People v. Wilford ( 2017 )

Filed 6/12/17
CERTIFIED FOR PARTIAL PUBLICATION*
COURT OF APPEAL, FOURTH APPELLATE DISTRICT
DIVISION ONE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
THE PEOPLE, D069888
Plaintiff and Respondent,
v. (Super. Ct. No. SCD261253)
JOHNNY JEROME WILFORD,
Defendant and Appellant.
APPEAL from a judgment of the Superior Court of San Diego County, Joseph P.
Brannigan, Judge. Affirmed in part; reversed in part; remanded with directions.
Anthony J. Dain, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Defendant and
Appellant.
Xavier Becerra, Attorney General, Gerald A. Engler, Chief Assistant Attorney
General, Julie L. Garland, Assistant Attorney General, Barry Carlton and Heidi Salerno,
Deputy Attorneys General, for Plaintiff and Respondent.
* Pursuant to California Rules of Court, rule 8.1110, this opinion is certified for
publication with the exception of part I.
A jury convicted Johnny Jerome Wilford of assault by means likely to produce
great bodily injury (Pen. Code,1 § 245, subd. (a)(4); count 1), battery with serious bodily
injury (§ 243, subd. (d); count 2), resisting an officer (§ 148, subd. (a)(1); count 4), and
two counts of corporal injury to a cohabitant (§ 273.5, subd. (a); counts 5, 6).2 The jury
also found true the allegations that Wilford: (1) inflicted great bodily injury on the victim
within the meaning of section 12022.7, subdivision (a) and section 1192.7, subdivision
(c)(8) as to count 1; (2) inflicted great bodily injury on the victim within the meaning of
section 1192.7, subdivision (c)(8) as to count 2; and (3) was out on parole at the time he
committed counts 1 and 2 (§ 1203.085, subd. (b)).
The trial court found, as to counts 5 and 6, Wilford suffered a prior assault
conviction within seven years of the current offenses within the meaning of section
273.5, subdivision (h)(1). The court also found that Wilford suffered a prior strike
(§§ 667, subd. (b)-(i), 1170.12), a serious felony conviction (§ 667, subd. (a)(1)), and a
prison prior (§ 667.5, subd. (b)).
The court sentenced Wilford to prison for 22 years, consisting of four years for
count 1, doubled to eight years for his prior strike, plus three years for the great bodily
enhancement; one year four months, doubled to two years eight months based on his
prior strike for counts 5 and 6; five years for the serious felony prior conviction; and eight
months for the probation violation. The court stayed Wilford's sentence under count 2
1 Statutory references are to the Penal Code unless otherwise specified.
2 The trial court declared a mistrial as to count 3 (making a criminal threat, § 422)
when the jury became deadlocked.
2
and for the prison prior. In addition, the court sentenced Wilford to time served for
count 4.
Wilford appeals, contending his conviction for count 1 should be reversed because
the trial court prejudicially erred in answering the jury's question regarding lesser
included offenses and his sentence for counts 5 and 6 violated due process. We find that
the court's error in responding to the jury's question regarding count 1 was harmless.
However, we conclude that Wilford's challenge to his sentence for counts 5 and 6 is well
taken. We therefore reverse his sentence on those two counts and remand this matter to
the superior court for resentencing as to those two counts only, consistent with this
opinion.
FACTUAL BACKGROUND
Prosecution
In the summer of 2014, Wilford began dating Dulce Amaya. At the time, Amaya
was still living with and in a relationship with Rodrigo Osorio, the father of her youngest
daughter. Once Osorio discovered Wilford and Amaya were dating, he ended the
relationship with Amaya and moved out of her house three months later. Soon after
Osorio moved out, Wilford moved in with Amaya, her two daughters, her nine-year-old
brother, her roommate Latasha Haines, Osorio's niece Estela, Estela's mother, and
Estela's three siblings. Estela regularly babysat Amaya's daughters. Wilford kept his
belongings in the basement, but he slept upstairs with Amaya. Amaya's mother lived at
the house on the weekends.
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Osorio would come to the house to see his daughter. On one occasion, Osorio
refused to leave the house and grabbed onto Amaya's jacket. Amaya called the police
who came to escort Osorio out. Wilford came home and saw the police were there.
Osorio saw Wilford and told the police Wilford did drugs and was on probation. Amaya
believed her relationship with Wilford changed when he got frustrated with her for not
getting a restraining order against Osorio. After that, Wilford became violent toward her.
