People v. Cardenas

Opinion

BIRD, C. J.

This case raises two questions concerning the admissibility of evidence in appellant’s criminal trial. Should the trial court have excluded testimony concerning the common membership of appellant and his defense witnesses in a youth gang? In addition, was evidence of appellant’s addiction to narcotics admissible in an attempt to prove his guilt of the charged offenses?

I

Appellant Benjamin Cardenas was convicted of attempted murder in the first degree (Pen. Code, §§ 664, 187);1 attempted robbery (§§ 664, 211); and assault with a deadly weapon or by force likely to produce…