P. v. Yun CA2/1

CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedApril 25, 2013
DocketB235694
StatusUnpublished

This text of P. v. Yun CA2/1 (P. v. Yun CA2/1) 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
P. v. Yun CA2/1, (Cal. Ct. App. 2013).

Opinion

Filed 4/25/13 P. v. Yun CA2/1 NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL REPORTS California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for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 This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.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

SECOND APPELLATE DISTRICT

DIVISION ONE

THE PEOPLE, B235694

Plaintiff and Respondent, (Los Angeles County Super. Ct. No. GA078803) v.

JOHN LEE YUN et al.,

Defendants and Appellants.

APPEAL from a judgment of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, Michael D. Carter, Judge. Affirmed in part and reversed in part with directions. Catherine White, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Defendant and Appellant Bobby Matters. Roberta Simon, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Defendant and Appellant John Lee Yun. Kamala D. Harris, Attorney General, Dane R. Gillette, Chief Assistant Attorney General, Lance E. Winters, Senior Assistant Attorney General, Mary Sanchez and Taylor Nguyen, Deputy Attorneys General, for Plaintiff and Respondent. —————————— Bobby Matters and John Lee Yun appeal their convictions for assault. Matters also appeals his conviction for dissuading a witness. The juries1 found allegations to be true that (1) Yun‘s offenses of assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury, and Matters‘s offenses of simple assault and attempt to dissuade a witness were committed for the benefit of, in association with, or at the direction of a criminal street gang. Matters contends that the trial court erred, and that reversal is required because the court, (1) improperly admitted his statement to the police obtained during a custodial interrogation; (2) failed to instruct sua sponte on the defense of necessity; (3) imposed an unauthorized sentence for his conviction for dissuading a witness; and (4) wrongly concluded it lacked the discretion to strike the Penal Code section 186.22, subdivision (b)(4) allegation.2 Matters also contends that his trial counsel rendered ineffective assistance of counsel by failing to seek a reduction of his conviction for dissuading a witness to a misdemeanor offense. We will vacate Matters‘s sentence for dissuading a witness and remand for resentencing. Yun, in turn, maintains the trial court committed reversible by (1) failing sua sponte to give accomplice instructions; (2) admitting incendiary photographic evidence; (3) excluding evidence of a hung jury in the trial of defense witnesses. Yun also argues that cumulative errors require reversal and that an enhancement imposed under section 667.5, subdivision (b) must be stricken. We agree only with Yun‘s final contention, an error the Attorney General concedes. In all other respects, we affirm. FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY By third amended information, Matters and Yun were charged as follows: Counts 1 and 3: charged Yun with assault with a deadly weapon (§ 245, subd. (a)(1));

1 Matters and Yun were tried jointly but before separate juries. 2 Unless otherwise stated, statutory references are to the Penal Code.

2 Count 2: charged Yun with attempted second degree robbery (§§ 664, 211), and also alleged that Yun personally used a deadly weapon (box cutter) in the commission of the offense (§ 12022, subd. (b)(1)); Count 4: charged Matters with dissuading a witness by force or threat (§ 136.1, subd. (c)(1); Counts 5 and 6: charged Matters and Yun jointly with assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury (§ 245, subd. (a)(1).) As to both counts, the information further alleged that Matters and Yun personally inflicted great bodily injury upon the victims (§ 12022.7, subd. (a)). As to all counts, the information alleged that the offenses were gang related (§ 186.22, subds. (b)(1)(B), (b)(1)(C), and (b)(4)). Finally, as to counts 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6 it was alleged that Yun had a prior ―strike‖ conviction (§§ 667, subds. (b)-(i); 1170.12, subds. (a)-(d)), a prior serious felony conviction (§ 667, subd. (a)(1)), and that he had served a prior prison term (§ 667.5, subd. (b)). Yun and Matters pleaded not guilty and denied the special allegations. Yun‘s jury convicted Yun as charged in counts 1 and 3, and found true the gang allegations. The jury also found true the great bodily injury allegation in count 3. The jury convicted Yun as charged in counts 5 and 6, and found true the gang and great bodily injury allegations. Yun was acquitted of attempted second degree robbery (count 2). In a bifurcated proceeding, the court found true the prior conviction and prior prison term allegations against Yun. The Matters jury convicted Matters of the lesser offense of witness intimidation in count 4 (§ 136.1, subd. (a)(2).) The jury found the use-of-force allegation not true, but found the gang allegation true. In counts 5 and 6, the jury convicted Matters of the lesser offense of simple assault (§ 240), and found the gang allegations true. The trial court denied probation. Yun was sentenced to 29 years and four months as follows: As to count 5, the court imposed the midterm of three years, doubled to six years under the ―Three Strikes‖ law, plus 10 years for the gang enhancement and three years for

3 the great bodily injury enhancement. In count 6, the court imposed a consecutive term of one year (one-third the midterm of three years), doubled to two years under Three Strikes law, plus three years and four months (one-third of 10 years) for the gang enhancement and five years for the prior serious felony enhancement. The court struck the great bodily injury enhancement and stayed the one-year prior prison enhancement. The court stayed the sentences as to counts 1 and 3, pursuant to section 654. Yun was ordered to pay various fees and fines, and awarded 665 days of presentence custody credit. (§ 1202.4, subd. (b), § 1202.45.) The trial court also denied probation as to Matters. He was sentenced to eight years and eight months to life in prison as follows: In count 5, the court imposed the low term of one year. In count 6, the court imposed a term of eight months (one-third the midterm of two years). In count 4, the court imposed a term of seven years to life pursuant to section 186.22, subdivision (b)(4)(C). Matters was ordered to pay a restitution fine (§ 1202.4, subd. (b)), and the court imposed and stayed a corresponding parole revocation fine (§ 1202.45). He was awarded 361 days of presentence custody credit. FACTUAL BACKGROUND Prosecution evidence 1. The crimes a. Will Brown On December 29, 2009, at 6:00 p.m., Will Brown, Cono D‘Amato, and Micaela Brito went to Smith Park in San Gabriel hoping to join a ―pick-up‖ game of basketball. Two half- court games were ongoing when they arrived. Matters was playing in one game. Brown, who had known Matters since middle school, asked if they could play with his basketball. Matters responded, ―Here you go,‖ gave Brown the ball. Matters walked off the court and made a cell phone call, as Brown and his friends began to play. Soon thereafter, a group of 10–20 men arrived at the park. Most of the men were Hispanic, but the group also included some Asian and Caucasian men. Brown recognized Yun, Christopher Zuniga and Michael Cardenas. Matters joined the group which surrounded

4 Brown and D‘Amato. Yun told Brown and D‘Amato, ―This is our park.‖ Yun announced his gang affiliation, ―Sangra gang,‖ and displayed the gang‘s hand sign. Yun, Matters and the rest of the group advanced toward Brown, who ran towards the handball courts. Five or six men, including Yun, Zuniga, and Cardenas, chased after and surrounded Brown. Zuniga punched Brown in the back of the head. Brown fought back, hitting Cardenas in the face. Cardenas punched Brown in the face, and Yun punched Brown in the ribcage.

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