For example, when Amaya told Wilford she was going to leave him, he pushed her onto
the bed. On another occasion, Wilford kicked Amaya's front door from the outside so
hard that the door would no longer close. Although the police came out to investigate,
Wilford and Amaya told the police that nothing happened.
On another occasion, Wilford pushed Amaya onto the coffee table causing her leg
to bruise. He forced her into his van and drove her to his grandfather's house against her
will. After one of Wilford's friends showed up at the house, Amaya asked the friend to
convince Wilford to release her. However, Wilford would not let her go. Later, Amaya
took photos of her injuries and Wilford asked her to delete them. When she and Wilford
fought, Amaya often would kick him out of the house, but eventually, she would forgive
him and he would return.
One night in November 2014, Amaya and Wilford were play fighting and
wrestling. Wilford got too rough and she could not get him off her. She grabbed a pan
and hit him to get him off her. In response, he pulled her hair, which hurt her neck. She
asked him to stop, but he kept pulling her hair. He also bit her neck. They fought from
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the kitchen to the dining room to the living room. They finally stopped fighting and went
outside to smoke a cigarette.
While outside, Amaya told Wilford she was upset. Wilford grabbed her by the
neck with both hands and squeezed to where she could not breathe. She got free and
went to the side of the house. He followed and grabbed her by the hair. Wilford said,
"Do you want me to treat you like all the other bitches?" He dragged her by her hair and
arms into the basement. The basement entrance was outside and not accessible from
inside the house.
Once in the basement, he told her he was sorry. She told him she wanted to leave,
but he blocked her from leaving. Amaya was afraid she would die and concerned about
who would care for her children. She agreed to have sex with Wilford to calm him down.
Amaya did not call the police.
The next morning while they were leaving for work, Amaya told Wilford that he
had to move out. Wilford became angry, but went to work. Later that night, when they
got home, Wilford told her he needed her support. She told him to leave. He put his
hand over her mouth and dragged her across the room by her hair. Amaya yelled for her
roommate who called the police.
By the time the police arrived, Wilford had left. Amaya told the police that a man
named Johnny Fluker had choked her, locked her in the basement, covered her mouth,
and dragged her by her hair across the room. She told the police he had grabbed her by
the throat and asked her, "Do you want me to treat you like all those other bitches?" She
lied to the police about Wilford's last name because she did not want Wilford to get in
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trouble. She was terrified of what Wilford would do to her. Wilford had told her that if
she called the police, he would call child protective services (CPS) to complain about her.
Amaya had bruises around her neck, on her inner and outer arm, and bite marks on her
neck from Wilford assaulting her.
A few weeks later, Amaya, Osorio, and her children spent Thanksgiving with her
family in Los Angeles. When she returned from Los Angeles, Wilford apologized and
said he would never hurt her again. Amaya forgave Wilford and they resumed their
romantic relationship. She believed he would change. She also blamed herself for what
had happened.
On January 22, 2015, Amaya had a garage sale at her house with Vonnie Galligher
and Galligher's boyfriend Bishop Slingerland. After the garage sale, Wilford, Galligher,
Slingerland, and Amaya cooked, drank beer, talked, and played music. After the children
went to bed, the adults sat in the front of the house. Amaya wanted to listen to some
music and picked a song. Wilford did not want to hear the song. Nevertheless, Amaya
played the song and Wilford became angry. He walked to the back of the house and
asked her to follow him. She followed him asking why he was mad. They argued loudly.
Then the altercation became physical. Amaya slapped Wilford. Wilford slapped her
back, shoved her to the ground, and kicked her several times in the side.
Slingerland walked to the side of the house and saw Wilford kicking Amaya.
Wilford told Slingerland, "You need to back off." Wilford grabbed Slingerland's shirt
and lifted him up. Wilford told him, "Don't get in it" or he would kill him. Slingerland
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walked back to the front of the house. He was holding his forehead, which bore a red
mark. Slingerland told Galligher they were leaving.
Amaya got up and ran back to the front of the house. Wilford said, "Oh, you think
you're going to get off that easy?" He ran at Amaya and hit her in the face. Wilford
tackled Amaya, and she hit a metal fence. He threw her to the ground by her throat and
kicked her side several times.
Amaya screamed at Galligher to call the police, but Galligher's phone was dead.
