Narith S. v. Super. Ct. ( 2019 )


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  • Filed 12/4/19
    CERTIFIED FOR PUBLICATION
    IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
    SECOND APPELLATE DISTRICT
    DIVISION THREE
    NARITH S.,                         B296384
    Petitioner,                 Los Angeles County
    Super. Ct. No. NA101252-02
    v.
    THE SUPERIOR COURT OF
    LOS ANGELES COUNTY,
    Respondent;
    THE PEOPLE,
    Real Party in Interest.
    ORIGINAL PROCEEDINGS in mandate. Laura Laesecke,
    Judge. Petition granted.
    Cyn Yamashiro and Markéta Sims, Independent Juvenile
    Defender Program, for Petitioner.
    No appearance for Respondent.
    Jackie Lacey, District Attorney, Phyllis Asayama and John
    Pomeroy, Deputy District Attorneys, for Real Party in Interest.
    _________________________
    Narith S. petitions for a writ of mandate requiring the trial
    court to vacate its order denying his motion to remand his case
    to juvenile court. Narith was 15 years old at the time of the
    offenses with which he is charged. The trial court ruled Senate
    Bill No. 1391 (SB 1391) unconstitutional. We agree with our
    colleagues in the First, Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Districts
    who have recently confronted this issue and concluded that
    SB 1391 is constitutional. Accordingly, we grant Narith’s
    petition.
    BACKGROUND
    In 2015 the People charged Narith with nine counts of
    attempted murder as well as shooting at an inhabited dwelling
    and discharging a firearm from a motor vehicle.1 The case arose
    from a gang-related drive-by shooting at an apartment complex.
    After detectives gave Narith the Miranda admonition,2 he told
    them he had fired a number of shots from the back seat of his
    friend’s car after yelling “Fuck Chongos” (a derogatory term for
    the gang that is his gang’s rival). Five victims were struck with
    1      We have only a partial record of the proceedings below.
    Narith submitted dockets for the criminal and juvenile courts,
    a reporter’s transcript of the February 2019 hearing on his
    second motion to remand, and copies of the motion, opposition,
    and reply filed in the superior court. The district attorney
    submitted with its return a partial transcript of Narith’s
    preliminary hearing. Neither party has provided us with a copy
    of the felony complaint, the information, a reporter’s transcript of
    the fitness proceedings in the juvenile court, or any minute order
    or written ruling in the juvenile court finding Narith unfit.
    2     Miranda v. Arizona (1966) 
    384 U.S. 436
    .
    2
    bullets; all five survived. Narith was 15 years old at the time of
    the alleged crimes.
    Narith was arraigned in criminal (adult) court in November
    2015. A year later his counsel moved to remand his case to
    juvenile court. In January 2017 the trial court certified Narith to
    the juvenile court. In June 2018 the juvenile court found Narith
    unfit for juvenile court and returned him to criminal court.
    On January 3, 2019, Narith filed a motion to remand his
    case to juvenile court, citing SB 1391. The district attorney
    opposed the motion, arguing SB 1391 is “an unconstitutional
    amendment to the provisions of Welfare and Institutions Code
    section 707, as amended by an initiative statute, Proposition 57.”
    Narith filed a reply.
    On February 20, 2019, the court heard the motion. The
    court ruled SB 1391 unconstitutional and therefore denied
    Narith’s motion to be transferred back to the juvenile court.
    Narith filed a petition for a writ of mandate and a request for a
    stay of his adult proceedings. We issued an order to show cause
    and a stay.
    DISCUSSION
    1.      Proposition 57 and SB 1391
    In November 2016 the voters approved Proposition 57,
    the Public Safety and Reconciliation Act of 2016. (People v.
    Superior Court (Alexander C.) (2019) 34 Cal.App.5th 994, 997
    (Alexander C.).) Proposition 57 “ ‘largely returned California to
    the historical rule’ ” in effect before 2000 that “required a juvenile
    court to declare a minor unfit for the juvenile system before a
    district attorney could prosecute that minor in criminal court.”
