P. v. Ybarra CA4/1
A jury convicted Andres Ybarra of second degree murder after his girlfriend Ruby L. was found dead lying in bed with visible bruising on her arm and forehead, a swollen nose, and blood on the pillow. The autopsy indicated that Ruby died from strangulation and complications from multiple blunt force trauma, but potentially fatal levels of prescription drugs were also found in her system.
Ybarra raises three broad evidentiary challenges on appeal. He contends the trial court erred in admitting previously suppressed evidence found on Ruby’s cell phone, excluding evidence that the pathologist who did Ruby’s autopsy had a prior misdemeanor DUI conviction, and excluding various evidence probative of Ruby’s alleged past prescription drug abuse. We reject each of these claims, finding either no error or no prejudice. We likewise conclude there was no cumulative error depriving Ybarra of a fair trial.
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