Amaya ran into her house, grabbed her four-year-old daughter and ran across the street
because her phone also was dead. She stopped a man in a car and asked him to call the
police. He refused. Slingerland drove Wilford away.
Amaya went back into her house. She sent Osorio a Facebook message asking
him to come to her house because Wilford had beaten her up. Haines came home and
Amaya used Haines's phone to call 9-1-1. Amaya told the operator that her ex-boyfriend
had hit and kicked her again. She said she was scared and that her three children were
with her. She said he had been violent in the past. She said she was scared he was going
to kill her. While talking with the 9-1-1 operator, she told Haines that she should have
listened to her when she told her in the past to leave Wilford because he was going to
keep hitting her. Amaya was afraid Wilford was going to kill her based on his hitting her
and stories of him being violent toward previous ex-girlfriends.
Osorio arrived and saw Wilford drive by the house twice. The police arrived and
Amaya told them what happened. Amaya had cuts on her hands, leg, and her neck;
bruises on her shoulder and ribs; pain on the side of her body; and injuries to her face.
7
Due to the pain, she was unable to work for a few days. After the police left, Amaya saw
Wilford drive by her house in his ex-girlfriend's car. After he drove by, he walked up to
her house. He was angry. He told Amaya that he had seen it with his own eyes that she
had called the police, and she was going to regret it. Amaya ran into the house and called
9-1-1. She told the operator Wilford was back and he was going to kill her and her
family. Wilford drove away.
The next day, Amaya got a restraining order against Wilford. While she was
filling out the restraining order at the police station, Wilford showed up in the parking lot.
She was scared. Wilford had told her that if she got a restraining order he would call
immigration and call CPS to tell them she had abused drugs. After she obtained the
restraining order, Amaya called the police because Wilford kept calling her and he took
the chip out of her truck so it could not start.
Amaya reconciled with Osorio, and he moved back in with her because she did not
feel safe. A month later, Amaya began having an affair with Wilford. While Osorio was
shopping with Amaya, Wilford saw them together, walked up, and hit Osorio in the face.
Osorio wanted to call the police, but Amaya convinced him not to.
On February 12, 2015, Wilford called Amaya to ask to borrow a charger. Amaya
asked Estela to put the charger on the steps for Wilford to pick up. While Estela was
bringing out the charger, she saw Wilford. He told her, "You never saw me." He took
the charger from her and went into the basement. That night, Amaya and Osorio were in
the house getting ready to go out. Her children, Estela and Estela's sister Evelyn were
there. Amaya, Estela, and Evelyn went to the basement to get a pair of heels. They saw
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Wilford in the basement. Wilford said that he was there to get a couple of his things.
Amaya gave him a hug and a kiss and said she was getting her shoes and leaving.
Wilford knew Osorio was upstairs in the house. Amaya told Wilford she was going out
dancing with Osorio. This news bothered Wilford. Estela and Evelyn went back
upstairs. After a few minutes, Amaya left the basement.
Amaya went back into the house and saw Osorio on her way to the bathroom.
Osorio went outside to the back to get something out of his truck. As he was going back
into the house, he heard a noise in the basement. He took one step down the basement
stairs to see what it was. He bent down to look and saw Wilford at the bottom of the
stairs.
Osorio tried to leave, but Wilford pulled Osorio down. Wilford grabbed Osorio's
neck, pushed him to the ground and put his knees on his chest. Wilford held him down
with one hand and choked him with the other. Wilford yelled at Osorio and told him he
was going to kill him. Osorio could not breathe. Wilford hit him in the face repeatedly
with his fist. Osorio blacked out and did not remember what happened until later when
he was in the ambulance.
Estela walked back toward the basement to find Wilford on top of Osorio hitting
Osorio with one hand and holding him down with the other. Estela told Wilford to stop
and leave. Wilford eventually ran off. Estela helped Osorio into the house. Osorio was
covered in blood. Estela sat Osorio on the couch. Osorio looked faint. He attempted to
call 9-1-1, but handed the phone to Amaya who talked to the operator. Amaya asked the
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operator to send an ambulance for Osorio because Wilford had attacked him and he was
bleeding everywhere and fainting.
An ambulance took Osorio to the hospital. He had a CT scan of his head and face.
Osorio suffered a fractured nose, broken teeth, a bruise to his neck, and spent three days
in the hospital. Amaya went to the hospital. Before going inside, she met Wilford a few
blocks away. Later that night, Wilford came over to Amaya's house and stayed the night
with her.