    (Alexander C., at pp. 997-998.) Under Proposition 57,
    “ ‘ “[c]ertain categories of minors . . . can still be tried in criminal
    3
    court, but only after a juvenile court judge conducts a transfer
    hearing to consider various factors such as the minor’s maturity,
    degree of criminal sophistication, prior delinquent history, and
    whether the minor can be rehabilitated.” ’ ” (Alexander C., at
    p. 998, quoting People v. Superior Court (Lara) (2018) 4 Cal.5th
    299, 305.)
    Proposition 57 set forth five purposes: “1. Protect and
    enhance public safety. [¶] 2. Save money by reducing wasteful
    spending on prisons. [¶] 3. Prevent federal courts from
    indiscriminately releasing prisoners. [¶] 4. Stop the revolving
    door of crime by emphasizing rehabilitation, especially for
    juveniles. [¶] 5. Require a judge, not a prosecutor, to decide
    whether juveniles should be tried in adult court.” (People v.
    Superior Court (S.L.) (2019) 40 Cal.App.5th 114, 121, review
    granted Nov. 26, 2019, S258432 (S.L.), quoting Voter Information
    Guide, Gen. Elec. (Nov. 8, 2016) text of Prop. 57, § 2, p. 141
    (Voter Guide).) Proposition 57 “authorize[d] legislative
    amendment of its provisions that amended [Welfare and
    Institutions Code] section 707, ‘so long as such amendments are
    consistent with and further the intent of this act by a statute that
    is passed by a majority vote of the members of each house of the
    Legislature and signed by the Governor.’ ” (People v. Superior
    Court (K.L.) (2019) 36 Cal.App.5th 529, 535 (K.L.), quoting Voter
    Guide, § 5, p. 145.)
    In September 2018 the Governor approved SB 1391
    (2017-2018 Reg. Sess.) (Stats. 2018, ch. 1012, § 1). It took effect
    January 1, 2019. SB 1391 “eliminates the district attorneys’
    ability to seek transfer of 14 and 15 year olds from juvenile court
    to criminal court” (subject to a narrow exception if the minor
    is “ ‘not apprehended prior to the end of juvenile court
    4
    jurisdiction’ ”). (Alexander 
    C., supra
    , 34 Cal.App.5th at p. 998;
    Welf. & Inst. Code, § 707, subd. (a)(2).) The Legislature declared
    that SB 1391 amended Proposition 57 and “is consistent with
    and furthers the intent of Proposition 57.” (S.B. 1391, § 3;
    Alexander C., at p. 998.)
    2.    Five appellate courts have upheld SB 1391 as
    constitutional; one appellate court has disagreed
    A number of district attorneys—including the District
    Attorney of Los Angeles County—have challenged SB 1391 as
    unconstitutional.3 Here, the district attorney argues, “In Prop. 57,
    voters provided juvenile judges discretion to determine whether
    14 and 15 year-old offenders should be rehabilitated in the
    juvenile system. SB 1391 removed that discretion and in the
    process violated the California Constitution.” The district
    attorney states, “Section 5 of Prop. 57 allows amendments by
    3      California’s Attorney General does not share this view.
    (See 
    K.L., supra
    , 36 Cal.App.5th at p. 533, fn. 2.) The Attorney
    General appeared as counsel for the Solano County Superior
    Court in Alexander C., arguing the court properly terminated a
    14-year-old juvenile’s transfer proceeding to criminal court under
    SB 1391. (Alexander 
    C., supra
    , 34 Cal.App.5th at pp. 996, 999.)
    The Attorney General also appeared as an “interested party” in
    
    K.L., supra
    , 36 Cal.App.5th at page 532, and as amicus curiae
    on behalf of the minors in People v. Superior Court (T.D.) (2019)
    38 Cal.App.5th 360, review granted Nov. 26, 2019, S257980
    (T.D.); 
    S.L., supra
    , 40 Cal.App.5th 114; and O.G. v. Superior
    Court (2019) 40 Cal.App.5th 626, review granted Nov. 26, 2019,
    S259011 (O.G.). (See also C.S. v. Superior Court (2018) 29
    Cal.App.5th 1009, 1039 [“The Attorney General also submits
    that Senate Bill No. 1391 is constitutional because it furthers
    the purposes of Proposition 57.”].)
