People v. Bailey

238 Cal. Rptr. 3d 139, 27 Cal. App. 5th 376
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal, 5th District
DecidedSeptember 20, 2018
DocketB275818
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 238 Cal. Rptr. 3d 139 (People v. Bailey) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Court of Appeal, 5th District primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Bailey, 238 Cal. Rptr. 3d 139, 27 Cal. App. 5th 376 (Cal. Ct. App. 2018).

Opinion

LAVIN, J.

*141*378INTRODUCTION

Under the California Constitution, a criminal defendant has the right to a unanimous jury verdict. The jury in this case returned verdict forms finding defendant Christopher Bailey guilty of driving under the influence of alcohol (count 1) and driving with a blood alcohol content of 0.08 percent or more (count 2)-but when the trial court polled the jury, one juror replied that she did not find defendant guilty of count 1. Notwithstanding the lack of a *379unanimous verdict on count 1, the court recorded guilty verdicts for both counts and discharged the jury.

Defendant contends that the court erred by discharging the jury without a unanimous verdict on count 1 and that the evidence at the preliminary hearing was insufficient to hold him to answer for count 3-driving under the combined influence of an alcoholic beverage and a drug. We hold that defendant was denied his constitutional right to a unanimous verdict as to count 1, no objection was required to preserve the issue, the error is structural, and retrial of that count would violate the prohibition against double jeopardy. We also conclude, however, that the court properly denied defendant's pretrial motion to dismiss count 3.

PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

By information filed April 7, 2016, defendant was charged with driving under the influence of an alcoholic beverage ( Veh. Code, § 23152, subd. (a) ; count 1); driving with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08 percent or more ( Veh. Code, § 23152, subd. (b) ; count 2); and driving a vehicle under the combined influence of alcohol and a drug ( Veh. Code, § 23152, subd. (f) ; count 3).1 The information alleged that defendant had previously been convicted of driving under the influence causing bodily injury under Vehicle Code section 23153, subdivision (a), and that the prior conviction was a strike prior ( Pen. Code, 2 § 667, subd. (d); § 1170.12, subd. (b) ), a prison prior (§ 667.5, subd. (b) ), and subjected him to increased punishment under Vehicle Code section 23550.5, subdivision (a). Defendant pled not guilty and denied the allegations.

Before trial, defendant moved to dismiss all counts under section 995; the motion was denied. After the prosecution rested at trial, defendant moved to dismiss all counts under section 1118.1. The trial court denied the section 1118.1 motion as to counts 1 and 2 but granted it as to count 3. While the jury was deliberating, defendant waived his right to a jury trial on the prior-conviction allegations.

The jury returned verdict forms finding defendant guilty of counts 1 and 2, and *142defense counsel asked the court to poll the jurors. When the clerk asked each juror if the verdict represented his or her individual verdict, Juror No. 4 answered, "No." The court followed up: "Okay. It is not your-so you did not intend to vote guilty as to count 1?" Juror No. 4 responded, "Yes." Then *380the court asked, "And guilty as to count 2?" Juror No. 4 said, "Yes." Finally, the court asked, "Did you intend to vote guilty as to count 2? So those are your verdicts?" Juror No. 4 answered, "Yes." After the clerk polled the remaining jurors, the court thanked the jurors for their service and excused them. Once the jury left the courtroom, defense counsel objected to the court's acceptance of the verdict. Neither the court nor the prosecutor responded.

Defendant waived his right to a court trial on the prior-conviction allegations and admitted them. The court then sentenced defendant to an aggregate prison term of five years. The court selected count 1 as the base term and sentenced defendant to five years-the middle term of two years, doubled for the strike prior ( § 667, subd. (d) ; § 1170.12, subd. (b) ), plus one year for the prison prior (§ 667.5, subd. (b) ). The court imposed an identical sentence for count 2 and stayed the sentence under section 654.

Defendant filed a timely notice of appeal.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

According to the evidence presented at the preliminary hearing,3 on October 16, 2015, California Highway Patrol Officer James Tettleton saw three Chevrolet Camaros speeding down the freeway. Tettleton followed the cars as they exited the freeway and noticed they were parked under a sign that read "No Stopping Anytime," and each car had tinted front windows. Tettleton pulled up behind the group, turned on his lights, and told the drivers to remain parked.

Tettleton walked to the front car. Defendant was in the driver's seat. As he approached, Tettleton smelled "the strong odor of burnt cannabis" and alcohol coming from inside defendant's Camaro. Tettleton asked defendant when he had last smoked marijuana and how much alcohol he had had to drink. Defendant replied that he had smoked marijuana 30 minutes earlier and consumed one Corona beer. Tettleton told defendant to get out of the car, then escorted defendant to the patrol car. As he passed the other two cars, Tettleton told the drivers, "you guys can both go about your day." In response to additional questions, defendant revealed that he had actually smoked marijuana five minutes before he was pulled over.

Tettleton administered four field sobriety tests. The horizontal gaze nystagmus test indicated defendant "could be potentially under the influence of *381alcohol and marijuana." Defendant's performance on the one leg stand "could indicate impairment" and his performance on the walk and turn "contribute[s] to impairment, as well." Tettleton then administered a blood alcohol test using a preliminary alcohol screening device, which returned readings of 0.107 percent BAC at 11:10 p.m. and 0.106 percent BAC at 11:13 p.m. Tettleton arrested defendant. He later administered a BAC breath test using a Datamaster device, which generated results of 0.09 percent at 12:00 a.m. and 0.09 percent at *14312:03 a.m. Tettleton testified that he had successfully completed the requisite training certified by the Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training to qualify him to testify at preliminary hearings.

DISCUSSION

1. The Section 995 Motion

2. The jury did not reach a unanimous verdict for count 1.

In response to our request for supplemental briefing, defendant contends that the court violated his right to a unanimous jury when it recorded a non-unanimous verdict for count 1 and that the double jeopardy clause bars retrial of that count. The People argue the verdict was unanimous, defendant forfeited the issue, any error was harmless, and the double jeopardy clause does not bar retrial.

We hold that when a polled juror disavows the written verdict but the court nevertheless records it, the court violates the defendant's right to a unanimous jury under the California Constitution.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
238 Cal. Rptr. 3d 139, 27 Cal. App. 5th 376, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-bailey-calctapp5d-2018.