Defendant moved for a new trial, asserting (1) error in the restriction of his presentation of third-party culpability evidence and (2) insufficiency of the evidence of robbery as a basis for felony murder.
The trial court agreed with him that the verdict was based on "too much... speculation" to support a felony murder theory. It accordingly granted the defense motion in part, reducing the verdict from first-degree to second-degree murder.
The court sentenced defendant to 15 years to life, with a one-year enhancement for the use of the knife, to be served consecutively.