After Osorio was released from the hospital, he continued to live with Amaya for a
few months. Meanwhile, Amaya and Wilford remained in a romantic relationship. The
police arrested Wilford on March 19, 2015. A uniformed officer recognized Wilford
from a police wanted poster. The officer approached Wilford and told him to sit on the
curb. While they were talking, Wilford stood up three times. Because Wilford was a big
man who seemed very nervous and kept standing up, the officer decided to handcuff him.
The officer reached down to put on the cuffs. Wilford stood up and ran down the street.
The officer chased him down the street, into an alley, over a fence, and into a backyard.
Back up units arrived in the backyard just as Wilford tripped and fell.
After his arrest, during telephone conversations, Wilford told Amaya to testify, "I
don't recall" to not make him look bad. At Wilford's preliminary hearing, Amaya
testified, "I don't remember" to many questions because she wanted to protect Wilford.
The last time Wilford called Amaya from jail, in mid-November 2015, he told her he had
forgiven her for calling the police after he beat her up. After that conversation, Amaya
decided to stop lying for Wilford and ended their romantic relationship.
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As of his arrest, Wilford was on probation for assault with a firearm. Wilford had
a prior conviction of assault with a firearm against a former girlfriend. He also had a
prior conviction of false imprisonment by violence against another former girlfriend.
Wilford's ex-wife got a restraining order against Wilford to protect her from domestic
violence. Wilford committed domestic violence against another ex-wife and against
another former girlfriend.
Defense3
Between January 28 and February 12, 2015, Wilford periodically would see
Amaya in her house's basement. Wilford still had property there. A week before the
February 2015 incident, Amaya told him to be careful because Osorio had started
carrying a knife in his truck. Osorio also had threatened to harm Amaya and Wilford.
On February 12, 2015, Wilford had sex with Amaya in her basement. From the
bottom of the stairs of the basement, he could see the top of the windshield of Osorio's
truck. Later, Amaya came downstairs with her nieces and told him she was going out
with Osorio. Amaya and the girls left the basement when they heard Osorio coming to
the side of the house.
In the basement, Wilford heard Osorio's footsteps move toward the truck. He
heard the truck door open and saw the interior light turn on. Wilford then heard the truck
door close and heard footsteps coming toward the basement. Wilford saw a light and
heard Osorio walking down the stairs. Osorio had one hand to his side, and Wilford was
3 Because Wilford only challenges the jury's verdict as to count 1, we discuss
Wilford's evidence as to that count only.
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concerned that Osorio had a weapon. Wilford was afraid Osorio would hurt or kill him.
As Osorio approached the bottom of the stairs, Wilford rushed out, locked Osorio's arm,
and "carried" him back up the stairs. Wilford then began punching Osorio. Wilford
punched Osorio three to five times, and after the last punch, Osorio fell to the ground.
Wilford then left.
DISCUSSION
I
JURY INSTRUCTIONS
During jury deliberations, among other questions, the jury asked the court the
following: "Are we required to reach a unanimous 'not guilty' or 'guilty' on the greater
charge before considering the lesser included offense LIO?"
With both the prosecutor and defense counsel in agreement, the trial court
responded to the jury question:
"You may not consider the lesser included offenses unless or until
you have reached a unanimous not guilty verdict as to the greater
offenses. If you reach a unanimous guilty verdict as to the greater
offenses, then you do not complete the verdict form for the lesser
included offenses. If you cannot reach a unanimous verdict as to the
greater offenses you do not proceed to the lesser included offenses
and you inform the court."
Wilford contends, and the People concede, that the trial court's answer was error.4
(See People v. Kurtzman (1988) 46 Cal. 3d 322, 328.) A jury can consider greater and
4 Wilford argues his trial counsel was constitutionally ineffective for failing to
object to the trial court's answer to the jury's question. We find this issue moot as we
address the merits of Wilford's challenge although his attorney did not object during trial.
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lesser offenses in any order it chooses. It only must acquit on the greater offense before
convicting on the lesser offense. (Id. at pp. 330-331.) Therefore, the court should not
have told the jury that it could not consider the lesser included offense unless or until it
reached a unanimous not guilty verdict on the charged, greater offense.
Although the parties agree that the trial court erred, not surprisingly they disagree
regarding the effect of this error. Wilford argues that it was prejudicial under People v.