    5
    the Legislature ‘so long as such amendments are consistent with
    and further the intent of this act . . . .’ [¶] By entirely eliminating
    the ability to transfer any 14- and 15-year-olds to adult court,
    SB 1391 improperly upset the balance struck by the voters. . . .
    As such, it is unconstitutional.”
    In the nine months since the trial court here found SB 1391
    unconstitutional, five appellate courts have rejected the
    argument the district attorney makes. In Alexander C., decided
    April 30, 2019, the First District Court of Appeal considered
    the case of a 14-year-old charged with two counts of attempted
    murder, two counts of torture, and “various sex offenses.”
    (Alexander 
    C., supra
    , 34 Cal.App.5th at p. 998.) After SB 1391
    took effect, Alexander C. moved to dismiss the district attorney’s
    motion to transfer him to criminal court. The Superior Court
    of Solano County terminated the transfer proceeding and
    the district attorney petitioned for a writ of mandate, arguing
    SB 1391 was an invalid amendment to Proposition 57 because
    it was not consistent with Proposition 57 and did not further
    the proposition’s intent. (Alexander C., at p. 999.)
    The Court of Appeal denied the district attorney’s writ
    petition. The court noted Proposition 57 “sought to promote
    juvenile rehabilitation by channeling more minors into the
    juvenile system.” (Alexander 
    C., supra
    , 34 Cal.App.5th at
    p. 1000.) The court continued, “[SB] 1391 takes Proposition 57’s
    goal of promoting juvenile rehabilitation one step further by
    ensuring that almost all who commit crimes at the age of 14 or 15
    will be processed through the juvenile system,” where they will
    receive treatment, counseling, and education. (Ibid.) The court
    concluded, “It is apparent that [SB] 1391 is consistent with and
    6
    furthers Proposition 57’s goal of emphasizing rehabilitation for
    juvenile offenders.” (Ibid.)
    In an opinion filed June 19, 2019, the Third District Court
    of Appeal agreed. In K.L., the district attorney had charged two
    15-year-olds—K.L. and R.Z.—in separate cases, with murder,
    attempted murder, and shooting into an occupied vehicle,
    with gang and personal discharge of a firearm allegations, and
    murder, respectively. (
    K.L., supra
    , 36 Cal.App.5th at pp. 533-
    534.) Juvenile courts had found both minors unfit and granted
    the district attorney’s motion to transfer them to criminal court.
    After SB 1391 took effect, however, the trial courts dismissed
    the transfer motions and sent the matters to juvenile court.
    (K.L., at pp. 533-534.)
    The district attorney petitioned for a writ of mandate.
    The appellate court denied the writ. The court noted, “Taken as
    a whole, and in the context of juvenile offenders, it appears the
    intent of Proposition 57 was to reduce the number of youths who
    would be prosecuted as adults.” The court said SB 1391 “furthers
    the stated purpose and intent of Proposition 57 to have fewer
    youths removed from the juvenile justice system.” The court
    stated, “[W]hile Proposition 57 did continue to permit transfer
    of 14 and 15 year olds to adult court for prosecution, there is
    nothing in the language of Proposition 57 or the ballot materials
    to suggest that it was a specific intent of Proposition 57 to ensure
    that 14- and 15-year-old juvenile offenders would continue to be
    subject to adult criminal prosecution. [SB] 1391 does not conflict
    with Proposition 57 but advances its stated intent and purpose to
    reduce the number of youths to be tried in adult court, reduce the
    number of incarcerated persons in state prisons, and emphasize
    rehabilitation for juveniles. Accordingly, we conclude [SB] 1391
    7
    is not an unconstitutional amendment of section 707 as modified
    by Proposition 57.” 
