People v. Andreotti

91 Cal. App. 4th 1263, 1 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 7653, 111 Cal. Rptr. 2d 462, 2001 Daily Journal DAR 9381, 2001 Cal. App. LEXIS 689
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedAugust 29, 2001
DocketNo. C034072
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 91 Cal. App. 4th 1263 (People v. Andreotti) 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
People v. Andreotti, 91 Cal. App. 4th 1263, 1 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 7653, 111 Cal. Rptr. 2d 462, 2001 Daily Journal DAR 9381, 2001 Cal. App. LEXIS 689 (Cal. Ct. App. 2001).

Opinion

Opinion

MORRISON, J.

May a trial court defer entry of judgment for a child molester, absent the People’s consent? No. Contrary to defendant’s view, a statute precluding judges from doing so does not violate the separation of powers doctrine.

The People charged defendant with eight counts of child molestation, alleging substantial sexual conduct as to one count. (Pen. Code, §§288, subd. (a), 1203.066, subd. (a)(8); further section references are to this code.) He pleaded not guilty and asked for deferred entry of judgment, which the [1266]*1266People opposed. The trial court found defendant was eligible for deferral and was a suitable candidate, but that the court had no power to grant the request. Defendant pleaded guilty to one count and no contest to a second count, and admitted substantial sexual conduct. The trial court suspended imposition of sentence, granted probation, and issued a certificate of probable cause. Defendant appeals. We affirm.

The Penal Code provides for pretrial diversion or deferred entry of judgment for a number of types of offenders. (E.g., §§ 1000 [certain drug offenses], 1000.12 [child abuse and neglect], 1001.60 [bad check diversion].) Generally, a case which is diverted is either not filed at all, or is suspended, pending the accused’s completion or failure to complete a rehabilitation program tailored to the particular problem. Generally, a case which is deferred is a case which has been filed, in which the defendant pleads guilty, but entry of judgment is postponed pending the criminal’s completion or failure to complete a tailored rehabilitation program. (Cf. § 1000.5 [permitting drug court programs which do not require a guilty plea].) The Damoclean pressure provided by the plea gives the criminal a strong incentive to comply with the program.

Section 1000.12 provides as follows:

“(a) It is the intent of the Legislature that nothing in this chapter deprive a prosecuting attorney of the ability to prosecute any person who is suspected of committing any crime in which a minor is a victim of an act of molestation, abuse, or neglect to the fullest extent of the law, if the prosecuting attorney so chooses.
“(b) Except as provided in subdivision (c), in lieu of prosecuting a person suspected of committing any crime, involving a minor victim, of an act of abuse or neglect, the prosecuting attorney may refer that person to the county department in charge of public social services or the probation department for counseling or psychological treatment and such other services as the department deems necessary. The prosecuting attorney shall seek the advice of the county department in charge of public social services or the probation department in determining whether or not to make the referral.
“(c)(1) In lieu of trial, the prosecuting attorney may make a motion to the trial court to defer entry of judgment with respect to any crime charged in which a minor is a victim of an act of molestation or sexual abuse, provided that the defendant pleads guilty to all crimes and enhancements charged. Upon that motion and defendant’s plea of guilty to all charges and enhancements, the court may defer entry of judgment, contingent upon the defendant’s referral to, and completion of, a treatment program approved by the [1267]*1267prosecuting attorney. Upon the defendant’s successful completion of the treatment program, and upon the positive recommendation of the treatment program authority and the motion of the prosecuting attorney, but no sooner than five years from the date of the defendant’s referral to the treatment program, the court shall dismiss the charge or charges against the defendant.
“(2) Upon any failure of treatment under the program described in paragraph (1), the prosecuting attorney may make a motion to the court for entry of judgment and the court shall, upon a finding of failure of treatment based on a preponderance of evidence, enter judgment upon the defendant’s pleas and admissions, and schedule a sentencing hearing as otherwise provided in this code.
“(3) The office of the prosecuting attorney shall promulgate eligibility standards for deferred entry of judgment and treatment of defendants described in paragraph (1), which shall include, but not be limited to [listing criteria, such as best interests of the victim, no prior offenses, etc.]. [^] . . . ra
“(4) Deferred entry of judgment shall be granted upon the following terms [listing conditions, including counseling, abstention from substance abuse, etc.].” (§ 1000.12.)

As stated, the trial court found defendant eligible and “suitable” for deferral, and defendant presumably would have pleaded guilty to all charges and met all other conditions of this section, had the People offered him that choice.

Although the Legislature intended that this provision could not be used to “deprive a prosecuting attorney of the ability to prosecute any person . . . if the prosecuting attorney so chooses” (§ 1000.12, subd. (a)), defendant maintains that because of the separation of powers doctrine the Legislature could not constitutionally prevent a trial court from invoking this provision even where, as here, the People wish to prosecute a defendant in the normal way. The People do not argue that this explicit legislative intent precludes a court from rewriting the statute so as to enable a trial court to impose its view of the case on the People, thus we need not delve into the murky realm of severability. (See, e.g., People v. Navarro (1972) 7 Cal.3d 248, 260-265 [102 Cal.Rptr. 137, 497 P.2d 481] (Navarro); People v. Superior Court (On Tai Ho) (1974) 11 Cal.3d 59, 68 [113 Cal.Rptr. 21, 520 P.2d 405] (On Tai Ho); cf. id. at pp. 68-69 (dis. opn. of Clark, J.); People’s Advocate, Inc. v. Superior Court (1986) 181 Cal.App.3d 316, 330-333 [226 Cal.Rptr. 640].) Instead, they, too, point to the separation of powers doctrine [1268]*1268and maintain a trial court judge has no power to tell them how to plead and prosecute a criminal action. We agree with the People.

The California Supreme Court has recently emphasized the independence of the prosecutor, by endorsing a dissent by the late Justice Frank K. Richardson and abolishing a rule which had allowed a defendant to request instruction on uncharged offenses not embraced by the charged offenses: “Justice Richardson urged, among other things, that a rule allowing the defendant to obtain instructions on lesser uncharged and unincluded offenses interferes impermissibly ‘with . . . the prosecutor’s discretionary function to select the offenses of which the defendant may be charged and convicted.’ ” (People v. Birks (1998) 19 Cal.4th 108, 123 [77 Cal.Rptr.2d 848, 960 P.2d 1073] (Birks).) The court elaborated on this point later in the opinion: “The California Constitution (art. Ill, § 3) provides that ‘[t]he powers of state government are legislative, executive, and judicial.

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Bluebook (online)
91 Cal. App. 4th 1263, 1 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 7653, 111 Cal. Rptr. 2d 462, 2001 Daily Journal DAR 9381, 2001 Cal. App. LEXIS 689, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-andreotti-calctapp-2001.