People v. Hampton ( 2022 )


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  • Filed 2/10/22
    CERTIFIED FOR PUBLICATION
    IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
    THIRD APPELLATE DISTRICT
    (Sacramento)
    ----
    THE PEOPLE,                                                        C093270
    Plaintiff and Appellant,                 (Super. Ct. No. 04F11184)
    v.
    DANNY HAMPTON,
    Defendant and Respondent.
    APPEAL from a judgment of the Superior Court of Sacramento County, Michael
    P. Kenny, Judge. Affirmed.
    Rob Bonta, Attorney General, Lance E. Winters, Chief Assistant Attorney
    General, Michael P. Farrell, Senior Assistant Attorney General, Eric L. Christoffersen,
    Supervising Deputy Attorney General, Christopher J. Rench, Deputy Attorney General,
    for Plaintiff and Appellant.
    Sandra Gillies, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Defendant and
    Respondent.
    A jury found defendant Danny Hampton guilty of first degree murder and two
    counts of robbery. The trial court sentenced defendant to an aggregate term of 33 years
    to life. This court affirmed the judgment. (People v. Hampton (Dec. 29, 2009, C056867)
    1
    [nonpub. opn.] (Hampton).)1 The jury could not reach a verdict on the robbery-murder
    special-circumstance allegation, and that allegation was dismissed on the People’s motion
    for insufficient evidence.
    Defendant filed a petition for resentencing under Penal Code2 section 1170.95 and
    requested appointment of counsel. The trial court granted the petition finding the
    dismissal of the special-circumstance allegation for insufficient evidence was equivalent
    to an acquittal. The People appeal contending the dismissal of the special-circumstance
    allegation was not an acquittal. We affirm the order granting the petition for
    resentencing.
    BACKGROUND
    A
    Relevant Facts Underlying Conviction
    Defendant and three of his friends planned a robbery of defendant’s marijuana
    dealer, Larry Elliott. Defendant did not want to participate in the robbery, but the
    codefendants told him he had no choice. The plan included defendant setting up a
    pretextual drug buy to determine how much marijuana Elliott had at his home.
    Defendant and codefendant Camitt Doughton went to Elliott’s house and were there for
    about eight minutes, smoking marijuana and listening to music with Elliott and his two
    guests. Then, codefendants Edward Quintanilla and Deandre Scott burst into the garage,
    wearing masks, all black clothing, and armed with firearms. They ordered everyone onto
    the ground and pistol-whipped Elliott. Defendant pleaded with the codefendants to stop
    assaulting the victims and tried to reassure the victims they were safe. Quintanilla and
    Scott went into the home and searched for things to steal. Defendant remained in the
    1     We granted defendant’s request to incorporate by reference the records in
    defendant’s prior appeal. (Hampton, supra, C056879.)
    2      Undesignated section references are to the Penal Code.
    2
    garage. He was not armed. When Scott came back into the garage from the house, he had
    a shotgun and an assault rifle. Quintanilla and Scott ordered defendant to take a bucket
    containing marijuana and leave the garage. Defendant did. As he was running from the
    scene, he heard a gunshot. Doughton had shot Elliott in the back of the head. When
    defendant met back up with codefendants, he received some of the marijuana, Quintalla
    and Scott kept the money and guns. (Hampton, supra, C056867.)
    There was also evidence that defendant knew his codefendants planned to be
    armed, had handled one of the guns earlier on the day of the robbery, and that one of his
    codefendants indicated a willingness to shoot the victims, if necessary.
    B
    Relevant Procedural Background Original Trial
    At close of evidence, defendant made a motion to dismiss the special-circumstance
    allegation under section 1118.1, contending there was insufficient evidence he acted with
    reckless indifference to life. The trial court denied the motion stating: “[T]he evidence
    presents that [defendant] was involved in a discussion with his confederates and that guns
    were essentially brought out during that discussion, and that [defendant] actually handled
    one of those guns in advance of going to Mr. Elliott’s home, and further discussion was
    that they may not leave any witnesses, there is at least a pretty strong implication from
    those set of facts that, in fact, the person is acting in reckless disregard.”
