People v. Lara

Filed 10/22/25 CERTIFIED FOR PUBLICATION

IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

SECOND APPELLATE DISTRICT

DIVISION SIX

THE PEOPLE, 2d Crim. No. B341682 (Super. Ct. No. 2001030625) Plaintiff and Appellant, (Ventura County)

v.

ISAAC DANIEL LARA,

Defendant and Respondent.

In 1872, the Legislature enacted Civil Code section 3510. It provides: “When the reason of a rule ceases, so should the rule itself.” This time-honored maxim has application here. The People appeal an order granting the petition of respondent for recall of his sentence pursuant to Penal Code section 1170, subdivision (d)(1)(A) (section 1170(d)(1)(A)). 1 The statute provides relief to juvenile offenders who were “sentenced to imprisonment for life without the possibility of parole” (LWOP). (Ibid.) Respondent does not qualify for relief under the statute because he was not sentenced to LWOP. In 2002 he was

All further statutory references are to the Penal Code 1

unless otherwise stated.

sentenced to imprisonment for 79 years to life with the possibility of parole. The trial court concluded that equal protection principles entitled respondent to relief under section 1170(d)(1)(A) because his 79-year-to-life sentence was the functional equivalent of LWOP when it was imposed. A subsequent statute changes the legal landscape. (See § 3051, subd. (b)(4) [youthful offender parole hearing].) 2 Convictions and Sentence In 2002 a jury convicted respondent of first degree murder (§§ 187, subd. (a), 189), attempted murder (§§ 664/187), shooting at people in an occupied motor vehicle (§ 246), and assault with a semiautomatic firearm (§ 245, subd. (b)). The jury found true several firearm enhancements. Respondent committed these crimes in 2000 when he was 17 years old. Respondent was sentenced to a determinate term of 29 years, consisting of 9 years for the attempted murder plus 20 years for the section 12022.53, subdivision (c) enhancement as to the attempted murder. He was also sentenced to a consecutive