People v. Lopez

Opinion

BAMATTRE-MANOUKIAN, Acting P. J.

I. INTRODUCTION

Defendant Elijah Samson Lopez appeals from an order of the trial court recommitting him to the Department of Mental Health for a period of two years under the Sexually Violent Predators Act (SVPA). (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 6600 et seq.) 1

Defendant raises two issues on appeal: (1) the trial court erred in instructing the jury that as a matter of law defendant had suffered the requisite qualifying prior convictions; and (2) ineffective assistance of counsel, consisting of defense counsel’s failure to object on proper grounds to the admission…