People v. Garcia

Opinion

PERLUSS, P. J.

Victor Garcia struck Aristeo Gonzalez in the face with the butt of a shotgun, causing Gonzalez to fall, hit his head on the sidewalk and die. Could a jury find Garcia guilty of involuntary manslaughter, rather than second degree murder or voluntary manslaughter, based on Garcia’s testimony he hit Gonzalez in an automatic response to Gonzalez’s lunge at the shotgun and did not aim for Gonzalez’s face and did not intend to kill the man? An unlawful killing during the commission of an inherently dangerous felony, even if unintentional, is at least voluntary manslaughter.…