    (K.L, supra
    , 36 Cal.App.5th at p. 541.)
    On August 5, 2019, in a two-to-one decision, the
    Fifth District Court of Appeal concluded SB 1391 did not
    unconstitutionally amend Proposition 57. In 
    T.D., supra
    , 38
    Cal.App.5th 360, a jury had convicted the 14-year-old defendant
    of shooting and killing a man during an attempted carjacking.
    T.D. appealed, Proposition 57 took effect while his appeal was
    pending, and the Court of Appeal remanded the case to the
    superior court for a juvenile transfer hearing. The district
    attorney later moved to transfer T.D. to criminal court. After
    SB 1391 went into effect, T.D. argued the court no longer had
    authority to transfer his case out of the juvenile justice system.
    The superior court agreed and the district attorney petitioned
    for a writ of mandate. (Id. at pp. 365-367.)
    The Court of Appeal denied the writ petition. The court
    addressed the district attorney’s contention “that the original
    version of Proposition 57 established 16 years old as the
    minimum age at which juveniles could be transferred to adult
    court, but this language was specifically deleted after a review
    process.” (
    T.D., supra
    , 38 Cal.App.5th at p. 376.) The appellate
    court noted “the change was made after the Act in its original
    form was posted on the Attorney General’s Web site for a 30-day
    public comment period. No public comments were received, but
    the Act’s proponents spoke with a number of individuals and
    special interest groups. This eventually led to the version of
    the Act that was submitted to voters as Proposition 57.” (Ibid.)
    The court continued: “The District Attorney says the
    drafters of Proposition 57 clearly were aware of arguments for
    and against transfer of 14 and 15 year-olds to criminal court.
    8
    This is true. Unlike inferences to be drawn from amendments
    made during the legislative process, however, we cannot conclude
    from drafting changes made prior to an initiative measure’s
    submission to voters that voters were aware of, and so necessarily
    rejected, the measure’s original provisions.” (
    T.D., supra
    ,
    38 Cal.App.5th at p. 376.) The court concluded that—when it
    construed the “ambiguous” “amendatory language” of section 5
    of Proposition 57 “and the Act as a whole consistently with the
    voters’ intent”—SB 1391 is constitutional. (Id. at p. 378.)4
    On September 20, 2019, the Sixth District Court of Appeal
    in a two-to-one decision agreed with the First, Third, and Fifth
    Districts. (
    S.L., supra
    , 40 Cal.App.5th 114.) There, a 15-year-old
    was charged with murder and three counts of attempted murder
    with firearm enhancements. The trial court rejected the
    district attorney’s constitutional challenge to SB 1391 and the
    prosecution petitioned for a writ of mandate. The majority
    denied the writ, holding “SB 1391 is constitutional because it is
    consistent with and furthers the intent of Proposition 57.” (S.L.,
    at p. 117.) The dissenting justice stated “the controlling question
    is not of constitutional magnitude but rather is a matter of
    statutory interpretation.” (Id. at p. 123.) The dissenter found
    4      The Fifth District rejected other challenges to SB 1391 in a
    companion case filed the same day, People v. Superior Court
    (I.R.) (2019) 38 Cal.App.5th 383, review granted Nov. 26, 2019,
    S257773 (I.R.). Justice Poochigian dissented in both cases.
    Justice Poochigian concluded SB 1391 “clearly does not ‘further’
    (Prop. § 57, § 2) the enumerated and inferable intents of
    Proposition 57,” and therefore “is unconstitutional under article
    II, section 10, subdivision (c) of the California Constitution.”
    (I.R., at p. 398.)
    9
    SB 1391 “to be inconsistent with fundamental provisions of
    Proposition 57.” (S.L., at p. 125.)
    On October 1, 2019, the Fourth District Court of Appeal
    agreed with the courts that have upheld SB 1391. (B.M. v.
    Superior Court (2019) 40 Cal.App.5th 742 (B.M.).) Fifteen-year-
    old B.M. was charged with special circumstances arson-murder.
