In re Jonathan A. CA1/5

CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedApril 17, 2015
DocketA141302
StatusUnpublished

This text of In re Jonathan A. CA1/5 (In re Jonathan A. CA1/5) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
In re Jonathan A. CA1/5, (Cal. Ct. App. 2015).

Opinion

Filed 4/17/15 In re Jonathan A. CA1/5 NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN OFFICIAL REPORTS California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for publication or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 This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.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

FIRST APPELLATE DISTRICT

DIVISION FIVE

In re Jonathan A., a Person Coming Under the Juvenile Court Law.

THE PEOPLE, Plaintiff and Respondent, A141302 v. (Alameda County JONATHAN A., Super. Ct. No. SJ13022106) Defendant and Appellant.

Jonathan A. appeals from an order declaring him a ward of the court. The juvenile court deemed him ineligible for deferred entry of judgment (DEJ; Welf. & Inst. Code, § 790 et seq.).1 Jonathan contends that the juvenile court was required to obtain a report from the probation department regarding his suitability for DEJ and hold a hearing on that issue before entering a dispositional order. We disagree and affirm the juvenile court’s disposition. I. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND On December 14, 2013, just after midnight, Christian E., Robert L., and Francisco H. approached a woman in a liquor store parking lot and threatened to shoot unless she exited her vehicle. The victim did not surrender the vehicle, and Christian, Robert, and Francisco punched her and pulled her out of the car. Once she was on the

1 Undesignated statutory references are to the Welfare and Institutions Code.

1 ground, they continued to punch, kick, and pull large clumps of her hair out. Jonathan, who was 15 years old at the time, stood behind the other three with a scarf covering his face. When the victim ran for help, Jonathan and the three others got into her car and drove away. When police attempted to stop them, Christian drove the car into a patrol vehicle and fled at a “high rate of speed.” The chase ended a mile later when Christian crashed the car into a wall. Police detained Jonathan, who was still in the right rear passenger seat wearing his seatbelt, without incident. At a field show up, the victim identified all four individuals as being involved in the robbery and assault. The Alameda County District Attorney filed a section 602 wardship petition against Jonathan alleging robbery (count one) and assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury (count two). (Pen. Code, §§ 211, 245, subd. (a)(4).) The district attorney filed Judicial Council Forms, form JV-750 (“Determination of Eligibility Deferred Entry of Judgment—Juvenile”), stating that Jonathan was not eligible for DEJ because the petition alleged an offense listed in section 707, subdivision (b).2 On December 30, 2013, Jonathan admitted the robbery allegation, in exchange for dismissal of the assault allegations. His counsel conceded a factual basis for Jonathan’s admission, but he also referred to the intake reports and noted that Jonathan “was not one of the ones who physically did the act but stood in the background . . . .” At the January 14, 2014 disposition hearing, the court adjudged Jonathan a ward of the court and ordered him removed from his parents’ home for suitable placement. Thereafter, the court appointed new counsel for Jonathan, who filed a motion to vacate the disposition pursuant to section 778.3 In the motion, Jonathan asserted that his

2Both robbery and “[a]ssault by any means of force likely to produce great bodily injury” are listed. (§ 707, subd. (b)(3), (14).) 3Section 778, subdivision (a)(1), provides in relevant part: “Any parent or other person having an interest in a child who is a ward of the juvenile court or the child himself . . . through a properly appointed guardian may, upon grounds of change of circumstance or new evidence, petition the court in the same action in which the child

2 prior counsel had ineffectively represented his interests by failing to conduct an adequate investigation of both the alleged offense and the appropriate disposition. With this motion pending, Jonathan filed, on March 17, 2014, a timely notice of appeal from the original disposition order. On March 27, the juvenile court granted the motion. All dispositional findings and orders were set aside, and a new disposition hearing was scheduled. Jonathan then filed a motion to vacate his prior admission. On April 23, 2014, by stipulation, Jonathan withdrew his prior plea and admitted the “reasonably related” felony offense of being an accessory after the fact to a robbery. The minute order from the hearing states: “Based on [the prosecution’s] oral motion, the petition is amended to change Count 1 from [Penal Code section] 211 (F) to [Penal Code section] 32 (F).” However, the reporter’s transcript shows no mention of a motion to amend the petition. Instead, the transcript shows the following colloquy between the juvenile court and counsel: “[Prosecutor]: Your Honor, what we’re going to do this morning is, the minor is going to be withdrawing his plea to the 211 and entering a new and different plea, that being an admission to a reasonably related offense, a felony violation of Penal Code Section 32, which counsel will agree is a reasonably related offense. His maximum exposure will be three years in a locked facility. “THE COURT: So, [defense counsel], is here with the minor. . . . Is this your understanding, [defense counsel]? “[Defense counsel]: That’s right, Your Honor.” (Italics added.) After Jonathan waived his jurisdictional rights and admitted being an accessory after the fact to the robbery, the juvenile court stated: “I find the minor has made a knowing and voluntary waiver of his rights, and understands the nature and consequences of doing so. He’s described by [section] 602 in that he committed [a] felony violation of