Watson (1956) 46 Cal. 2d 818 (Watson). The People contend that the error was harmless.
The People have the better argument.
In applying the Watson standard of prejudice, we follow our high court's guidance
in People v. Breverman (1998) 19 Cal. 4th 142 at page 177:
"Appellate review under Watson . . . focuses not on what a
reasonable jury could do, but what such a jury is likely to have done
in the absence of the error under consideration. In making that
evaluation, an appellate court may consider, among other things,
whether the evidence supporting the existing judgment is so
relatively strong, and the evidence supporting a different outcome is
so comparatively weak, that there is no reasonable probability the
error of which the defendant complains affected the result."
Based on our review of the record, we determine the trial court's error in
responding to the jury's question was harmless under the Watson standard. The evidence
adduced at trial overwhelmingly supports Wilford's conviction for assault by means
likely to cause great bodily injury.
Wilford choked and beat Osorio until he blacked out. He grabbed Osorio's leg and
brought him off balance, down onto the stairs. As Osorio tried to escape, Wilford pulled
him down. Wilford grabbed Osorio's neck and pushed him to the ground. He put his
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knees on Osorio's chest, held him down with one hand, and choked him with the other to
the point Osorio could not breathe. Wilford hit Osorio repeatedly in the face with his fist.
Wilford admitted he punched Osorio in the face three to five times. However,
Wilford asserts that these few punches to Osorio's face and the possible choking of him
for a period of time were not the type of assault likely to produce great bodily injury. We
disagree. Indeed, the injuries Osorio sustained undermine Wilford's position. Osorio
suffered a fractured nose, broken teeth, and bruise to his neck. He spent three days in the
hospital. And the jury found Osorio did suffer great bodily injury.
We also are not persuaded by Wilford's argument that the jury doubted Osorio's
credibility because they did not convict Wilford of the criminal threat offense. The
evidence supporting that offense was relatively weak, especially in comparison to the
evidence supporting the aggravated assault offense. Osorio testified that Wilford said
something to him in English that he could not understand. He testified that while Wilford
was choking him, he said more things in English he could not understand, and said, "I
want to kill you." Wilford then hit him, and Osorio could not remember what happened
after that. This evidence does not call into question the mountainous evidence supporting
Wilford's conviction under count 1.
We conclude there is not a "reasonable probability" that Wilford would have
obtained a more favorable outcome had the error not occurred. (See People v. Lasko
(2000) 23 Cal. 4th 101, 111.) The evidence of the brutal attack taken together with the
true finding of the great bodily injury enhancement show it was not reasonably probable
that the jury would have found simple assault had there been no instructional error. (See
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Watson, supra, 46 Cal.2d at p. 836.) Even had the jury considered simple assault before
considering aggravated assault, it could not have returned a verdict on simple assault
without acquitting Wilford of aggravated assault, and on this evidence, there is no way it
would have found that the assault was other than aggravated. As such, we have little
doubt that any reasonable jury would have convicted Wilford of assault by means likely
to cause great bodily injury on the record before us.
II
WILFORD'S SENTENCE FOR COUNTS 5 AND 6
For counts 5 and 6, the amended information alleged Wilford committed a
violation of section 273.5, subdivision (a),5 which carried a sentence range of two, three,
or four years. In addition, the information included a special allegation under section
273.5, subdivision (h)(1)6 as to counts 5 and 6. The information indicated the effect of
the allegation was a minimum sentence of 15 days.
5 Section 273.5, subdivision (a) provides: "Any person who willfully inflicts
corporal injury resulting in a traumatic condition upon a victim described in subdivision
(b) is guilty of a felony, and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by imprisonment
in the state prison for two, three, or four years, or in a county jail for not more than one
year, or by a fine of up to six thousand dollars ($6,000), or by both that fine and
imprisonment."
6 Section 273.5, subdivision (h)(1) states: "If probation is granted, or the execution
or imposition of a sentence is suspended, for any defendant convicted under subdivision
(a) who has been convicted of any prior offense specified in subdivision (f), the court
shall impose one of the following conditions of probation: [¶] (1) If the defendant has
suffered one prior conviction within the previous seven years for a violation of any
offense specified in subdivision (f), it shall be a condition of probation, in addition to the
provisions contained in Section 1203.097, that he or she be imprisoned in a county jail
for not less than 15 days."
