People v. Castro CA2/3

Filed 1/21/26 P. v. Castro CA2/3 NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL REPORTS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 This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.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 THREE

THE PEOPLE, B340760

Plaintiff and Respondent, (Los Angeles County Super. Ct. No. NA122494) v.

JOSE MEZA CASTRO,

Defendant and Appellant.

APPEAL from a judgment of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, Laura Laesecke, Judge. Affirmed. Gabrielle D. Trujillo, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Defendant and Appellant. No appearance for Plaintiff and Respondent. ‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗‗

A jury found Jose Meza Castro guilty of assault with a deadly weapon. The trial court imposed a sentence of six years in state prison. Meza Castro appealed. Meza Castro’s appellate counsel has asked us to conduct an independent review of the record pursuant to People v. Wende (1979) 25 Cal.3d 436 (Wende). We affirm. One evening in September 2023, Alberto Perez was reclining on a couch in the open garage of the apartment building where he lived. Meza Castro approached Perez and hit him on the head. The two men began cursing and punching each other. Meza Castro’s mother and sister tried to intervene and break up the fight. Perez’s aunt also attempted to separate the two men. Perez shrugged his aunt off, but eventually the two men were separated. Perez remained outside. Meza Castro went inside the building. Less than one minute later, Meza Castro went back outside. He was carrying something that appeared to be metal. The fight resumed. Perez fell and the two men ended up struggling on the ground. Meza Castro stabbed Perez. Perez sustained three stab wounds to his abdominal area. Meza Castro left the apartment building on foot. Police officers later found him walking on the street. His shirt was stained with what appeared to be blood. Officers found a knife handle in his pants pocket. The knife blade was broken off and was not recovered. In December 2023, the People charged Meza Castro by information with one count of assault with a deadly weapon. (Pen. Code, § 245, subd. (a)(1).)1