In re R.M. CA1/2

CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedAugust 28, 2020
DocketA158628
StatusUnpublished

This text of In re R.M. CA1/2 (In re R.M. CA1/2) 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 R.M. CA1/2, (Cal. Ct. App. 2020).

Opinion

Filed 8/28/20 In re R.M. CA1/2 NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN OFFICIAL REPORTS California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for publication or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 This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.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

FIRST APPELLATE DISTRICT

DIVISION TWO

In re R.M., a Person Coming Under the Juvenile Court Law. THE PEOPLE, Plaintiff and Respondent, v. A158628 R.M., Defendant and Appellant. (Contra Costa County Super. Ct. No. J1900793)

After R.M. (minor) entered a plea to second degree robbery with a firearm enhancement, the juvenile court adjudged him a ward of the court and committed him to the Contra Costa Youthful Offender Treatment Program (YOTP). Minor contends (1) the disposition should be vacated because there was no Child and Family Team meeting prior to the order placing him outside the home, and (2) the juvenile court erred in allowing YOTP “unfettered discretion to determine the duration of [his] incarceration.” The first contention is forfeited, and we reject the second contention following In re J.C. (2019) 33 Cal.App.5th 741 (J.C.). Accordingly, we affirm.

1 FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND Pizza Hut Robbery1 On the evening of August 26, 2019, C.M. was the only employee working at a Pizza Hut in Pinole. She was making a pizza when she heard a noise at the front of the restaurant. She then saw that two individuals wearing all black with black face masks had jumped behind the counter. One of them walked toward her while pointing a black gun and said, “Give me the money.” Fearing for her life, C.M. unlocked the cash register and began to grab money to give to the other person, who pushed her out of the way and grabbed the remainder of the cash in the register. Both robbers then punched C.M. in the face, head, and back. The robbers fled on foot on Tara Hills Drive. Minor and his confederate were apprehended soon after the robbery during a traffic stop in Pinole. In the car, officers found a gray beanie, a 9mm Glock 15-round magazine, latex gloves, and a black ski mask. A 9mm hollow point round was in minor’s pocket. Nearby, officers found a semi-automatic 9mm handgun on the sidewalk and two black latex gloves in the street. A partial shoeprint left on the counter at the Pizza Hut matched minor’s shoes. Surveillance video from the restaurant showed one of the suspects was wearing black shiny shoes that matched minor’s. It was also determined from the surveillance footage that minor had a firearm during the robbery.

1 The facts of the offense are taken from the Report and Recommendation prepared by the probation department (the probation report).

2 Wardship Petition and Plea The Contra Costa County District Attorney filed a wardship petition under Welfare and Institutions Code2 section 602 alleging minor robbed C.M. (Pen. Code, §§ 211, 212.5, subd. (c)) and personally used a firearm in the commission of the offense (id., § 12022.53, subd. (b)). The parties reached an agreement, and minor, who was 17 years old at the time of the offense, pleaded no contest to second degree robbery with an enhancement for a principal being armed with a firearm (Pen. Code, § 12022, subd. (a)(1)) (replacing the original enhancement allegation of personal use of a firearm). Minor agreed to a maximum period of confinement of six years. Minor’s aunt, his legal guardian, resided in San Francisco. However, after minor entered his plea, minor’s counsel requested the case remain in Contra Costa County so minor could receive services “such as the Youthful Offender Treatment Program” that would not be available in San Francisco County. The probation department recommended the case be transferred to San Francisco County for disposition, but the juvenile court retained the case. Probation Report and Recommendation The probation report filed in anticipation of disposition recommended, among other things, that minor be adjudged a ward of the court with no termination date and that minor participate in YOTP. Minor was born in El Salvador. His mother died in a car accident when he was a baby, and his father died of heart complications when he was eight years old. Minor’s maternal grandmother took care of him in El Salvador after his father died, but after she passed away, minor came to the United

2 Further undesignated statutory references are to the Welfare and Institutions Code.

3 States to live with his aunt. Minor was 13 years old when he moved in with his aunt, her husband, and their two children in San Francisco. According to school records in San Francisco, minor had an overall GPA of .84 and had completed 77 of 220 credits needed to graduate high school. He had not attended school since February 2019. Minor reported he did not like school and found it difficult to focus on schoolwork. Minor reported he was depressed due to the loss of his family members. He also said he witnessed a lot of violence in El Salvador such as shootings and stabbings, and it appeared to the probation department that minor might have mental health issues that had not been addressed. Minor reported that he first smoked marijuana when he was about 10 years old. When he was 15, he smoked on a weekly basis and had since progressed to smoking every day. Minor’s aunt reported that minor was calm and easy going at home, but he had not been living at her home since April 2019. She said minor disliked following household rules, and this is why he ran away. She said minor had absconded numerous times in the previous two years. Minor would visit his aunt on the weekends and then leave again. He worked at a Burger King and as a mover, and he lived with friends. Minor’s aunt supported probation’s recommendation of an institutional commitment to address minor’s mental health and educational needs. The current offense was minor’s first sustained offense in Contra Costa County, but minor reported he had been on probation in San Francisco County when he was around 13 years old. Minor was doing well in detention. Juvenile hall staff reported he was “silver status” and said he could improve by not engaging in horseplay in school.

4 The probation department determined minor had a moderate risk of reoffense and would benefit from a “Selective Intervention” supervision strategy. Minor was accepted for commitment to YOTP after review of his offense and his social history and prior criminal history. A YOTP probation supervisor warned, “however, it has been noted this offense was violent, pre- planned and has caused significant trauma to the victim, therefore, this youth should be cautioned he will face a DJJ recommendation should he not follow the rules and programing of the YOTP.” Minor declined to discuss the current offense, although he did say he was sorry for scaring the victim. The probation department found that minor did not appear to consider the consequences of his actions or how dangerous they were.

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Bluebook (online)
In re R.M. CA1/2, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/in-re-rm-ca12-calctapp-2020.