P. v. Alexander
A jury convicted appellant Larry Alexander of possession of cocaine base for sale (Health & Saf. Code, 11351.5). The trial court found two alleged prior strikes to be true. (Pen. Code, 1170.12, subds. (a)-(d), 667, subds. (b)-(i).) The court struck one, and sentenced defendant to a total term of eight years in prison, consisting of the midterm of four years, doubled. Defendant appeals from the judgment of conviction, contending: (1) the trial court erred in denying his Pitchess motion without conducting an in camera inspection of the relevant personnel records of two of the four police officers involved in stopping and arresting him; (2) this court must review the personnel records of the two police officers regarding whom the court granted the Pitchess motion, to determine if any records were improperly withheld from appellants trial counsel; (3) the trial court erred by excluding testimony from appellant and his girlfriend that the police used excessive force when they arrested him, and from a witness who had previously accused one of the officers of using excessive force during an arrest; and, (4) the trial court erred by permitting the prosecution to introduce evidence that the area in which appellant was detained was known for narcotics sales by street gangs, thus implying that appellant was a gang member.
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