    On the second day of deliberations, the jury indicated it had reached a verdict,
    except as to the special-circumstance allegation. The court provided additional
    instruction and allowed counsel to conduct additional argument focused on the issue the
    jury had indicated it was divided on. After additional deliberation, the jury remained
    unable to reach a verdict. They were split six to six. The court declared a mistrial as to
    the special-circumstance allegation. The court asked the prosecutor what he wanted to do
    regarding the allegation and the prosecutor requested the issue be put over to the time of
    sentencing.
    3
    The jury found defendant guilty of first degree murder and two counts of robbery.
    The trial court sentenced defendant to a term of 25 years to life for the murder, plus one
    year for the firearm enhancement, a consecutive midterm of six years on one robbery
    conviction, plus one year for each firearm enhancement, and an identical term on the
    other robbery conviction stayed under section 654, for an aggregate term of 25 years to
    life plus eight years. He was granted 1,008 days of credit for time served.
    After sentencing, the People stated: “With respect to the special circumstances
    charge that the Court had declared a mistrial on . . . the People would move to dismiss
    that for insufficient evidence.” The trial court responded: “All right. The special
    circumstance charge will be dismissed for insufficient evidence.”
    C
    Section 1170.95 Petition
    In 2019, defendant filed a petition for resentencing under section 1170.95. The
    trial court reviewed the section 1170.95 petition, found defendant had made a prima facie
    case, and set an order-to-show-cause hearing. The court requested briefing explicitly
    addressing the effect of the trial court’s order dismissing the special-circumstance
    allegation upon the jury’s inability to reach a verdict and at the request of the People.
    Defendant argued the dismissal of the special-circumstance allegation for
    insufficient evidence on the People’s motion barred any relitigation of the issue as a
    violation of double jeopardy. Defendant also argued “the prosecution concluded, as a
    matter of law, that there was insufficient evidence to sustain the special circumstance
    allegation. They cannot now reverse course and assert the opposite.”
    The People argued given the prior denial of the section 1118.1 motion, and the
    record as a whole, it was clear neither the People nor the court considered the record in
    the light most favorable to the People and concluded that no reasonable jury could find
    defendant was a major participant acting with reckless indifference. Thus, the dismissal
    was not an acquittal. The People also asserted when the prosecutor moved to have the
    4
    allegation dismissed he “was not claiming that the evidence was legally insufficient to
    prove the special circumstances allegation. Rather, the prosecutor was simply dismissing
    the special circumstance so that the jury’s first degree verdict could stand. Whether the
    evidence could be legally sufficient to meet the People’s burden was not actually litigated
    to decision, thus it is incorrect to state as a matter of law the evidence was insufficient.”
    In ruling on the section 1170.95 petition, the court considered the murder-robbery
    jury instructions given and the People’s motion to dismiss the special-circumstance
    allegation for insufficient evidence. The court concluded “that the dismissal of that
    special circumstance for insufficient evidence is equivalent to a finding that the defendant
    did not act with reckless indifference. Consequently the People have failed to carry their
    burden of proving ineligibility.” The court then proceeded to resentencing, vacated the
    murder conviction, and lifted the stays on the robbery convictions, leaving a sentence of
    seven years.
