the conviction in a santa cruz murder case will not be heard by a higher court, as an appellate court, and now the state supreme court, denied a motion of appeal. Lawyers for jonathan cardenas had argued that evidence suggesting gang affiliation was wrongfully admitted in the original trial in santa cruz superior court. Lawyers said that the evidence should not have been allowed because there were no gang enhancements brought in the case. In march, the 6th district court of appeals denied the claim, and last week, the California supreme court also declined to hear the case. Cardenas was sentenced to 16 years to life in prison for the murder, which occurred in 2008 when Robbie Reynolds was stabbed to death in the beach flats area of santa cruz.
