People v. Suguitan CA4/2 ( 2014 )


Menu:
  • Filed 2/19/14 P. v. Suguitan CA4/2
    NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN OFFICIAL REPORTS
    California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for
    publication or ordered published, except as specified by rule 8.1115(b). This opinion has not been certified for publication
    or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.
    IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
    FOURTH APPELLATE DISTRICT
    DIVISION TWO
    THE PEOPLE,
    Plaintiff and Respondent,                                       E059380
    v.                                                                       (Super.Ct.No. FCH02415)
    DION JAY SUGUITAN,                                                       OPINION
    Defendant and Appellant.
    APPEAL from the Superior Court of San Bernardino County. Michael A. Smith,
    Judge. (Retired judge of the San Bernardino Super. Ct. assigned by the Chief Justice
    pursuant to art. VI, § 6 of the Cal. Const.) Affirmed.
    Cindi B. Mishkin, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Defendant and
    Appellant.
    No appearance for Plaintiff and Respondent.
    Defendant and appellant Dion Suguitan appeals after the trial court denied his
    petition for resentencing under Penal Code section 1170.126, known as the Three Strikes
    1
    Reform Act of 2012 (Prop. 36, as approved by voters, Gen. Elec. (Nov. 7, 2012)).1 A
    notice of appeal was filed on defendant’s behalf on August 9, 2013, and then defendant
    filed notice of appeal, in pro. per., on August 19, 2013.2 We affirm.
    PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND
    On April 21, 1998, a jury found defendant guilty of one count of robbery. (§ 211.)
    A trial court found he had 13 prior strike convictions. (§§ 1170.12, subds. (a)-(d) & 667,
    subds. (b)-(i).) On August 28, 1998, following the denial of defendant’s motion to strike
    his prior strike convictions, the court sentenced him to state prison for 25 years to life.
    On July 5, 2013, defendant filed an in pro. per. petition for resentencing under
    section 1170.126. The court denied the petition since defendant’s current conviction was
    for a serious offense, which made him ineligible for resentencing under section 1170.126.
    (§ 1170.126, subd. (e)(1).)
    1   All further statutory references will be to the Penal Code, unless otherwise
    noted.
    2We note that the appealability of the denial of a section 1170.126 petition is
    currently being considered by the Supreme Court. (See, e.g., Teal v. Superior Court
    (2013) 
    217 Cal.App.4th 308
    , review granted July 31, 2013, S211708 [court held it was
    not appealable]; People v. Hurtado (2013) 
    216 Cal.App.4th 941
    , review granted July 31,
    2013, S212017 [court held it was appealable].) Even if we were to conclude it was a
    nonappealable order, we could consider, in the interest of judicial economy and because
    of uncertainty in the law, that defendant’s appeal is a petition for writ of habeas corpus or
    petition for writ of mandate. (See People v. Segura (2008) 
    44 Cal.4th 921
    , 928, fn. 4
    [treating appeal from nonappealable order as petition for writ of habeas corpus]; Drum v.
    Superior Court (2006) 
    139 Cal.App.4th 845
    , 852-853 [Fourth Dist., Div. Two] [treating
    appeal as petition for writ of mandate due to uncertainty in the law].) In any event, we
    will review defendant’s appeal.
    2
    ANALYSIS
    After the notice of appeal was filed, this court appointed counsel to represent
    defendant. Counsel has filed a brief under the authority of People v. Wende (1979) 
    25 Cal.3d 436
     and Anders v. California (1967) 
    386 U.S. 738
     [
    87 S.Ct. 1396
    , 
    18 L.Ed.2d 493
    ], setting forth a statement of the case, a brief statement of the facts, and identifying
    one potential arguable issue: whether the trial court erred in denying defendant’s petition
    for resentencing under section 1170.126.
    Defendant was offered an opportunity to file a personal supplemental brief, which
    he has not done. Under People v. Kelly (2006) 
    40 Cal.4th 106
    , we have conducted an
    independent review of the record and find no arguable issues.
    DISPOSITION
    The judgment is affirmed.
    NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN OFFICIAL REPORTS
    HOLLENHORST
    J.
    We concur:
    RAMIREZ
    P. J.
    McKINSTER
    J.
    3
    

Document Info

Docket Number: E059380

Filed Date: 2/19/2014

Precedential Status: Non-Precedential

Modified Date: 4/17/2021