    DISCUSSION
    I
    General Legal Background
    Senate Bill No. 1437 (2017-2018 Reg. Sess.) amended “the felony murder rule
    and the natural and probable consequences doctrine, as it relates to murder, to ensure that
    murder liability is not imposed on a person who is not the actual killer, did not act with
    the intent to kill, or was not a major participant in the underlying felony who acted with
    reckless indifference to human life.” (Stats. 2018, ch. 1015, § 1, subd. (f).) The bill
    amended section 188, which defines malice, and section 189, which defines the degrees
    of murder to address felony-murder liability. (Stats. 2018, ch. 1015, §§ 2 & 3.) It also
    added section 1170.95, which provides a procedure by which those convicted of murder
    premised on either a felony murder or natural and probable consequences theory can
    petition for retroactive relief, if the changes in the law would affect their previously
    sustained convictions; that is, if “[t]he petitioner could not be convicted of first or second
    5
    degree murder because of changes to Section 188 or 189 made effective January 1,
    2019.” (Stats. 2018, ch. 1015, § 4; § 1170.95, subd. (a).)
    If the defendant makes a prima facie showing of eligibility for relief (§ 1170.95,
    subds. (b) & (c)), the court must issue an order to show cause and hold an evidentiary
    hearing to determine whether to vacate the murder conviction and resentence the
    defendant on any remaining counts (§ 1170.95, subd. (d)(1)). At the hearing the
    prosecution has the burden of proving beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant is
    ineligible for resentencing. (§ 1170.95, subd. (d)(3), as amended by Stats. 2021, ch. 551,
    § 2, eff. Jan. 1, 2022.)
    As relevant here, since there is no dispute defendant was not the actual killer and
    did not act with intent to kill, to now be convicted of murder the prosecution was required
    to prove defendant “was a major participant in the underlying felony and acted with
    reckless indifference to human life, as described in subdivision (d) of Section 190.2.”
    (Stats. 2018, ch. 15, § 3.) If there was a prior finding by a court or jury that defendant did
    not act with reckless indifference to human life or was not a major participant in the
    felony the court was required to vacate the conviction and resentence defendant.
    (§ 1170.95, subd. (d)(2).)
    II
    Appealability
    As a threshold issue, defendant contends the order granting the petition is not an
    order the People are statutorily entitled to appeal.3 The People contend this order is
    3       Also under the heading of appealability, defendant argues the appeal violates
    double jeopardy because the dismissal for insufficient evidence was an acquittal. That
    argument relies on the resolution of whether the dismissal was an acquittal, the
    substantive issue raised in the People’s appeal. Accordingly, we will reach the merits of
    that claim.
    6
    appealable under section 1238, subdivision (a)(5) as an order after judgment affecting the
    People’s substantial rights.
    “The People’s right to appeal is statutory, and appeals that do not fall within the
    exact statutory language are prohibited.” (People v. Salgado (2001) 
    88 Cal.App.4th 5
    ,
    11.) The statutory circumstances permitting a People’s appeal are specified in
    section 1238. (People v. Chacon (2007) 
    40 Cal.4th 558
    , 564.) Section 1238,
    subdivision (a)(5) permits a People’s appeal from “[a]n order made after judgment,
    affecting the substantial rights of the people.” An order after judgment affecting the
    substantial rights of the People is generally one that affects the judgment or its
    enforcement, alters the defendant’s status, or hampers the prosecution’s ability to carry
    out future prosecutorial duties. (People v. Benavides (2002) 
    99 Cal.App.4th 100
    , 105-
    106.) Such cases include orders that affect the defendant’s sentence or the timing of his
    release. (In re Anthony (2015) 
    236 Cal.App.4th 204
    , 211-212; People v. Douglas (1999)
    
    20 Cal.4th 85
    , 88 [reducing a felony to a misdemeanor]; People v. Minjarez (1980) 
    102 Cal.App.3d 309
    , 311-312 [order erroneously granting a defendant credits against his or
    her prison sentence]; People v. Maggio (1929) 
    96 Cal.App. 409
    , 410-411 [reducing a
    judgment of imprisonment to a fine].)
