People v. Chavez

107 Cal. Rptr. 2d 552, 89 Cal. App. 4th 806
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedSeptember 12, 2001
DocketB139931
StatusPublished

This text of 107 Cal. Rptr. 2d 552 (People v. Chavez) 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. Chavez, 107 Cal. Rptr. 2d 552, 89 Cal. App. 4th 806 (Cal. Ct. App. 2001).

Opinion

107 Cal.Rptr.2d 552 (2001)
89 Cal.App.4th 806

The PEOPLE, Plaintiff and Respondent,
v.
Monica Mary CHAVEZ, Defendant and Appellant.

No. B139931.

Court of Appeal, Second District, Division Three.

May 31, 2001.
Review Granted September 12, 2001.

*553 Janyce Keiko Imata Blair, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Defendant and Appellant.

Bill Lockyer, Attorney General, David P. Druliner, Chief Assistant Attorney General, Carol Wendelin Pollack, Senior Assistant Attorney General, Kenneth C. Byrne *554 and Lance E. Winters, Supervising Deputy Attorneys General, for Plaintiff and Respondent.

FIDLER, J.[*]

Defendant and appellant Monica Mary Chavez appeals the judgment entered after she was convicted by a jury of the following crimes: Count 1, murder during the commission of a home invasion robbery and residential burglary within the meaning of Penal Code sections 187 and 190.2, subdivision (a)(17).[1] Count 2, residential burglary, first degree, in violation of section 211. Count 3, burglary, first degree, in violation of section 459. Counts 6 through 14, robbery, second degree, in violation of section 211. As to each count the jury found true the allegation that a principal was armed with a firearm, pursuant to section 12022, subdivision (a)(1). Probation was denied, and appellant was sentenced as follows:

Count 6, the mid-term of 3 years, plus 1 year for the firearm enhancement. Count 1, life without parole, plus 1 year for the enhancement, to run consecutive to count 6. In each of the remaining counts, 7 through 14,[2] appellant was sentenced to one-third the mid-term, 1 year to run consecutively to count 6. The sentence as to counts 2 and 3 was stayed pursuant to section 654. The enhancements as to counts 7 through 14 were stricken for sentencing purposes. Appellant was ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution pursuant to section 1202.4, subdivision (b) and given credit for 801 days of actual custody.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

1. Prosecution's evidence.

Viewed in accordance with the usual rule of appellate review (People v. Rodriguez (1999) 20 Cal.4th 1, 11, 82 Cal.Rptr.2d 413, 971 P.2d 618) the evidence established the following:

Counts 12 through 14:

On November 3, 1997, Edward Bazurto was outside the office at a mobile home park located on Pioneer Boulevard in Norwalk. Two men came up and asked for a tenant who was unknown to Mr. Bazurto. The men then left, but returned later accompanied by a third man. One of the men put a gun to Mr. Bazurto's stomach and forced him inside the office. All of the suspects were armed. Also in the office was the manager of the mobile home park, Anna Deckard, and David Murillo. Money was taken from a drawer in the office. Mr. Murillo's wallet was taken, as was Mr. Bazurto's watch and Ms. Deckard's ring. Ms. Deckard was struck. When the suspects left they claimed they were from "Eme" (the Mexican Mafia). According to a statement given to the police by appellant and introduced in evidence, she had served as the driver and lookout for the robbery at the mobile home park. She knew a robbery was going to take place. The three male suspects were the codefendants and a person known as "Johnny."[3]

*555 Count 6:

On November 25, 1997, Frank Hernandez was at his barbershop in Paramount. A man came in, put a gun to his head and took his wallet.

According to appellant's statement she drove her codefendants to the barbershop, knowing there would be a robbery. Codefendant Vega committed the robbery.

Counts 7 and 8:

On January 1, 1998, at the Casa Gonzalez restaurant in Bellflower, an armed robber entered the restaurant and placed a gun to the head of the owner, Antonio Contreras, and asked for money. Two more armed, masked men then entered. Money was taken from the cash register, and Vega placed a gun to the head of Ronald Smith, a customer in the restaurant. Money, a watch and a ring were taken from Mr. Smith. Appellant admitted driving Vega, Rubio and Johnny to the restaurant, knowing a robbery was going to take place.

Count 9:

On January 6, 1998, a robbery took place at a Union 76 station in Paramount. An employee, Mohammad Rahman, had noticed a woman pumping gas. A man was with her. Later, an armed man followed Mr. Rahman into the cashier's booth and placed a gun to the back of his neck. Mr. Rahman opened the cash register and gave the robber money. While he was being robbed, Mr. Rahman saw that the car into which the woman had been pumping gas, was now at the cashier's booth. The robber ordered Mr. Rahman to place three boxes (90 cartons) of cigarettes into this car. A witness saw that this car was driven by a woman. There were children in the back seat.

In her statement, appellant told the police that she and Rubio, along with her grandchildren, stopped at a gas station. Rubio directed her to open the trunk and he took a gun out, robbed the attendant, and returned to the car. He then had the attendant load cigarettes into the car and she drove him away.

Counts 10 and 11:

These counts involved a robbery at a pager store in Paramount on January 7, 1998. Two employees, Fernando Prieto and Carol Chen, were in the store when three armed men, two of them wearing masks, came in and demanded money. Money was taken from the cash register and Mr. Prieto's wallet was taken. In addition, phones and pagers were taken.

In her statement, appellant told police she drove Vega, Rubio and Maestaz to the pager store, where each exited the car with a gun. After they exited the store, she drove them to Rubio's mother's house. She knew a robbery was going to take place.

Counts 1, 2 and 3:

These counts involved the burglary, robbery, and murder of George Blackwell in his home in Long Beach on January 12, 1998.

Appellant's statement to the police in conjunction with the testimony of witnesses including appellant established that on January 11, 1998, appellant and her codefendants went to the victim's home but he was not there. Rubio and Vega also talked about going to Warren High School in Downey, where both appellant and the victim worked, on January 12th in order to rob people. Appellant not only worked with the victim, he had counseled her son, who attended the school. Appellant also had done cleaning for the victim at his home in Long Beach.

*556 Appellant, Rubio and Vega drove to the victim's house on January 12th. Rubio planned to visit the victim and tell him appellant and Rubio were getting married in order to have the victim congratulate them. They brought a bottle of champagne with them. Along the way, duct tape was purchased and Rubio and Vega armed themselves. Appellant knew that the victim would be robbed and might be killed.

Appellant and Rubio went to the victim's house. Vega originally stayed on the beach, near the victim's house. The appellant and Rubio went inside the house. At some point Rubio accused the victim of having sex with appellant, which the victim denied. Vega then entered the house. Appellant and Vega went to the upstairs part of the house. While Vega burgled the house, appellant closed the window blinds. Appellant, Rubio and Vega were all wearing gloves, because it was cold and because they didn't want to leave fingerprints.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
107 Cal. Rptr. 2d 552, 89 Cal. App. 4th 806, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-chavez-calctapp-2001.