People v. Atkins CA6

CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedJanuary 10, 2014
DocketH038834
StatusUnpublished

This text of People v. Atkins CA6 (People v. Atkins CA6) 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. Atkins CA6, (Cal. Ct. App. 2014).

Opinion

Filed 1/10/14 P. v. Atkins CA6 NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN OFFICIAL REPORTS California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for publication or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 This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.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

SIXTH APPELLATE DISTRICT

THE PEOPLE, H038834 (Monterey County Plaintiff and Respondent, Super. Ct. No. SS121342A)

v.

EARL RAY ATKINS,

Defendant and Appellant.

Defendant Earl Ray Atkins was charged with four counts of committing a lewd or lascivious act on a child under the age of 14. (Pen. Code, § 288, subd. (a).)1 He pleaded no contest to one of the four counts conditional on a sentence of no less than three years and no more than eight years. The trial court imposed the upper term of eight years. On appeal, defendant contends the trial court abused its discretion at sentencing by considering factors unsupported by evidence, misapplying aggravating factors, and failing to consider mitigating factors. Defendant asks that we dismiss the three remaining counts of committing a lewd and lascivious act, as well as an allegation that defendant was ineligible for probation, because his plea was conditioned on their dismissal. He also asks that we correct the minutes of the plea hearing to show he was not advised in

1 Subsequent undesignated statutory references are to the Penal Code. accordance with the provisions of section 1192.5 that relate to the taking of a conditional plea. We find no abuse of discretion in the trial court’s decision to impose the upper term of eight years in state prison. We will, however, order dismissal of the three remaining counts of committing a lewd and lascivious act on a child under the age of 14, as well as the probation ineligibility allegation, as contemplated under the parties’ plea agreement. We will also order the minute order corrected to reflect the transcript of the plea hearing. I. FACTS2 On July 11, 2012, 13-year-old Jane Doe told police that defendant—her stepfather—had sexually assaulted her two years earlier, when she was 11. Doe said the incident occurred at her grandmother’s house when she was visiting with her mother and defendant. Doe had gotten into an argument with another family member when Doe’s mother told her to come into a bedroom to sleep. Doe lay on the edge of the bed, while defendant lay next to her, and her mother lay on the other side of defendant. While defendant lay awake, unable to sleep, he reached over to rub Doe’s belly. He then moved his hands into her pants and her underwear, and he touched her vagina. Doe was not sure if he penetrated her vagina. He rubbed her belly, chest, and vagina for approximately 30 minutes. She cried when it was over, but she did not know if her mother heard her. Doe told her mother about the incident about six or seven months after it occurred. Her mother said she would speak with defendant. Later, Doe’s mother told her that defendant had denied any wrongdoing and said he was probably sleeping. Doe said defendant assaulted her again in 2011. When he came into her room to wake her up for school, he lay on the bed beside her, rubbed her belly, and rubbed her breasts. Doe was upset and cried at school, but she did not tell her teachers what

2 Our statement of facts is based on those set forth in the probation report. 2 happened. When she went home, she told her mother, “Earl’s doing it again.” Doe told her mother she was failing to protect Doe and choosing defendant over her. Doe’s mother responded, “Do you know what that will do to this family if someone found out?” In a pretext telephone call between Doe and defendant, he admitted touching her and said he knew it was wrong. Defendant said his wife hated him for it, and they fought every night. Police arrested defendant and his wife at their home and questioned them in custody. At first, Doe’s mother ignored officers’ questions as to when Doe told her about the assaults, but she later admitted Doe had told her about them. The mother said defendant admitted touching Doe, but the mother did not know what to do about it. She said she knew that if she told anyone about it, her family would be destroyed. Defendant admitted to police that he touched Doe. The first time it happened, he thought Doe was his wife. He denied touching Doe intentionally. However, defendant admitted touching her inappropriately on the second occasion by rubbing her breasts. He also thought his leg had rubbed against her vaginal area while they were lying next to each other. He said he was having problems with his wife at the time, and he acted without thinking. He described Doe as very affectionate, and claimed his body responded without him thinking about it. When his wife found out about it, she called him in hysterics and threatened to call police. For two years, defendant told his wife daily that if anyone found out, it would destroy their family, he would go to jail, and they would lose their home. He told police it was a relief to have the truth finally out, and he wrote a letter of apology to his wife and Doe. II. PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND The prosecutor charged defendant with four counts of committing a lewd or lascivious act on a child under the age of 14. (§ 288, subd. (a).) The information also alleged defendant was ineligible for probation based on substantial sexual conduct with a child under 14. (§ 1203.066, subd. (a)(8).) 3 Defendant pleaded no contest to one of the counts of committing a lewd or lascivious act on a child (count 3) in exchange for a sentence of no less than three years and no greater than eight years. Defendant entered no plea to the remaining counts and did not admit or deny the probation ineligibility allegation. The minutes of the hearing refer to dismissal of the remaining counts, but the transcript of the hearing shows no such order by the court. Nonetheless, defendant waived his rights under People v. Harvey (1979) 25 Cal.3d 754 (Harvey), which otherwise would have precluded the court from considering the dismissed counts at sentencing. The minute order also indicates that the court advised defendant in accordance with the provisions of section 1192.5, but the transcript of the plea hearing shows no such explanation. At the sentencing hearing, defendant addressed the court and apologized for his actions. Defendant admitted that, after the first incident, he told his wife and the victim that their family would be destroyed and they would lose their house if they told anyone about the incident. After family members addressed the court, the court heard further argument from counsel. Defense counsel argued that, compared to most of the child molestation cases she had handled, defendant’s offense did not warrant an aggravated term. The court and defense counsel then engaged in the following colloquy: “[The Court:] Don’t you ever wonder if we really know the whole story? “[Defense counsel:] I do. I oftentimes wonder if we know the whole story. “[The Court:] Don’t you know we never know the whole story. “[Defense counsel:] I don’t think either side does, and I don’t think—I'll make an assumption that the Court doesn’t either. “[The Court:] No. I agree with that. That’s that’s [sic] the thing. I mean, it’s like every time we have someone come in and describe how much they had to drink, it’s always two beers. I think if the guy is really big, he’ll say three. It’s just it is a dynamic of humanity to do that.” 4 The court continued, describing at length the defendant’s conduct and its effect on the victim. The court stated defendant sought to avoid accountability when he initially said he thought the victim was his wife.

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Bluebook (online)
People v. Atkins CA6, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-atkins-ca6-calctapp-2014.