What is the test for determining whether a reasonable person would be provoked to pulling out a gun and firing?

California, United States of America


The following excerpt is from People v. Dalton, F063443 (Cal. App. 2014):

Defendant is correct that the prosecutor's hypothetical question regarding whether "a reasonable person would be provoked to pulling out a gun and firing" suggests an incorrect test for determining whether defendant acted in the heat of passion. It asks how a reasonable person would have acted in defendant's position. "[P]rovocation is not evaluated by whether the average person would act in a certain way: to kill. Instead, the question is whether the average person would react in a certain way: with his reason and judgment obscured." (People v. Beltran (2013) 56 Cal.4th 935, 949, original italics.) Here, the prosecutor's statements effectively "suggest[ed] that the jury should consider the ordinary person's conduct and whether such a person would kill.... [T]his was not the correct standard." (Id. at p. 954, fn. omitted.)

The question becomes whether defendant's trial counsel rendered ineffective assistance of counsel by failing to object to the prosecutor's statement. The burden is on defendant to establish ineffective assistance by a preponderance of the evidence. (People v. Ledesma (1987) 43 Cal.3d 171, 218.) To do so, a defendant "must show both that trial

Page 7

Other Questions


What is the "reasonable person" standard in determining whether a person is a reasonable person? (California, United States of America)
What is the test for determining whether a tree trimmer would be a reasonable reasonable person? (California, United States of America)
What is the test for a jury to determine whether a reasonable person in a similar position would have felt free to leave during questioning? (California, United States of America)
What is the test for determining whether a person of average disposition would have been provoked to act rashly and without deliberation? (California, United States of America)
What is the standard for determining whether a reasonable person would have felt he or she was not at liberty to leave an interrogation? (California, United States of America)
What is the test for determining whether a person is a "cause in fact" of another person's injury? (California, United States of America)
What is the test for determining whether a defendant has a right to a jury determination based upon proof beyond a reasonable doubt? (California, United States of America)
What is the test for determining whether a defendant's reasonableness of their conduct is reasonable? (California, United States of America)
What is the test for determining whether a reasonable trier of fact could have found defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt? (California, United States of America)
What is the test for determining whether a person can be found guilty of assault by reason of negligence? (California, United States of America)
X



Alexi white


"The most advanced legal research software ever built."

Trusted by top litigators from across North America.