State v. Gaxiola

MAUGHAN, Justice:

On appeal is a jury verdict convicting one of the defendants of murder in the second degree. Both defendants were ably represented. We affirm.

Defendant Gaxiola and Isaac Leyvas were charged with murder in the first degree. Upon trial before a jury, Leyvas was acquitted, but Gaxiola was convicted of murder in the second degree. Gaxiola appeals.

The accused and the victim were inmates at Utah State Prison. The victim was Lalo Trujillo, who died following the infliction of ten stab wounds by four different weapons. The evidence indicated the wounds from which the victim died,…