Is implied malice sufficient to convict a defendant of attempted murder?

A conviction for attempted murder requires proof that the defendant intended to kill the victim and a direct but ineffectual act toward accomplishing that goal. (People v. Perez (2010) 50 Cal.4th 222, 229 (Perez).) Implied malice is not sufficient for attempted murder. (People v. Stone (2009) 46 Cal.4th 131, 139-140.) When a defendant is charged with attempting to kill multiple victims, guilt must be determined separately for each alleged victim. (Id. at p. 141.) "To prove the crime of attempted murder, the prosecution must establish 'the specific intent to kill and the commission of a direct but ineffectual act toward accomplishing the intended killing.' [Citation.] When a single act is charged as an attempt on the lives of two or more persons, the intent to kill element must be examined independently as to each alleged attempted murder victim; an intent to kill cannot be

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