    The resentencing scheme of section 1170.95 is analogous to the provisions of
    Proposition 36, the Three Strikes Reform Act of 2012, which “created a postconviction
    release proceeding whereby a prisoner who is serving an indeterminate life sentence
    imposed pursuant to the three strikes law for a crime that is not a serious or violent felony
    . . . may have his or her sentence recalled and be sentenced as a second strike offender
    unless the court determines that resentencing would pose an unreasonable risk of danger
    to public safety. (§ 1170.126.)” (People v. Superior Court (Martinez) (2014)
    
    225 Cal.App.4th 979
    , 984.) Under both resentencing schemes, after a multi-step process
    that includes a hearing on the petition, the trial court determines if the defendant is
    eligible for relief under the act and, if so, sets the matter for resentencing. (Id. at p. 986;
    7
    People v. Lewis (2021) 
    11 Cal.5th 952
    , 960; § 1170.95, subds. (c) & (d)(3).) That is,
    there is an initial determination of eligibility for relief and a separate resentencing
    decision. Under both statutory schemes, an initial eligibility determination affects
    whether the trial court will exercise resentencing discretion. This initial determination is
    not “an idle exercise as far as the People are concerned” as such a determination shifts the
    burden to the prosecution to establish defendant could still be convicted of murder; and,
    if the prosecution does not carry its burden, resentencing necessarily follows “Thus, an
    initial finding of eligibility affects enforcement of the judgment (in which the People
    clearly have a substantial interest), and it affects the inmate’s status with relation to the
    judgment already imposed.” (Martinez, at p. 987.)
    Given the analogous processes, we conclude the Martinez court’s analysis applies
    in the current situation and the People may appeal the trial court’s determination that
    defendant is entitled to relief. The order was indisputably made “after judgment”;
    judgment was imposed in defendant’s case when he was originally sentenced. It also
    affects the People’s substantial rights in that it determines whether the trial court will
    exercise its powers to recall the previous judgment and resentence defendant. (People v.
    Benavides, supra, 99 Cal.App.4th at p. 105.) Ultimately, the order resulted in a
    substantial modification of the original judgment. (People v. Gilbert (1944) 
    25 Cal.2d 422
    , 444 [order is “obviously” appealable when its effect is “to modify substantially the
    judgments originally entered”].) Thus, the trial court’s order determining defendant is
    entitled to relief qualifies as “[a]n order made after judgment, affecting the substantial
    rights of the people,” and is appealable under section 1238, subdivision (a)(5).
    We are not persuaded by defendant’s argument, relying on People v. Rivera
    (1984) 
    157 Cal.App.3d 494
    , that the court did not issue an order, but rather entered a new
    judgment that is not appealable as an order after judgment. The statutory resentencing
    scheme at issue in Rivera, under former section 1170, subdivision (f)(1), did not require a
    multi-step process in the trial court, including an initial finding of eligibility. Rather, in
    8
    Rivera, the initial determination of eligibility for resentencing was made by the Board of
    Prison Terms referring a case back to the trial court because the sentence imposed was
    “disparate in comparison with the sentences imposed in similar cases.” (Rivera, at
    p. 496, fn. 1.) Upon receiving that referral from the Board of Prison Terms, the trial court
    “scheduled a hearing, recalled the previously ordered sentence and commitment order,
    and resentenced” the defendant. (Id. at p. 496.) Importantly, there was no order of the
    trial court prior to the resentencing; rather, as required by the statute, the court simply
    recalled the initial sentence and resentenced defendant. The sentence imposed at the
    resentencing thus became the judgment. (Id. at p. 497.) That is, the appeal was, in effect,
    an appeal from the judgment, not from an order after judgment and as such, was not
    permitted under section 1238, subdivision (a)(5). (Rivera, at p. 497.)
    Moreover, in Rivera, the substance of the appeal was directed at the resentencing
    decision; that is, the new judgment itself. Specifically, the appeal challenged whether a
    portion of the sentence should run consecutively rather than concurrently. (People v.