15
The jury found Wilford guilty under counts 5 and 6. The trial court also found
true the prior conviction allegations under section 273.5, subdivision (h)(1) as to those
counts.
Before sentencing, the prosecutor filed a sentencing brief requesting the court to
sentence Wilford under counts 5 and 6 to a term of two, four, or five years under section
273.5, subdivision (f)(1).7 This term could be doubled to four, eight, or 10 years based
on Wilford's prior strike conviction.
At the sentencing hearing, the trial court questioned the prosecutor regarding the
request for a new term. The prosecutor explained she was requesting a sentencing range
of two, four, or five years for counts 5 and 6 under section 273.5, subdivision (f)(1) based
on the trial court's true finding on the prior conviction allegation per section 273.5,
subdivision (h)(1). The trial court ultimately agreed, without any objection from
Wilford's counsel, and sentenced Wilford to a consecutive one-third of the midterm
sentence of one-third of four years (one year four months), doubled to two years eight
months for counts 5 and 6 based on the prior strike conviction.
Wilford argues his sentence for counts 5 and 6 must be reversed because it was not
properly pled in the information. Specifically, he contends that because the prosecutor
pled an enhancement under section 273.5, subdivision (h)(1) instead of section 273.5,
7 Section 273.5, subdivision (f)(1) provides: "Any person convicted of violating
this section for acts occurring within seven years of a previous conviction under
subdivision (a), or subdivision (d) of Section 243, or Section 243.4, 244, 244.5, or 245,
shall be punished by imprisonment in a county jail for not more than one year, or by
imprisonment in the state prison for two, four, or five years, or by both imprisonment and
a fine of up to ten thousand dollars ($10,000)."
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subdivision (f)(1), the court could not sentence him under the two, four, or five year triad.
The People counter, arguing that section 273.5, subdivision (f)(1) is an "alternative
sentencing provision" that was not required to be pled separately. Moreover, the People
emphasize that the amended information alleged every fact needed to be proved to
support Wilford's sentence under section 273.5, subdivision (f)(1).
A defendant has a constitutional due process right to be advised of the charges
against him to have a reasonable opportunity to prepare and present a defense. (People v.
Jones (1990) 51 Cal. 3d 294, 317; People v. Lohbauer (1981) 29 Cal. 3d 364, 368-369.)
As such, a defendant may not be convicted of an offense, which is neither specifically
charged in the accusatory pleading nor necessarily included within a charged offense.
(People v. Parks (2004) 118 Cal. App. 4th 1, 6-7.) Further, a defendant has a right to fair
notice of the specific sentence enhancement allegations that will be relied upon to
increase punishment for his crimes. (People v. Mancebo (2002) 27 Cal. 4th 735, 745
(Mancebo); People v. Haskin (1992) 4 Cal. App. 4th 1434, 1438.) Nevertheless, a
variance between the information and sentence generally does not offend due process
unless a defendant is misled to his prejudice in presenting a defense. (See People v.
Ramirez (2003) 109 Cal. App. 4th 992, 999.)
The People maintain the instant action is like People v. Tardy (2003) 112
Cal. App. 4th 783 (Tardy). In that case, the accusatory pleading had charged the defendant
with robbery and had alleged prior qualifying convictions (i.e., allegations of prior prison
terms served for felony convictions of petty theft with a prior), but it did not specifically
charge him with a separate crime of petty theft with a prior conviction. The jury
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acquitted the defendant of robbery, but found him guilty of petty theft. In a bifurcated
proceeding on the priors, the prosecutor gave notice that it intended to ask the court to
sentence the defendant as a felon under section 666, because some of the defendant's
priors qualified as prior theft offenses. After this disclosure, the defendant waived his
right to a jury trial, and admitted the prior offenses. The trial court found true a strike
offense, and found that the defendant had suffered a prior theft offense conviction. The
court proceeded to sentence the defendant for the felony offense of petty theft with a
prior. On appeal, the defendant argued that the charging document failed to plead the
crime of petty theft with a prior. The appellate court rejected this contention, stating first
that, "[a]n accusatory pleading stating the charged offense provides the defendant not
only with notice of the offense actually charged but also with notice of any necessarily
included offenses," and that "[p]etty theft is a necessarily included offense of robbery."
