In re Meki G. CA4/1

Filed 11/18/25 In re Meki G. CA4/1 NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN OFFICIAL REPORTS California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for publication or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 This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.

COURT OF APPEAL, FOURTH APPELLATE DISTRICT

DIVISION ONE

STATE OF CALIFORNIA

In re MEKI G., a Person Coming Under the Juvenile Court Law. D085507 THE PEOPLE,

Plaintiff and Respondent, (Super. Ct. No. J212475)

v.

MEKI G.,

Defendant and Appellant.

APPEAL from an order of the Superior Court of San Diego County, Kimberlee A. Lagotta, Judge. Affirmed. Laura Arnold, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Defendant and Appellant. No appearance for Respondent.

In 2009, a jury found Meki G. guilty of the first degree premeditated murder of Oceanside Police Officer Dan Bessant (Pen. Code, § 187, subd. (a)), which he committed while lying in wait (id., § 189), and one count of assault

with a firearm on Oceanside Police Officer K.P., a peace officer engaged in the performance of her duties (id., § 245, subd. (d)(1))—offenses Meki perpetrated when he was 17 years old. The jury returned true findings on allegations that Meki intentionally and knowingly killed a peace officer engaged in the performance of his duties (id., § 190.2, subd. (a)(7)); knowingly murdered a peace officer engaged in the performance of his duties (id., § 190, subd. (b)); intentionally killed a police officer (id., § 190, subd. (c)(1)); personally used a firearm during the commission of a murder of a peace officer engaged in the performance of his duties (id., § 190, subd. (c)(4)); committed the crimes for the benefit of, at the direction of, and in association with a criminal street gang (id., § 186.22, subd. (b)(1)); intentionally and personally discharged a firearm, causing death (id., § 12022.53, subd. (d)); and personally used a firearm (id., § 12022.5, subd. (a)). Meki was sentenced to state prison for 61 years plus life without the possibility of parole (LWOP). Our court affirmed the judgment, in part, and ordered the trial court to strike a stayed gang enhancement. In 2016, while Meki was serving his sentence, the trial court granted a petition for writ of habeas corpus filed by Meki pursuant to Miller v. Alabama (2012) 567 U.S. 460, and People v. Gutierrez (2014) 58 Cal.4th 1354. The court vacated Meki’s LWOP sentence, remanded the matter for resentencing, and stayed the remand. The court then conditionally reversed the judgment of conviction pending the outcome of a transfer hearing under Welfare and Institutions Code section 707, and certified Meki’s case to the juvenile court