People v. Ramos

Defendant was convicted, after bench trial, of murder on a theory of accountability for the actions of the uncharged shooter. In hours-long videotaped interrogation, Defendant said that after the shooting occurred, when the men who had borrowed his van returned, he "guessed" that those men had been involved in a drive-by. Judge mischaracterized one statement by Defendant in this video interrogations and wrongly concluded that Defendant was admitting that he knew in advance that there was going to be a drive-by.  State's case against Defendant was wholly insufficient to hold him accountable for murder. (CUNNINGHAM and CONNORS, concurring.)