People v. Huezo CA2/5

Filed 12/13/23 P. v. Huezo CA2/5 NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL REPORTS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 This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.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 FIVE

THE PEOPLE, B324331

Plaintiff and (Los Angeles County Respondent, Super. Ct. No. LA062282)

v.

JUAN CARLOS HUEZO,

Defendant and Appellant.

APPEAL from a judgment of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, Gregory A. Dohi, Judge. Affirmed. Marta I. Stanton, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Defendant and Appellant. Rob Bonta, Attorney General, Lance E. Winters, Chief Assistant Attorney General, Susan Sullivan Pithey, Senior Assistant Attorney General, Noah P. Hill and Steven E. Mercer, Deputy Attorneys General, for Plaintiff and Respondent.

I. INTRODUCTION

The trial court sentenced defendant Juan Huezo to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole (LWOP) for first degree special circumstances murder, a crime he committed when he was 22 years old. Years later, the court denied defendant’s motion for a youth offender parole hearing pursuant to Penal Code section 3051.1 On appeal, defendant contends that section 3051, subdivision (h), which excludes defendants who were 18- to 25-years old at the time of their crimes and sentenced to LWOP from eligibility for a youth parole hearing, denies him equal protection of the laws. We affirm.

II. PROCEDURAL HISTORY