People v. Storrs CA3, C087437

On November 10, 2016, at a Stockton recycling center the victim agreed to help E.S. redeem recyclables; while doing so defendant approached and stabbed the victim.
Autopsy showed four sharp-force injuries: two fatal stab wounds penetrating the left chest (one severing the subclavian artery) and two superficial incised wounds; victim had no defensive wounds and bled to death.
Surveillance and witness testimony placed defendant at the scene, allegedly “creeping” toward the victim, wearing gloves, and later waving a folding knife; police recovered a folding knife (2.5" blade) with the victim’s DNA but no conclusive DNA from defendant.
Defendant was convicted by a jury of first degree murder and a personal-weapon enhancement; he was sentenced to 76 years to life after court found prior serious felony strikes.
On appeal defendant challenged the sufficiency of the evidence to prove premeditation and deliberation; the Court of Appeal affirmed.

Issue	Plaintiff's Argument (People)	Defendant's Argument (Storrs)	Held
Whether there was legally sufficient evidence of premeditation and deliberation to support first degree murder	Circumstantial evidence supports premeditation: defendant armed himself, was observed “creeping,” wore gloves, attacked by surprise, and inflicted multiple clustered, vital-area stab wounds	Evidence at best circumstantial; no proven motive, no direct proof of planning, killing could have been an impulsive attack — reduce to second degree murder	Court affirmed: viewing evidence in prosecution’s favor, jury reasonably inferred planning and deliberation from being armed/creeping/gloves, lack of defensive wounds, clustered fatal neck/chest stabs, so substantial evidence supports first degree murder

People v. Anderson, 70 Cal.2d 15 (1968) (sets out planning-motive-manner framework for premeditation review)
People v. Jennings, 50 Cal.4th 616 (2010) (standard of review for sufficiency-of-evidence claims)
People v. Maury, 30 Cal.4th 342 (2003) (circumstantial evidence can support convictions; appellate courts must accept reasonable inferences)
People v. Bloom, 48 Cal.3d 1194 (1989) (state of mind evidence is often circumstantial and sufficient)
People v. Pearson, 56 Cal.4th 393 (2013) (premeditation involves prior thought; deliberation involves weighing of considerations)
People v. Casares, 62 Cal.4th 808 (2016) (Anderson framework is descriptive aid, not exclusive test)
People v. Morales, 10 Cal.5th 76 (2020) (method and lack of defensive wounds can support inference of deliberation)
People v. Prince, 40 Cal.4th 1179 (2007) (clustered stab wounds support inference of deliberate killing)
People v. Lewis, 46 Cal.4th 1255 (2009) (wounds to vital areas can indicate a reasoned decision to kill)