People v. Brown CA2/6

CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedNovember 3, 2020
DocketB291733A
StatusUnpublished

This text of People v. Brown CA2/6 (People v. Brown CA2/6) 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. Brown CA2/6, (Cal. Ct. App. 2020).

Opinion

Filed 11/3/20 P. v. Brown CA2/6 Opinion following rehearing NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL REPORTS California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for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 This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.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 SIX

THE PEOPLE, 2d Crim. No. B291733 (Super. Ct. No. 1442714) Plaintiff and Respondent, (Santa Barbara County)

v. OPINION ON REHEARING JOSEPH IRBY BROWN,

Defendant and Appellant.

Joseph Irby Brown appeals from the judgment after the jury convicted him of two counts of second degree robbery (Pen. Code,1 § 211). As to the first count (bank robbery), the jury also convicted Brown of resisting an officer by threats or violence (count 3, § 69). As to the second count (gas station robbery), the jury also convicted Brown of wearing a mask or disguise to avoid detection (count 4, § 185, a misdemeanor) and found true an enhancement for use of a deadly weapon (§ 12022, subd. (b)(1)).

1 Unless otherwise noted, all subsequent statutory references are to the Penal Code. Brown admitted that he suffered two prior serious felony convictions (§ 667, subd. (a)(1)) and two prior strikes (§ 667, subds. (d)(1), (e)(1)). The trial court sentenced him to state prison for a determinate term of 27 years and a consecutive indeterminate term of 50 years to life. Brown contends: (1) his confession was involuntary, (2) the trial court improperly admitted, and failed to properly instruct regarding, expert opinion evidence as to his mental state, (3) the judgment must be reversed for cumulative prejudice, (4) the case must be remanded for consideration of mental health diversion, (5) the case must be remanded to allow the trial court to exercise discretion whether to strike the serious felony priors, and (6) the term for the misdemeanor count must be stayed. We reverse in part. We find the confession to the gas station robbery involuntary and reverse counts 2 and 4. We conditionally reverse counts 1 and 3 and remand for the trial court to consider mental health diversion. We also remand for the trial court to exercise its discretion whether to strike the serious felony priors at resentencing. We otherwise affirm. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND Gas station robbery Shortly before 4:00 a.m., a man entered the convenience store of a USA Gasoline station in Santa Barbara. He was wearing a black sweatshirt with the hood pulled down low and a bandana covering his mouth. Only his eyes were visible. A sock was on one hand and a glove on the other. He walked directly to the cash register holding a 10-inch knife. The man pointed the knife at the employee, N.C., and demanded money. When she opened the cash register, he took

2 the cash, dropping some outside as he fled. N.C. told police she did not believe she recognized him as a customer. Later that morning, Brown’s girlfriend, A.O., came into the store. N.C. looked scared and said she was robbed. A.O. asked if she knew who the robber was and how many people were involved. She purchased beer, using cash. N.C. recognized one of the dollar bills with “love for me means a lot” written on it because she was about to put it in the safe before the robbery. The bill was not seized by police and was not introduced at trial. A.O. returned to the store about a week later. N.C. remembered that A.O. had spent the money with the writing on it. She also remembered seeing A.O. together with Brown. It was “like a puzzle getting together more.” N.C. called police and said that A.O.’s boyfriend was the robber. At trial, N.C. identified Brown as the robber. She testified that A.O. and Brown were regular customers. She testified that during the robbery, she recognized Brown’s voice and the way he walked. She was “pretty sure” then she knew who he was. Bank robbery Twelve days after the gas station robbery, Brown entered a Rabobank in Santa Barbara wearing a baseball cap, a grey sweatshirt with the hood over his head, sunglasses, and black gloves. Teller G.D. was immediately suspicious because it was not a cold day and the clothing was unusual. Brown took a deposit slip and wrote on it, “Give me the money[.] No one gets hurt[.] Act stupid you die.” He went to the teller window and set down the note. G.D. put about $4,000 in currency on the counter. Brown asked if there was a dye pack,

3 and G.D. assured him there was not. He put the money under his sweatshirt and walked out of the bank. Officer Richard Washington saw Brown a few blocks from the bank and noted his scruffy red beard, which matched the description of the robber provided by the bank. Brown was holding a bag containing a hoodie and hat that closely resembled those worn by the robber in a photograph transmitted by the bank. Washington had Brown sit on the curb. When Washington radioed for backup, Brown stood up and ran. Washington caught Brown and tackled him. Brown got up and continued running. Washington tackled him a second time. Brown got up again, grabbed the officer’s helmet, and wrenched his head back and to the right. Washington subdued Brown with the help of a citizen. Washington suffered lacerations to his face and elbow and abrasions to his hand. His uniform was ripped and his motorcycle helmet was broken. Sergeant Brian Larson, who was investigating the gas station robbery, went to the location where Brown was apprehended. Larson knew Brown. He knew Brown and A.O. were in a committed relationship, and were living together near the USA Gasoline station and Rabobank. A.O. was standing nearby. Larson arrested A.O. because he suspected she may have been involved in both robberies and possessed money stolen from the gas station. She was evasive about Brown and her whereabouts that morning. She denied using stolen money at the gas station.

4 Officers found a bundle of money in Brown’s underwear. Together with some money in his pants pocket, they inventoried $3,530. First interrogation Larson contacted Brown at the scene and told him A.O. had been arrested. Brown asked “for what,” and said “there’s no reason for her to get arrested.” Larson said, “I kinda agree with you,” and “I don’t want her to get arrested.” He asked, “Can we talk about that?” Brown agreed. Larson said, “she could potentially . . . get unarrested.” Larson said he wanted to “talk about your relationship and how we can maybe get [A.O.] out of trouble.” Brown was advised of his Miranda2 rights. Brown confessed to the Rabobank robbery. He described handing the teller the note. He said A.O. had no idea about the robbery. He said he called her after being stopped by Officer Washington and told her he robbed a bank, they caught him, and he was going to jail. Brown denied committing the gas station robbery. Larson said someone identified Brown as the robber, and said A.O. came in later with some of the stolen money. Brown denied A.O. was involved in any robbery he had ever done. Larson said, “maybe she’s an innocent . . . Maybe she ends up going today.” “[B]ut to make her innocent in the eyes of the law I need to solve my case and show . . . she wasn’t the one who did it.” Brown responded, “okay if you need me to solve that case I’ll solve that case for you right here, yeah.” He added, “She didn’t have nothing to do with no robbery. If you need me to clear up some robberies for you I’ll do that and shit too.”

2 Miranda v. Arizona (1966) 384 U.S. 436.

5 Brown said he stole “a hundred and some bucks.” He spent the money immediately to buy drugs from a drug dealer. If A.O.

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People v. Brown CA2/6, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-brown-ca26-calctapp-2020.