    The juvenile court held SB 1391 unconstitutional and B.M.
    filed a writ petition. In a two-to-one decision the appellate court
    concluded “[SB] 1391 furthers each of Proposition 57’s express
    purposes” and issued the writ. (B.M., at p. 747.)
    The majority first detailed the differences between
    the juvenile and criminal justice systems and the history of
    California’s prosecution of minors over the last three decades.
    The court then considered each of Proposition 57’s express
    purposes. The court noted its task under Amwest Surety Ins. Co.
    v. Wilson (1995) 
    11 Cal. 4th 1243
    (Amwest) was “not to discern the
    intent of Proposition 57’s transfer hearing provision,” but rather
    to “discern the intent behind Proposition 57 as a whole and
    decide whether [SB] 1391 furthers that overarching intent under
    ‘any reasonable construction.’ ” 
    (B.M., supra
    , 40 Cal.App.5th
    at p. 754, fn. 4, original italics.)
    The B.M. majority was not persuaded by the district
    attorney’s argument “that the voters approved Proposition 57
    to create a mechanism to transfer 14 and 15 year olds to criminal
    court.” While the court “[took] seriously [its] duty to ‘ “ ‘jealously
    guard’ ” ’ the electorate’s initiative power,” it concluded “to
    construe the amendment allowance in Proposition 57 as [the trial
    court] and the district attorney do, would be no allowance at all.”
    
    (B.M., supra
    , 40 Cal.App.5th at p. 760.) The dissenting justice
    disagreed, stating, “I conclude [SB] 1391 is not consistent with
    10
    and does not further the intent of the voters who enacted
    Proposition 57”; it therefore was, in his view, “ineffective.”
    (Id. at p. 771.)
    One court has disagreed with all of these other courts:
    our colleagues in Division Six. On September 30, 2019, the court
    issued its opinion in 
    O.G., supra
    , 40 Cal.App.5th 626. O.G., age
    15, was charged with two murders. One victim had been shot
    to death and the other had been stabbed. The court held
    “that [SB 1391] is unconstitutional insofar as it precludes
    the possibility of adult prosecution of an alleged 15-year-old
    murderer.” (Id. at p. 628.) The O.G. court said, “[w]e disagree
    with the four Court of Appeal opinions because, frankly, they did
    not ask nor answer the determinative question so aptly framed
    by Justice Chin for a unanimous Supreme Court in [People v.
    Superior Court (Pearson) (2010) 
    48 Cal. 4th 564
    (Pearson)].” (Id.
    at p. 629.)5 The court “agree[d] with the cogent analysis of the
    dissent [in S.L.].” (Ibid.)
    5     Pearson considered whether legislation (coincidentally also
    enacted in a Senate Bill numbered 1391) authorizing a defendant
    sentenced to death or life in prison to receive postconviction
    discovery was an invalid attempt to amend Proposition 115.
    Proposition 115 provided “ ‘[n]o order requiring discovery shall be
    made in criminal cases except as provided’ ” in the Proposition.
    
    (Pearson, supra
    , 48 Cal.4th at p. 567.) The Supreme Court
    concluded the legislation was not an impermissible amendment
    because (1) it authorized postconviction, not pretrial, discovery,
    and (2) habeas corpus proceedings were not the same as a
    “criminal case.” (Id. at pp. 567, 571.)
    11
    3.      We agree with the five appellate courts that
    have found SB 1391 constitutional
    On November 26, 2019, our Supreme Court granted review
    in four cases, S.L., T.D., I.R., and O.G. While we await a ruling
    from the high court, we must decide the case before us. With no
    disrespect whatsoever to our colleagues in Division Six, we find
    the reasoning and conclusions of the First, Third, Fourth, Fifth,
    and Sixth Districts thorough and sound, and we join them in
    finding SB 1391 constitutional. We follow the analytical
    framework laid down by those courts.
