alleging that minor Darren M. (minor) committed vandalism, a misdemeanor in violation of Penal Code section 594, subdivision (a). Minor contends the evidence was insufficient to support the juvenile court’s findings. Substantial evidence supports the vandalism adjudication, and we therefore affirm the judgment. BACKGROUND Prosecution evidence On May 13, 2011, Falakika Moore (Moore) was working in her home office on the second floor of her house in Palmdale. She looked out of the window and observed approximately seven children, ranging in age from seven to fifteen, playing in the street in front of her home. Moore’s 2006 Freestyle truck was parked nearby on the street. She saw minor wipe something off of the truck’s windshield and then back up and strike the windshield with an object, possibly a rock. The object fell, and minor picked it up and hit the windshield again, making a “circular break” in the windshield. Minor had his hair cut in a Mohawk style and wore a red “cookie monster” character t-shirt. Moore recognized minor as a friend of her youngest son, Zezmond. Zezmond and minor played football together and minor had been to Moore’s home at least a dozen times. At the same time, Moore’s husband, Craton Moore (Craton)1 was sitting in an upstairs bedroom talking to his son, Zezmond. Craton looked outside from an open, sliding glass door and also saw minor break the windshield. As Moore called to him, Craton said, “someone’s out there busting your window.” Moore and Craton then dressed hurriedly and ran outside. Once outside, Craton saw minor running away from the truck toward another boy on a bicycle. When minor reached the bicycle, he stood on its back pegs and the bicyclist pedaled away. Moore also saw minor ride away on the back of a dark blue or purple bicycle. Moore recognized the bicyclist as a boy named Darnell, who was a friend of her