    Rivera, supra, 157 Cal.App.3d at p. 495.) Here, on the other hand, the People challenge
    the trial court’s conclusion that the dismissal for insufficient evidence acted as an
    acquittal, a decision that then required the court to vacate the murder conviction and
    resentence defendant. Thus, the People in this instance are challenging an order made
    after judgment, rather than the new judgment itself. Thus, we conclude the trial court’s
    order finding defendant entitled to relief under section 1170.95 is appealable under
    section 1238, subdivision (a)(5).4
    4     Because we determine section 1238, subdivision (a)(5) applies, we need not
    consider the parties’ arguments as to subdivision (a)(6).
    9
    III
    Dismissal For Insufficient Evidence
    The People contend the record here does not clearly indicate that the dismissal was
    based on insufficient evidence. Specifically, they argue the use of the language
    “insufficient evidence,” without more, does not clearly reflect that the court applied the
    substantial evidence test. Defendant claims the People are estopped from raising the
    issue. Defendant also argues the record is unambiguous and the dismissal served as an
    acquittal.
    A
    Procedural Bar -- Judicial Estoppel, Invited Error, And Forfeiture
    Defendant argues if the original trial court erred in dismissing the matter for
    insufficient evidence, the People cannot challenge that ruling under principles of judicial
    estoppel, invited error, or forfeiture. Since these claims raise procedural bars that, if
    applicable, would obviate the need to address the merits, we consider them first and
    conclude none apply.
    Judicial estoppel is intended to protect the integrity of the judicial process, by
    preventing a party from asserting a position in a legal proceeding that is contrary to a
    position previously taken in the same or an earlier proceeding. (Jackson v. County of Los
    Angeles (1997) 
    60 Cal.App.4th 171
    , 181.) With respect to judicial estoppel, initially it is
    unclear whether the doctrine can be applied to the prosecution, but in any event, the
    People’s “earlier concession of a legal point does not constitute the successful assertion
    of a position.” (People v. Suff (2014) 
    58 Cal.4th 1013
    , 1061, fn. 12.) In addition, the
    doctrine of judicial estoppel cannot be invoked where the first position was taken as a
    result of ignorance or a good faith mistake (Jackson, at pp. 181-182), rather than as part
    of a scheme to mislead the court, an intentional wrongdoing (Levin v. Ligon (2006) 
    140 Cal.App.4th 1456
    , 1484).
    10
    “The doctrine of invited error is designed to prevent an accused from gaining a
    reversal on appeal because of an error made by the trial court at his behest. If defense
    counsel intentionally caused the trial court to err, the appellant cannot be heard to
    complain on appeal.” (People v. Coffman and Marlow (2004) 
    34 Cal.4th 1
    , 49.) Again,
    assuming this doctrine also applies to the prosecution, under the doctrine, it must be clear
    that counsel intentionally caused the trial court to err, and that counsel acted for tactical
    reasons and not out of ignorance or mistake. (Ibid.)
    In moving for dismissal on the grounds of insufficient evidence, the prosecutor
    conceded a legal point; that concession is not the same as an assertion of a position.
    Nothing in the record suggests there was any intent on the prosecutor’s part to make the
    concession as part of a scheme to mislead the court to gain an unfair advantage or to
    deliberately induce the court to err for tactical reasons. Nor is there any indication in the
    record that the prosecution’s motion to dismiss for insufficient evidence was not the
    result of mistake in offering that as the reason for the dismissal or ignorance that
    dismissal on that basis would effectively act as an acquittal. Defendant does not claim
    otherwise. Accordingly, although this motion was granted in the language of the
    People’s motion, we cannot rely on the doctrines of judicial estoppel or invited error, to
    resolve this claim.
    Nor does forfeiture bar the People’s claim. Forfeiture is the failure to make a
    timely assertion of a right. (United States v. Olano (1993) 
    507 U.S. 725
    , 733.) When the
    legal effect of the dismissal became an issue in dispute, the People timely raised their
    objection to the conclusion the dismissal was the equivalent of an acquittal. That
    argument preserved this issue for appeal.
