People v. Leon

Opinion

CORRIGAN, J.

During a month-long crime spree in Los Angeles County, defendant Richard Leon committed a string of armed robberies, murdered two store clerks, and was eventually arrested after a high-speed chase. A jury convicted him of two counts of murder, 16 counts of robbery, three counts of assault with a deadly weapon,1 and two counts relating to the chase.2 It found defendant personally used a firearm during all offenses except the evasion charges and one robbery.3 It found true the special circumstances of robbery murder and multiple murder4 and fixed the penalty at death. We…