Adam Miranda was charged with the first degree murder of Gary Black. It was alleged as a special circumstance that the murder was committed while Miranda was engaged in the attempted commission of a robbery.
During the penalty phase of Miranda’s trial, the prosecution introduced evidence concerning the killing of Robert Hosey some two weeks before the capital crime. Joe Saucedo testified that Miranda stabbed Hosey after an argument over allegedly drug-laced cigarettes that Hosey had sold to Saucedo and another individual. Saucedo had been charged with the murder of Hosey, but in exchange for his agreement to testify against Miranda, the charge was reduced to assault with a deadly weapon. On his plea of guilty to the assault charge, he was granted probation.