    B
    Dismissal
    Section 1385 dismissals should not be construed as an acquittal for legal
    insufficiency unless the record clearly indicates the trial court applied the substantial
    11
    evidence standard. (People v. Hatch (2000) 
    22 Cal.4th 260
    , 271, 273 (Hatch).) There
    are no “magic words” the court must use to demonstrate it has applied the substantial
    evidence standard, and the court need not restate the substantial evidence standard.
    (Ibid.) But, the record must make it clear for the reviewing court that the trial court
    viewed the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution and found that no
    reasonable trier of fact could convict. (Ibid.) Whatever label the ruling is given, the
    appellate court “ ‘must determine if the ruling actually represents a resolution, correct or
    not, of some or all of the factual elements of the offense charged.’ ([United States v.
    Martin Linen Supply Co. (1977) 
    430 U.S. 564
    , 571].)” (Id. at p. 270.)
    “Insufficient evidence” is a term of art and -- absent a contrary indication -- means
    the evidence was insufficient to support a conviction as a matter of law. (Hatch, 
    supra,
    22 Cal.4th at p. 276; Mannes v. Gillespie (9th Cir. 1992) 
    967 F.2d 1310
    , 1315 (Mannes).)
    If the jury has not been able to reach a verdict and the trial court rules the evidence is
    insufficient as a matter of law to sustain a conviction, the ruling bars retrial even if the
    ruling is patently erroneous or the court has no statutory authority to make it. (Hatch, at
    pp. 270-271; see Sanabria v. United States (1978) 
    437 U.S. 54
    , 75 [there is no exception
    permitting retrial once the defendant has been acquitted, no matter if the acquittal is
    egregiously erroneous.].)
    We note, we are not called on here to determine whether the trial court correctly
    dismissed the case for insufficient evidence, because even when a case is wrongly
    dismissed for insufficient evidence, that dismissal will act as an acquittal. (Hatch, 
    supra,
    22 Cal.4th at pp. 270-271, and cases cited therein.) Thus, we are only required to
    determine if the dismissal was, in fact, a determination that there was insufficient
    evidence as a matter of law to sustain a true finding on the enhancement.
    In Hatch, following a jury deadlock, the court declared a mistrial. (Hatch, 
    supra,
    22 Cal.4th at p. 266.) Following argument from the parties, the trial court dismissed the
    case in the interest of justice, because it concluded no reasonable jury would find the
    12
    defendant guilty. (Ibid.) The court did not state it was dismissing the case for
    insufficient evidence. Our Supreme Court noted while a court is allowed to dismiss for
    insufficient evidence under section 1385, it usually does not. Because such dismissals
    are not usually based on insufficiency of the evidence as a matter of law, and the trial
    court had not stated that as the grounds for the dismissal, the Supreme Court concluded
    the record must show the court intended to dismiss for insufficiency. (Hatch, at pp. 273-
    274.)
    Although there are no “magic words” the court must use, we have not found, and
    the People have not cited, any authority where the trial court has used the language
    “insufficient evidence” in its dismissal and the dismissal was not found to be the
    equivalent of an acquittal. (See People v. Salgado, supra, 88 Cal.App.4th at p. 10 [trial
    court stated insufficient evidence was as a matter of law to show the defendant aided and
    abetted carjacking]; People v. Pedroza (2014) 
    231 Cal.App.4th 635
    , 642 [trial court
    stated there was insufficient corroboration of accomplice testimony as a matter of law,
    and retrial barred by double jeopardy]; Mannes, supra, 967 F.2d at p. 1314 [trial court
    stated there was insufficient evidence for implied malice or conscious disregard and no
    likelihood retrial would result in unanimous verdict].)
