People v. Burciaga CA2/5

CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedApril 7, 2016
DocketB263517
StatusUnpublished

This text of People v. Burciaga CA2/5 (People v. Burciaga CA2/5) 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. Burciaga CA2/5, (Cal. Ct. App. 2016).

Opinion

Filed 4/7/16 P. v. Burciaga CA2/5 NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL REPORTS California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for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 This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.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 FIVE

THE PEOPLE, B263517

Plaintiff and Respondent, (Los Angeles County Super. Ct. No. KA105904) v.

MICHAEL BURCIAGA,

Defendant and Appellant.

APPEAL from a judgment of the Superior Court of the County of Los Angeles, Mike Camacho, Jr., Judge. Affirmed in part, reversed in part, modified, and remanded. Christopher Nalls, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Defendant and Appellant. Kamala D. Harris, Attorney General, Gerald A. Engler, Chief Assistant Attorney General, Lance E. Winters, Senior Assistant Attorney General, Scott A. Taryle, Supervising Deputy Attorney General, David A. Wildman, Deputy Attorney General, for Plaintiff and Respondent. Following a jury trial, defendant and appellant Michael Burciaga was convicted of two counts of premeditated attempted murder (Pen. Code, §§ 664, 187, subd. (a);1 counts 1 & 2), shooting at an occupied vehicle (§ 246; count 3), and possession of a firearm by a felon (§ 29800, subd. (a)(1); count 4). The jury also found defendant intentionally discharged a firearm in the commission of the offenses charged in counts 1 through 3, and that those offenses were committed for the benefit of a criminal street gang in violation of section 186.22, subdivision (b). It was further determined that defendant had three prior convictions within the meaning of section 667.5, subdivision (b). Defendant was sentenced to consecutive 40-year-to-life terms on counts 1 and 2, plus one year for each prior conviction. The trial court stayed imposition of sentence on counts 3 and 4 pursuant to section 654. Defendant contends there was insufficient evidence (a) the attempted murders were premeditated, and (b) he had the required intent, i.e., to benefit criminal conduct by gang members, necessary for the gang enhancement. He also maintains the trial court should have denied his request to represent himself because it was “ambiguous and equivocal;” and the court separately erred by shorting him two days of presentence custody credit. We reverse the portion of the judgment concerning the gang enhancement on the conviction for attempted murder of Edward Campbell (count 1). We also accept the Attorney General’s concession that defendant is entitled to two additional days of presentence custody credit and remand the case for the court to modify the judgment to reflect those additional days. In all other respects, the judgment is affirmed.

1 All statutory references are to the Penal Code.

2 FACTS The Puente Trece gang had numerous cliques. The Blackwood clique wanted to separate from the gang to form its own gang, and this caused internal Puente Trece gang turmoil, including several shootings. On May 19, 2013, Campbell, an “original” member of the Puente Trece gang and a member of its Perth Street clique, drove a vehicle in La Puente, and picked up Adrian Torres, another member of that gang and a member of the Ballista clique.2 Campbell offered to give Torres a ride home, but told Torres that Campbell first had to go to the house of Matthew Burciaga,3 defendant’s brother, to obtain “some answers” about the death of “Joker,” a Puente Trece gang member who had been shot the night before. Torres knew there was “bad blood” between Campbell and Matthew. When Campbell and Torres arrived at Matthew’s house, there were three people outside, in front of a garage: defendant, Robert Valdivia,4 and Matthew. Defendant and Valdivia were members of the Puente Trece gang. Matthew was in a wheelchair; he had been a member of the Puente Trece gang, Perth Street clique, until he was shot when he was about 17 years old. Before getting out of the vehicle, Campbell handed Torres a gun, which Torres placed in the center console. Campbell then told the men who were in front of the garage, “I’m not armed. I just—I just need to ask some questions.” Campbell exited the vehicle and walked toward Matthew, Valdivia, and defendant. Torres remained in the vehicle. Defendant approached Campbell; Matthew and Valdivia remained near the garage. Defendant and Campbell got “close to” one another and

2 At the time of trial, Torres was attempting to “get out” of the gang. 3 Because Matthew Burciaga and defendant share the same surname, we refer to Matthew Burciaga as Matthew. Matthew is sometimes referred to in the record as “Porky.” 4 Valdivia was also charged in the underlying case, but he is not a party to this appeal.

3 spoke. The conversation led to an argument. Then, Torres heard four or five gunshots, and saw defendant shoot Campbell. Campbell backed up, holding his stomach. Matthew and Valdivia were still near the garage. Campbell walked toward the vehicle; he was crouched over and holding his stomach. Torres moved from the passenger seat of the vehicle to the driver’s seat. Campbell, whose shirt was bloody, entered the passenger seat of the vehicle and asked Torres to take him to a hospital. While the vehicle was still parked, Torres then heard Valdivia yell, “That’s his nephew. Get him.”5 Defendant began shooting “at least one shot” at the vehicle. In response, Torres used the gun Campbell gave him to fire one shot at defendant; the gun then “jammed.” Torres drove off, and while en route to the hospital, Torres put his hand on Campbell’s stomach, trying to hold Campbell’s “guts in.” From photographic lineups, Torres identified defendant as the person who shot Campbell, and Valdivia as the man who was “behind the shooter.” Los Angeles County Sherriff’s Department Detective Carlos Gutierrez, the prosecutor’s gang expert, testified the Puente Trece gang had approximately 768 members, and was divided into 16 different cliques. The gang’s primary activities included drug sales and shootings (drive-by shootings, walk-up shootings, murders, and assaults with deadly weapons). In 2012, two Puente Trece gang members were convicted of assault with a firearm. Detective Gutierrez opined the shootings were for the benefit of and in association with Puente Trece, stating: “[T]he way the gang’s benefitting from [] this is that, by having shot at this other individual, a member of their own clique, they are promoting or benefitting the gang’s reputation of being violent. They are letting everybody know, within their own clique as well as rival cliques that, hey, if we are willing to kill or attempt to kill our own people, we’re willing to kill anybody. [¶] In addition to that, with that reputation of being violent comes a cloud of fear. People within the

5 Torres referred to Campbell as his “uncle” even though they were not actually related.

4 neighborhood are going to be fearful to report this to police, because if they are willing to kill their own gang members, they’re willing to kill other people.”

DISCUSSION

A. Substantial Evidence Regarding Premeditation

1.

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Bluebook (online)
People v. Burciaga CA2/5, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-burciaga-ca25-calctapp-2016.