People v. Berry

52 Cal. Rptr. 3d 634, 146 Cal. App. 4th 20
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedDecember 22, 2006
DocketF048189, F048190
StatusPublished

This text of 52 Cal. Rptr. 3d 634 (People v. Berry) 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. Berry, 52 Cal. Rptr. 3d 634, 146 Cal. App. 4th 20 (Cal. Ct. App. 2006).

Opinion

52 Cal.Rptr.3d 634 (2006)
146 Cal.App.4th 20

The PEOPLE, Plaintiff and Respondent,
v.
Rickey Edward BERRY, Defendant and Appellant.

Nos. F048189, F048190.

Court of Appeal of California, Fifth District.

December 22, 2006.

*635 Richard Glen Boire, Davis, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Defendant and Appellant.

Bill Lockyer, Attorney General, Robert R. Anderson, Chief Assistant Attorney General, Mary Jo Graves, Senior Assistant Attorney General, and Stan Cross, Deputy Attorney General, for Plaintiff and Respondent.

Certified for Partial Publication.[*]

OPINION

GOMES, J.

On the ground that a medical doctor recommended he use marijuana under the Compassionate Use Act of 1996(CUA), *636 Rickey Edward Berry challenges the legality of a probation condition that requires him not to own, possess, control, or be under the influence of marijuana but that allows him to use a prescribed medicine containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main psychoactive substance in marijuana.[1] The marijuana condition prohibits conduct legal under California law but nonetheless bears a reasonable relation not only to crimes of which he was convicted but also to his future criminality, so we will reject his argument that the imposition of that condition and the violation of his probation for his breach of that condition were an abuse of discretion.[2]

Berry argues, too, that his attorney's express acquiescence in the marijuana condition constituted ineffective assistance of counsel, that the imposition of a duet, but not a quartet, of restitution fines and parole revocation restitution fines was lawful, and that the imposition of an aggravated term without a jury finding on circumstances in aggravation violated his constitutional due process and jury trial rights. We will reject his ineffective assistance of counsel and aggravated term arguments but will strike all restitution fines and parole revocation restitution fines from the judgment and order a limited remand for resentencing for the court to impose new fines after articulating on the record a rationale for doing so. Otherwise we will affirm the judgment (order revoking probation).

BACKGROUND

On May 29, 2002, Berry entered into a plea agreement in consolidated Merced County Superior Court Nos. 25359 and 25360. The agreed sentence was, inter alia, an aggregate suspended 3-year 8-month term—an aggravated 3-year prison term on a felon in possession of a firearm charge (Pen.Code, § 12021) and a consecutive 8-month prison term on a possession of PCP charge (Health & Saf.Code, § 11377, subd. (a))—together with a 3-year driver's license suspension. Details of the plea agreement follow.

In No. 25359, Berry pled nolo contendere to the felon in possession of a firearm charge in return for dismissal of a charge of marijuana cultivation (Health & Saf. Code, § 11358) and an allegation of commission of a felony while on release from custody on a prior felony (Pen.Code, § 12022.1, subd. (b)). Counsel stipulated to the factual basis of his plea: "On September 7th, 2000[,] members of Atwater Police Department served a search warrant at Mr. Berry's home and found a firearm and that was after Mr. Berry had previously been convicted of a felony possession of methamphetamine on May 21st, 1993. And the conviction was in Stanislaus County and the gun was found at Mr. Berry's home which is in Merced County."

In No. 25360, Berry pled nolo contendere to the possession of PCP charge and driving under the influence of an alcoholic beverage or drug (DUI) (Veh.Code, *637 § 23152, subd. (a)) and admitted an allegation of commission of two prior DUIs within seven years of the new DUI (former Veh.Code, § 13352, subd. (e)) in return for dismissal of charges of being under the influence of PCP (Health & Saf.Code, § 11550, subd. (a)) and driving on a suspended or revoked license (Veh.Code, § 14601.1, subd. (a)). Counsel stipulated to the factual basis of his plea: "On October 26th, 1999 Mr. Berry was traveling on a highway in Merced County pulled over by the CHP and he was suspected of being under the influence of a controlled substance and the CHP officers found a marijuana cigarette that was also laced with PCP."

On July 1, 2002, the court sentenced Berry in conformity with his plea agreement and imposed conditions of probation requiring, inter alia, that he obey all laws and that he not "own, possess, be in control of, consume, or be under the influence of any controlled substance unless prescribed by a licensed physician or possess any paraphernalia, device, or contrivance used to consume controlled substances."

On October 31, 2002, Berry's probation officer filed an affidavit of violation (affidavit) alleging that Berry possessed marijuana, possessed paraphernalia, and drove a motor vehicle on October 30, 2002, and that he drove a motor vehicle on October 23, 2002. He denied all of those allegations.

On March 10, 2003, the court held an evidentiary hearing, dismissed the marijuana possession allegation at the prosecutor's request, and violated Berry's probation on the basis of findings that he possessed paraphernalia and drove a motor vehicle twice. With the express acquiescence of his attorney, the court modified the marijuana condition to require that he not "own, possess, be in control of," or "be under the influence of marijuana," "[e]ven if prescribed by a licensed physician," but to allow him to use a prescription medicine containing THC if prescribed by a licensed physician, and reinstated probation.

On May 13, 2004, Berry's probation officer filed an affidavit alleging, inter aha, violation of the marijuana condition. Berry denied all of the allegations in the affidavit.

On July 15, 2004, Berry's probation officer filed a first amended affidavit alleging, inter aha, violation of the marijuana condition and adding allegations not in the prior affidavit. Berry again denied all of the allegations in the affidavit.

On October 5, 2004, Berry's new attorney filed a letter brief challenging the validity of the marijuana condition. On October 7, 2004, the prosecutor filed points and authorities in opposition and argued that his former attorney's express acquiescence waived his right to challenge the marijuana condition.

On March 30, 2005, the prosecutor filed a second amended affidavit alleging, inter alia, violation of the marijuana condition but dropping an allegation in the prior affidavit. The second amended affidavit alleged two violations of the marijuana condition—that he possessed more than 28.5 grams of marijuana on October 1, 2003, and that he admitted marijuana use and possessed paraphernalia on July 13, 2004—and alleged two violations of other conditions of probation—that he was a felon in possession of ammunition on October 4, 2003, and that he failed to abstain from the use or possession of alcoholic beverages on July 13, 2004.

On April 1, 2005, the court held an evidentiary hearing, found not true the allegation that Berry failed to abstain from the use or possession of alcoholic beverages on July 13, 2004, but violated his *638 probation on the basis of true findings not only that he was a felon in possession of ammunition on October 4, 2003, but also— in violation of the marijuana condition— that he possessed more than 28.5 grams of marijuana on October 1, 2003, and that he admitted marijuana use and possessed paraphernalia on July 13, 2004.

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Bluebook (online)
52 Cal. Rptr. 3d 634, 146 Cal. App. 4th 20, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-berry-calctapp-2006.