(Tardy, supra, at p. 786.) Petty theft with a prior, under section 666, is not a separate
crime. Rather, it is an elevated sentence or enhancement for multiple violations of the
petty theft statute. (Tardy, supra, at p. 787.) However, "[d]ue process requires that a
criminal defendant be given fair notice of the charges to provide an opportunity to
prepare a defense and to avoid unfair surprise at trial." (Id. at p. 786.) "[C]onstitutional
principles of due process [do not] require that the statute be specifically alleged as long as
the pleading apprises the defendant of the potential for the enhanced penalty and alleges
every fact and circumstance necessary to establish its applicability." (Id. at p. 787, citing
People v. Thomas (1987) 43 Cal. 3d 818, 826.)
18
Although the amended information here did allege that Wilford had been
convicted of a qualifying offense within the previous seven years, the pleading referenced
section 273.5, subdivision (h)(1) as the special allegation with the effect of adding 15
days to Wilford's sentence. More specifically, that subdivision provides: "If the
defendant has suffered one prior conviction within the previous seven years for a
violation of any offense specified in subdivision (f), it shall be a condition of probation,
in addition to the provisions contained in Section 1203.097, that he or she be imprisoned
in a county jail for not less than 15 days." (§ 273.5, subd. (h)(1).) Nothing in the
amended information gave any hint that the prosecution also sought to make Wilford
subject to the provisions of section 273.5, subdivision (f)(1), which would increase the
applicable sentencing range. In addition, this is not a case of citing the wrong statute by
mistake. The People do not argue that they intended to list section 273.5, subdivision
(f)(1), but mistakenly listed subdivision (h)(1). And there was no advisement, anywhere
in the pleading, that the prosecution would use the "factual allegations" again, to increase
Wilford's sentence under section 273.5, subdivision (f)(1).
In Tardy, supra, 112 Cal. App. 4th 783 the prosecution advised the defendant of its
intent to use the qualifying prior offenses for felony sentencing (petty theft with a prior)
before the defendant waived his right to a jury trial on the issue. In contrast, here, the
prosecution notified Wilford it was seeking an increased sentence after the jury returned
its verdict and the court had found true that Wilford had been convicted of a qualifying
offense under section 273.5, subdivision (h)(1). For these reasons, we do not find Tardy,
supra, 112 Cal. App. 4th 783 instructive here.
19
The People also contend that every fact necessary to impose the sentence under
section 273.5, subdivision (f)(1) was alleged in the information and found true. Thus,
they argue that Wilford's sentence for counts 5 and 6 was increased based on facts
specifically pled and proved. We agree with the People, but their argument does not
carry the day. The problem here was that Wilford was not appraised of the possible
prison sentence he was facing. The People, however, maintain this lack of notice did not
matter because subdivision (f)(1) is not an enhancement but a sentencing statute. Thus,
the People insist, "There was no requirement to mention . . . section 273.5, subdivision (f)
by name when every fact necessary to establish [section] 273.5, subdivision (f) was
included in the prior conviction allegations set forth in the accusatory pleadings." As
such, the People place great weight on the distinction between an enhancement and a
sentencing statute. Under the facts of this case, we find this distinction immaterial.
Moreover, the California Supreme Court rejected this very distinction, albeit in a
different context. (See People v. Cross (2015) 61 Cal. 4th 164, 178-179 (Cross).)
In Cross, supra, 61 Cal. 4th 164, the defendant was charged with a felony violation
of section 273.5, subdivision (a). It was further alleged that the defendant had a prior
section 273.5 conviction for purposes of enhanced punishment. At trial, the defendant
stipulated to the prior without having been advised of or waiving his Boykin–Tahl rights.8
8 Boykin v. Alabama (1969) 395 U.S. 238, 242-244 and In re Tahl (1969) 1 Cal. 3d
122, 130-133, set forth the rule that to ensure a defendant's "guilty plea" is knowing and
voluntary, the trial court is required to inform the defendant of three constitutional rights
(right to a jury trial, right to cross-examine witnesses, and right to remain silent) and
obtain a waiver of each. In re Yurko (1974) 10 Cal. 3d 857 extended this procedure to the
20
The jury convicted the defendant and found the prior to be true. The defendant was
sentenced to the upper term of five years. (Cross, supra, at pp. 168-169.) The court held
that Yurko, supra, 10 Cal. 3d 857 applies when a defendant admits by stipulation all
necessary facts for imposing an enhanced punishment under section 273.5, former
subdivision (e)(1).9 (Cross, supra, at pp. 168, 174, 179.)
