California Supreme Court April 28, 1997, No. S004654 (People v. Carpenter)

lead-opinion

Opinion

CHIN, J.

Evidence at the guilt and penalty trials established that defendant is the “Trailside Killer” who terrorized Californians in 1980 and 1981. Over several months, he assaulted hikers on remote paths in Santa Cruz and Marin Counties, shooting to death seven at close range with a .38-caliber Rossi revolver and raping some of them.