Prosecution could not proceed under Abolished Theory of Felony Murder That Imputed Malice “Based Solely On” Miller’s “Participation In” The Kidnapping
THE PEOPLE, Plaintiff and Respondent, v. ARMANI MILLER, Defendant and Appellant. (Cal. Ct. App., June 27, 2025, No. A170047) 2025 WL 1779185, at *1–2
Miller appeals the trial court’s denial of his petition for resentencing pursuant to Penal Code section 1172.6. In August 2020, Miller pled no contest to voluntary manslaughter with a firearm use enhancement, and the trial court sentenced him to 16 years in state prison. In May 2023, Miller filed a petition for resentencing. Following a hearing, the court held that Miller failed to make a prima facie case that he was entitled to relief and denied the petition.
On appeal, Miller argues that the trial court erred in denying his petition because he adequately alleged that he could not be convicted of murder based on changes to the felony-murder rule made effective January 1, 2019. Although Miller’s plea and conviction occurred after 2019, he contends that he is still eligible for relief based on subsequent cases that recognized youth as a factor in determining whether a defendant acted with reckless indifference to human life. We affirm because the charging document against Miller was filed after the felony murder rule was amended. (§ 1172.6, subd. (a)(1).)