People v. Chavira Ca2/6

CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedDecember 23, 2014
DocketB247595
StatusUnpublished

This text of People v. Chavira Ca2/6 (People v. Chavira 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. Chavira Ca2/6, (Cal. Ct. App. 2014).

Opinion

Filed 12/23/14 P. v. Chavira Ca2/6 NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL REPORTS California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for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 This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.111.5.

IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

SECOND APPELLATE DISTRICT

DIVISION SIX

THE PEOPLE, 2d Crim. No. B247595 (Super. Ct. No. 2008032478) Plaintiff and Respondent, (Ventura County)

v.

VICTOR CHAVIRA,

Defendant and Appellant.

Victor Chavira appeals his conviction by jury of first degree murder with two special circumstances findings that he committed the murder in the commission of a robbery and while lying in wait (count 1; Pen. Code, §§ 187, subd. (a); 190.2, subd. 1 (a)(17)(A); 190.2, subd. (a)(15). The jury also convicted appellant of second degree robbery (count 2; § 211), two counts of exhibiting a firearm in the presence of another person (counts 3-4; § 417, subd. (b)), and dissuading a witness by force or threat (count 5; § 136.1, subd. (c)(1)). On counts 1, 3, and 5, the jury found that appellant personally and intentionally discharged a firearm causing death (§ 12022.53, subd. (d)). The trial court sentenced appellant to a determinate term of eight years eight months state prison plus 100 years to life, plus two indeterminate terms of life

1 All statutory references are to the Penal Code. without possibility of parole. It ordered that the determinate sentence on counts 2 through 5 be served before the indeterminate sentence on count 1 for special 2 circumstances first degree murder (§ 669, subd. (a)). We modify the judgment to reflect that appellant was sentenced as follows: on count 1 (special circumstances, first degree murder), life without the possibility of parole plus 25 years to life on the firearm enhancement (§ 12022.53, subd. (d)); and a consecutive sentence of eight years eight months on counts 2, 3, and 5 plus 25 years to life on the count 2 firearm enhancement (§ 12022.53, subd. (d)). The determinate term shall be served first. (§ 669, subd. (a).) The 25-year-to-life firearm enhancement on count 5 is stricken because section 12022.53, subdivision (d) does not apply to the crime of dissuading a witness by force or fear. Section 12022.5, subdivision (a) (personal use of a firearm during the commission of a felony), however, is a lesser included enhancement. (People v. Majors (1998) 18 Cal.4th 385, 410; People v. Fialho (2014) 229 Cal.App.4th 1389, 1397-1399.) As to count 5, the judgment is modified to show an enhancement of three years pursuant to section 12022.5, subdivision (a). The trial court is further directed to strike the $10,000 parole revocation fine (§ 1202.45). (See People v. Oganesyan (1999) 70 Cal.App.4th 1178, 1185-1186 [section 1202.45 fine may not be imposed where sentence of life without possibility of parole is imposed].) As modified, the judgment is affirmed in part and reversed in part. Facts and Procedural History Appellant, a drug middleman, shot Albino Ramirez in front of Ramirez's pregnant wife and son. Appellant had told Ramirez that he could buy two pounds of

2 The eight year eight month determinate sentence was calculated as follows: a five- year upper term for robbery (count 2; § 211), plus eight months (one-third the midterm) for exhibiting a firearm in the presence of another person (count 4; § 417, subd. (b)), plus three years for dissuading a witness by force or threat (count 5; § 136.1, subds. (c)(1)). The consecutive, three-year midterm sentence on count 5 was mandatory. (See § 1170.15.) On count 3 (§ 417, subd. (b)), appellant received an eight month sentence (one-third the midterm) that was stayed pursuant to section 654.

2 methamphetamine for $30,000 and directed Ramirez to pick him up at Wal-Mart. It was a ruse to murder and rob Ramirez. Ramirez got the money and drove to Wal-Mart with his wife, Celia Ramirez, and his son, Anthony. Celia Ramirez and three-year old Anthony were in the back seat of the car when appellant killed Ramirez. Appellant also threatened to shoot Celia and Anthony. He ordered Celia to turn over the money and not to call 911 for 20 minutes. Appellant was arrested that day and had $24,000 in his sock and $2,875 in his wallet. In a Miranda interview (Miranda v. Arizona (1966) 384 U.S. 436 [16 L.Ed.2d 694]), appellant admitted shooting Ramirez and said "I was just cleaning up the city." Removal of Juror No. 1 Appellant contends that the trial court violated his right to due process when it dismissed Juror No. 1 for misconduct. In jury voir dire, Juror No. 1 said that he was an engineer and that his work involved an "exacting standard, very focused and very precise." Juror No. 1 promised not to hold the prosecutor to such an exacting standard and acknowledged that the standard of proof was proof beyond a reasonable doubt. At the conclusion of the trial, the jury was instructed on proof beyond a reasonable doubt (CALCRIM 220) and warned not to speculate on whether someone else was involved in the murder (CALCRIM 373). The jury deliberated, asked for a read back of Celia's and appellant's testimony, and submitted written questions. In the first round of questions, the jury asked if it could consider whether Celia was involved in the murder and whether it could consider "the possibility that Celia and [appellant] worked together in Albino's killing. Does this . . . contradict with instruction [CALCRIM] 373 on page 30 of our 3 instructions? " The trial court instructed the jury to reread CALCRIM 373.

3 CALCRIM 373 states in pertinent part: "The evidence shows that other persons may have been involved in the commission of the crimes charged against the defendant. There may be many reasons why someone who appears to have been involved might

3 On day three of deliberations, the jury reported that it could not reach a verdict on count 1 for first degree murder. The jury foreperson said the jury was deadlocked 11 to 1. Counsel agreed the jury should be sent back for further deliberations. Before recessing for the day, the jury submitted three notes. The jury asked whether it could deliberate on second degree murder even though some of the jurors believed the killing was first degree murder with special circumstances. The second and third notes asked whether the gun shots to Ramirez's cheek caused death, whether it was robbery if Celia gave the $27,000 to appellant without duress, whether Celia was legally married to Ramirez, and whether it was lying in wait for appellant to acquire a handgun three days before the murder. In other notes, the jury asked: "Is it possible to rob a dead man? [¶] . . . Did Celia own the money after [Ramirez] was dead? Could she then have, quote, given the money to [appellant]?" In another note, the jury asked: "Can we deliberate on a probable scenario that neither side, People or defense, presented?" "In the above question a paradox exits where a theory can neither be proved or unproved. Is this paradox allowable within [the] instructions?" Before the trial court responded to the written questions, four jurors signed a note that said: "We all move to remove Juror #1 because he refused & refuses to abide by the jury instructions." Five other jurors submitted a similar note: "We the undersigned ask that Juror #1 to be removed because he is unwilling to abide by the jury instructions." The prosecution argued that a rogue juror was not following the instructions. Over defense objection, the trial court questioned each juror who signed the notes.

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Bluebook (online)
People v. Chavira Ca2/6, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-chavira-ca26-calctapp-2014.