was found to be a ward of the juvenile court for a hearing to change, modify, or set aside any order of court previously made or to terminate the jurisdiction of the court.”

3 [Penal Code section] 32, reasonably related to the robbery in count one. Count two is dismissed with facts and restitution open.” (Italics added.) The court ordered Jonathan detained at juvenile hall, set the maximum time of confinement at three years, and scheduled a new disposition hearing. At the disposition hearing, Jonathan argued that he was now eligible for DEJ and that the court and the district attorney should reassess his eligibility. Specifically, defense counsel said, “I do believe that [Jonathan] is, in fact, eligible for [DEJ]” because the minute order characterized the recent admission as “the petition is amended to change—and that’s an important word—count 1 from 211 to a [Penal Code section] 32.” (Italics added.) Counsel argued that the assault allegation in count two had been dismissed as a result of the earlier plea deal, and thus the new order dismissing count two “was irrelevant and non-existent because the 245 had already been dismissed.” He concluded: “[T]he only valid . . . charge before [Jonathan] was the [Penal Code section] 32.” The court disagreed. The court explained: “Well, I think perhaps there’s a mistake on the minute order, in any event. Even if he is eligible, he’s not suitable, so I’ll make an order that he could be eligible based on the language of the minute order. My understanding was that he pled and admitted to a lesser or reasonably-related crime. I’m sure that when I made my finding I didn’t say it was as charged as a 32 but it was a reasonably-related crime to Count 1. I don’t have the transcript, but that’s what I always say. I’m quite sure I said that. [¶] . . . [¶] . . . So if that error is there or can be interpreted as an error, I’m telling you right now that he’s not going to get [DEJ] whether he’s . . . eligible for it or not.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

People v. McKinnon
259 P.3d 1186 (California Supreme Court, 2011)
People v. Ricardo C.
220 Cal. App. 4th 688 (California Court of Appeal, 2013)
People v. Birks
960 P.2d 1073 (California Supreme Court, 1998)
People v. Collins
577 P.2d 1026 (California Supreme Court, 1978)
People v. Robert G.
644 P.2d 837 (California Supreme Court, 1982)
In Re Evans
160 P.2d 551 (California Court of Appeal, 1945)
People v. Smith
659 P.2d 1152 (California Supreme Court, 1983)
Clark v. Katherine R.
6 Cal. App. 3d 354 (California Court of Appeal, 1970)
People v. Kenneth J.
70 Cal. Rptr. 3d 352 (California Court of Appeal, 2008)
MARTHA C. v. Superior Court of San Diego County
133 Cal. Rptr. 2d 544 (California Court of Appeal, 2003)
People v. James H.
65 Cal. Rptr. 3d 410 (California Court of Appeal, 2007)
People v. Malveaux
50 Cal. App. 4th 1425 (California Court of Appeal, 1996)
People v. Luis B.
48 Cal. Rptr. 3d 581 (California Court of Appeal, 2006)
In Re Karla C.
186 Cal. App. 4th 1236 (California Court of Appeal, 2010)
People v. Avila
133 P.3d 1076 (California Supreme Court, 2006)
People v. Schmeck
118 P.3d 451 (California Supreme Court, 2005)
People v. A.I.
176 Cal. App. 4th 1426 (California Court of Appeal, 2009)
People v. T.J.
185 Cal. App. 4th 1504 (California Court of Appeal, 2010)
People v. Joshua S.
192 Cal. App. 4th 670 (California Court of Appeal, 2011)
People v. C.W.
208 Cal. App. 4th 654 (California Court of Appeal, 2012)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
In re Jonathan A. CA1/5, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-jonathan-a-ca15-calctapp-2015.