    The trial court and the prosecutor each explicitly stated the matter was being
    dismissed for “insufficient evidence.” While the prosecutor may have mistakenly offered
    that as the basis for the dismissal or been unaware that such a dismissal would be the
    equivalent of an acquittal, we cannot presume both the prosecutor and the trial court
    intended the dismissal to be on some other, unmentioned, grounds. The People offer
    various speculative reasons as to what the prosecutor might have meant when he used the
    language “insufficient evidence.” We will not engage in this speculation to suppose the
    prosecutor meant something other than what he said. Moreover, none of these reasons
    explains why, if the prosecutor did not mean “insufficient evidence,” he would not have
    13
    simply used the language of section 1385 and requested dismissal in furtherance of
    justice.
    Even more importantly, what the prosecutor meant when he used the phrase
    “insufficient evidence” is not the controlling consideration. What matters is what the trial
    court intended when it dismissed the allegation.
    Section 1385 requires the trial court to state reasons for the dismissal. The court’s
    stated reason for dismissing the allegation “is the strongest evidence of the grounds for
    the dismissal.” (Mannes, supra, 967 F.2d at p. 1315.) The trial court stated it was
    dismissing the special-circumstance allegation based on insufficient evidence. There is
    no authority that the trial court was required to state anything more than that to
    demonstrate its intent to dismiss for insufficiency. The People claim that concluding the
    use of the phrase “insufficient evidence” demonstrates the trial court found the evidence
    insufficient as a matter of law would be a “hyper-technical” use of “magic words.” The
    phrase “insufficient evidence” is not “magic words.” Rather, it is a legal term of art.5
    And, presuming the trial court intended that legal term of art to carry its ordinary and
    accepted meaning is not a hyper-technical application of the phrase.
    Absent any contrary indication, we must presume the trial judge intended the
    phrase to carry its accepted, and precise, meaning -- that the evidence presented at the
    trial was not legally sufficient to support a conviction for the crime charged. There is no
    contrary indication. Although the trial judge previously denied defendant’s motion for
    acquittal under section 1118.1, that ruling does not act as a bar to later reconsideration by
    5        “ ‘Terms of art are words having specific, precise meaning in a given specialty.
    Having its origins in Lord Coke’s vocabula artis, the phrase term of art is common in law
    because the legal field has developed many technical words whose meanings are locked
    tight. . . .’ (Garner, Dict. of Legal Usage (3d ed. 2011) p. 883; see also People ex rel.
    Lungren v. Superior Court (1996) 
    14 Cal.4th 294
    , 302.)” (People v. Gonzales (2017) 
    2 Cal.5th 858
    , 871, fn. 12.)
    14
    the trial court of the sufficiency of the evidence. (See Mannes, supra, 967 F.2d at
    p. 1315, fn. 5.) The Attorney General has not shown that in stating it was dismissing the
    case for insufficient evidence, the trial court failed to understand the legal import of the
    words used or that it meant some other words that it did not use. The words “insufficient
    evidence” were not required to effectuate a dismissal under section 1385. This dismissal
    being on the People’s motion, all that was required was that the dismissal be “in
    furtherance of justice,” with reasons given. (See People v. Johnson (2015) 
    61 Cal.4th 734
    , 769.) The trial court did not give, or even suggest, any other reason for dismissal.
    Instead, the court explicitly stated the dismissal was due to insufficient evidence. The
    most reasonable interpretation of this record is that the court used the specific language of
    insufficient evidence, given its accepted meaning, to convey that it had weighed the
    evidence in the light most favorable to the People and found it lacking. That is, that the
    court knew the legal import of its words and meant what it said. Because the original
    trial court dismissed the case for insufficient evidence, this dismissal acted as the
    equivalent of an acquittal and the court properly granted the petition for resentencing
    under section 1170.95.
    DISPOSITION
    The order granting defendant’s section 1170.95 petition for resentencing is
    affirmed.
    /s/
    Robie, J.
    We concur:
    /s/
    Raye, P. J.
    /s/
    Hull, J.
    15