    “ ‘ “In considering the constitutionality of a legislative act
    we presume its validity, resolving all doubts in favor of the [a]ct.
    Unless conflict with a provision of the state or federal
    Constitution is clear and unquestionable, we must uphold
    the [a]ct.” ’ ” (
    T.D., supra
    , 38 Cal.App.5th at pp. 370-371, quoting
    
    Amwest, supra
    , 11 Cal.4th at p. 1252.) “In other words, ‘ “a
    strong presumption of constitutionality supports the Legislature’s
    acts.” ’ ” (T.D., at p. 371, quoting Amwest, at p. 1253.)
    “We also bear in mind the well-established separation of
    powers principle that ‘[c]ourts should exercise judicial restraint
    in passing upon the acts of coordinate branches of government;
    the presumption is in favor of constitutionality, and the invalidity
    of the legislation must be clear before it can be declared
    unconstitutional.’ ” 
    (B.M., supra
    , 40 Cal.App.5th at p. 748.)
    “Legislative findings are entitled to ‘ “great weight” ’ and
    ‘ “will be upheld unless they are found to be unreasonable and
    arbitrary.” ’ ” (Id. at p. 749, quoting 
    Amwest, supra
    , 11 Cal.4th
    at p. 1252.) “This is especially true where the Legislature has
    directly considered the constitutional issue and found the
    12
    amendment consistent with the voter initiative, as it has here.”
    (B.M., at p. 749.)
    “This does not mean we apply a deferential standard
    of review, however. Proposition 57’s ‘limitation on legislative
    authority “must be given the effect the voters intended it to
    have.” ’ ” (
    T.D., supra
    , 38 Cal.App.5th at p. 371, quoting
    Gardner v. Schwarzenegger (2009) 
    178 Cal. App. 4th 1366
    , 1374.)
    “ ‘Accordingly, starting with the presumption that the Legislature
    acted within its authority, we shall uphold the validity of
    [SB 1391] if, by any reasonable construction, it can be said
    that the statute [is consistent with and furthers the intent] of
    Proposition [57].’ ” (T.D., at p. 371.) “We review the [trial] court’s
    interpretation of Proposition 57 and [SB] 1391 de novo.” 
    (B.M., supra
    , 40 Cal.App.5th at p. 748; T.D., at p. 371 [question of law
    subject to our independent review].)
    “[A]s is true with all statutory interpretation, we begin
    first with the language of the statute, giving its words ordinary
    meaning, and construing it within the context of the statute
    and overall statutory scheme as a whole.” (
    K.L., supra
    ,
    36 Cal.App.5th at p. 535.) Proposition 57 expressly permits
    amendment6 by the Legislature as long as those amendments
    “are consistent with and further the intent” of the proposition.
    (Voter 
    Guide, supra
    , § 5, p. 145.) We read this language to
    require the amendment to be consistent with Proposition 57’s
    intent, not its specific provisions or language. Were the phrase
    6      Narith argues SB 1391 did not amend Proposition 57.
    We are doubtful about his contention. We assume without
    deciding that SB 1391 is an amendment to the proposition.
    (Cf. 
    S.L., supra
    , 40 Cal.App.5th at p. 118; Alexander 
    C., supra
    ,
    34 Cal.App.5th at p. 1003, fn. 1.)
    13
    “amendments that are consistent with, and further the intent of,
    the proposition,” our analysis might be different. But the
    proposition’s phrase has no commas.
    The T.D. court commented on this issue of punctuation.
