I just want to republish two quotes from this opinion by Justice Ramirez:
(1) "Defendant My Ngo was a “shotcaller” in a Vietnamese gang. In 2000, when he was 19, he committed murder for hire; for $2,000, he shot the victim in the head." (The victim died.) My reaction: Seriously?! It only costs $2,000 to get someone killed? Wow.
(2) "Defendant, a gang shot-caller, committed murder for hire in cold blood. The likelihood that a future district attorney would recommend reducing his conviction to manslaughter is infinitesimal. Even if this fantasy materialized, almost certainly the district attorney would recommend a sentence and insist that defendant agree to it." My reaction: Uh, yeah. I'm kinda agreeing with you on that one, Justice Ramirez. At least in San Bernardino county, where this case arises. Though in, say, San Francisco? Hmmmm.
