People v. Chavez

A jury found defendants Manuel Chavez, Clyde Bates, and Manuel Hernandez guilty of murder of the first degree as charged in six counts. The punishment of Bates and Chavez was fixed at death and that of Hernandez at life imprisonment. The jury further found that each of the three defendants was guilty of arson and that, as alleged, Bates had suffered four prior convictions. The appeals of Bates and Chavez are before us automatically under section 1239, subdivision (b), of the Penal Code. Separate notice of appeal was filed by Hernandez.

A fourth man, Oscar Brenhaug, was charged with the same…