    The court noted the key phrase “can be read to allow
    amendments that are consistent with the express language of
    the Act and that further the intent of the Act; or, it can be read
    to allow amendments that are consistent with the intent of
    the Act and that further the intent of the Act.” (
    T.D., supra
    , 38
    Cal.App.5th at p. 372.) The court continued: “If the amendatory
    language is interpreted in the first manner, [SB] 1391
    unconstitutionally amends the Act, because its removal of 14 and
    15 year olds from the possibility of prosecution in adult court
    is inconsistent with the express language of the Act. Indeed,
    limiting authorized amendments to those consistent with the
    express language of the Act would appear to preclude any
    amendment that deletes or repeals any portion of the Act, no
    matter how consistent such action might be with the purpose of
    the Act itself. Had that been the aim of the language in question,
    it seems likely that Proposition 57 would have been drafted
    so as not to permit any amendments whatsoever absent voter
    approval.” (Ibid.; cf. Alexander 
    C., supra
    , 34 Cal.App.5th at
    p. 1003 [“if any amendment to the provisions of an initiative is
    considered inconsistent with an initiative’s intent or purpose,
    then an initiative such as Proposition 57 could never be
    amended”].)
    As our Supreme Court explained in Amwest, when
    determining whether a legislative amendment is consistent with
    the purpose of a voter initiative, a court is not limited to the
    express statement of purpose included in the initiative; rather,
    14
    “ ‘evidence of its purpose may be drawn from many sources,
    including the historical context of the amendment, and the ballot
    arguments favoring the measure.’ ” (
    Amwest, supra
    , 11 Cal.4th
    at p. 1256.)
    The district attorney argues SB 1391’s elimination of
    prosecutors’ ability to try juveniles under 16 in criminal court
    “thwart[s] . . . [the protection of] public safety.” Underlying this
    argument is an assumption that locking up 14- and 15-year-olds
    in adult prisons is the only way to protect the public. The
    district attorney ignores the expressions of purpose and intent
    in Proposition 57 as well as SB 1391.
    As the B.M. court noted, “the most obvious goal of
    Proposition 57’s juvenile offender provisions” was “stopping
    ‘the revolving door of crime by emphasizing rehabilitation.’ ”
    
    (B.M., supra
    , 40 Cal.App.5th at p. 754, quoting Voter 
    Guide, supra
    , § 2, p. 141.) “The argument in favor of Proposition 57 in
    the voter information guide pointed out [that] ‘the more inmates
    are rehabilitated, the less likely they are to re-offend . . . [and]
    minors who remain under juvenile court supervision are less
    likely to commit new crimes.’ ” (B.M., at p. 754, quoting Voter
    
    Guide, supra
    , argument in favor of Prop. 57 at p. 58.) Plainly,
    rehabilitating juvenile offenders so they don’t continue to commit
    crimes benefits public safety.
    Another explicit purpose of Proposition 57 was to
    “ ‘[p]revent federal courts from indiscriminately releasing
    prisoners.’ ” 
    (B.M., supra
    , 40 Cal.App.5th at p. 754.) Reducing
    the inmate population in adult prisons by keeping juveniles in
    the juvenile justice system promotes public safety by eliminating
    any need for federal judges to order inmates released before their
    parole dates. The district attorney does not acknowledge these
    15
    plain benefits to public safety intended by Proposition 57 and
    furthered by SB 1391.
    We join in and adopt the analyses and holdings of our
    colleagues in the First, Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Districts.
    To quote the B.M. court, acceptance of the district attorney’s
    arguments “would unnecessarily and unwisely constrain our
    lawmakers, prohibiting them from making well-researched and
    informed policy decisions based on new scientific research and
    our changing understanding of criminology and penology. In
    other words, it would freeze any effort at youth justice reform in
    the name of preserving the integrity of an initiative promoting
    youth justice reform.” 
    (B.M., supra
    , 40 Cal.App.5th at p. 760.)
    16
    DISPOSITION
    Let a peremptory writ of mandate issue directing the
    superior court to vacate its February 20, 2019 order denying
    Narith S.’s motion to remand his case to the juvenile court and
    to enter a new order granting the motion. This court’s stay order
    is vacated upon the finality of this opinion.
    CERTIFIED FOR PUBLICATION
    EGERTON, J.
    We concur:
    EDMON, P.J.
    DHANIDINA, J.
    17
    

Document Info

Docket Number: B296384

Filed Date: 12/4/2019

Precedential Status: Precedential

Modified Date: 12/5/2019