Although Cross, supra, 61 Cal. 4th 164 involved a defendant stipulating to a prior
section 273, subdivision (a) conviction, which is not an issue here, we note that the
Supreme Court rejected arguments that are advanced similar to ones here regarding the
difference between an enhancement and a sentencing statute. For example, the Supreme
Court observed that the defendant was sentenced to prison for five years under section
273.5, subdivision (f)(1). However, but for his stipulation to a previous conviction of
another section 273.5, subdivision (a) offense within the past seven years, the defendant
faced no more than four years in prison for his current section 273.5, subdivision (a)
offense. The Supreme Court explained, "we do not see a meaningful distinction between
an 'enhancement' and an 'alternative sentence scheme' in this context." (Cross, supra, at
p. 175; italics omitted.) Moreover, our high court made clear that "section 273[,
subdivision] (f)(1) has the same effect as an enhancement." (Cross, supra, at p. 178.) In
other words, it did not matter whether section 273.5, subdivision (f)(1) was labeled an
defendant's admission of a prior conviction allegation, which increases punishment. (Id.
at p. 863.)
9 Former section 273.5, subdivision (e)(1) is now section 273.5, subdivision (f)(1).
(See Stats. 2013, ch. 763, § 1, p. 5599 [redesignating former subd. (e)(1) as subd. (f)(1)].)
21
enhancement or an alternative sentencing scheme. The court determined the protections
of Yurko, supra, 10 Cal. 3d 857 applied to the defendant. (Cross, supra, at p. 179.)
We are mindful that the instant matter does not implicate Wilford's Boykin–Tahl
rights or the expansion of those rights under Yurko, supra, 10 Cal. 3d 857. Nevertheless,
the Supreme Court's reasoning in Cross, supra, 61 Cal. 4th 164 implies that the People's
branding of section 273.5, subdivision (f)(1) as a sentencing statute does not end our
analysis. Here, it is undisputed that the amended information did not warn Wilford that a
finding of a prior qualifying conviction under section 273.5, subdivision (h)(1) would
increase his sentence range under counts 5 and 6 from two, three, or four years to two,
four, or five years. (See § 273.5, subd. (f)(1).) And although the facts necessary to
impose the sentence under section 273.5, subdivision (f)(1) are the same as were alleged
under section 273.5, subdivision (h)(1), there is no indication in the amended information
of the possibility of this increased punishment. This is a critical shortcoming here where
Wilford was offered and rejected a plea bargain prior to trial. (See Mancebo, supra, 27
Cal.4th at p. 752 ["Furthermore, in many instances a defendant's decision whether to plea
bargain or go to trial will turn on the extent of his exposure to a lengthy prison term."].)
Even though we do not know if Wilford would have accepted the plea bargain had he
known of the increased punishment for counts 5 and 6, we are certain the amended
information did not provide him with such information on which to make an informed
decision. Alternatively stated, Wilford was not informed of the potential of the enhanced
penalty. (See Tardy, supra, 112 Cal.App.4th at p. 787 ["Nor do constitutional principles
of due process require that the statute be specifically alleged as long as the pleading
22
apprises the defendant of the potential for the enhanced penalty and alleges every fact and
circumstance necessary to establish its applicability."].)
In short, on the facts before us, we conclude it is inconsequential whether section
273.5, subdivision (f)(1) is labeled an enhancement, alternative sentencing scheme, or a
sentencing statute. The amended information specified that, for counts 5 and 6, Wilford
faced a sentence of two, three, or four years with the possibility of an additional 15 days
under section 273.5, subdivision (h)(1) for each count. There was no indication
whatsoever that Wilford faced the possibility of a sentence of two, four, or five years for
each of those same offenses under section 273.5, subdivision (f)(1). Further, the
prosecutor only sought an increased sentence under that subdivision after the jury
returned its verdict and the court found true the qualifying prior conviction. The resulting
sentence under section 273.5, subdivision (f)(1) violated Wilford's due process rights and
cannot stand.
DISPOSITION
The sentences for counts 5 and 6 are reversed. This matter is remanded to the
superior court for resentencing on counts 5 and 6 consistent with this opinion. In all
other aspects, the judgment is affirmed.
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HUFFMAN, Acting P. J.
WE CONCUR:
HALLER, J.
AARON, J.
24