People v. Crawford CA3

CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedNovember 12, 2021
DocketC091827
StatusUnpublished

This text of People v. Crawford CA3 (People v. Crawford CA3) 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. Crawford CA3, (Cal. Ct. App. 2021).

Opinion

Filed 11/12/21 P. v. Crawford CA3 NOT TO BE PUBLISHED California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for publication or ordered published,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 This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.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 THIRD APPELLATE DISTRICT (Modoc) ----

THE PEOPLE, C091827

Plaintiff and Respondent, (Super. Ct. No. F-19-307)

v.

CAMERON ALAN CRAWFORD,

Defendant and Appellant.

THE PEOPLE, C091829

Plaintiff and Respondent, (Super. Ct. No. F-19-467)

1 While in a wooded area with a friend late at night, a few hours after smoking methamphetamine, defendant Cameron Alan Crawford fired a shotgun at what he believed to be a mountain lion. There was no mountain lion. Pellets from the shotgun blast hit his friend’s girlfriend, L., in both legs. Their dog, the creature defendant mistook for the mountain lion, was also hit in the tail. L. and the dog had remained in his friend’s truck while they went out into the woods, and defendant believed they remained there when he fired the shotgun. These basic facts supported criminal charges in Case No. F-19-467 and a violation of probation previously granted in case No. F-19-307.1 Defendant was convicted by jury of felony discharge of a firearm with gross negligence and misdemeanor battery.2 After the jury returned its verdict, the trial court found this criminal conduct also violated the terms of defendant’s grant of probation in case No. F-19-307. That grant of probation was revoked and the trial court imposed 90 days in the Modoc County Jail for the offenses in that case. With respect to case No. F-19-467, the trial court suspended imposition of sentence and placed defendant on formal probation for a period of three years. Defendant appeals in both cases. We consolidated the appeals for purposes of argument and decision. Defendant contends: (1) the evidence is insufficient to support either of his convictions; (2) the prosecutor engaged in prejudicial prosecutorial misconduct by

1 In case No. F-19-307, defendant was placed on summary probation for three years for carrying a loaded firearm in public, possession of a firearm with identification numbers removed, and possession of narcotics paraphernalia. 2 The jury acquitted defendant of felony assault with a firearm, felony battery causing serious bodily injury, and misdemeanor use of a controlled substance. With respect to defendant’s misdemeanor battery conviction, the jury also found he personally used a firearm during the commission of the offense within the meaning of Penal Code section 12022.5; however, that enhancement provision applies only to felony convictions.

2 misstating the law and arguing facts not in evidence during closing argument; (3) Assembly Bill No. 1950 (2019-2020 Reg. Sess.) (Assembly Bill 1950) (Stats. 2020, ch. 328, § 2) applies retroactively to defendant’s case and requires reduction of his probation term to two years; and (4) defendant is entitled to 10 additional days of custody credit. We must reverse defendant’s battery conviction because the record contains no evidence that defendant knew L. was in the immediate vicinity or otherwise in the line of fire when he fired the shotgun. The evidence is therefore insufficient to support a conclusion that a reasonable person with defendant’s knowledge of the facts would have known firing the shotgun would directly, naturally, and probably result in a battery upon L. Defendant’s conviction for grossly negligent discharge of a firearm, however, is adequately supported by substantial evidence. Defendant’s assertion of prosecutorial misconduct is forfeited. The Attorney General concedes defendant’s final two contentions. We accept these concessions and order the appropriate modifications to the order granting defendant probation in case No. F-19-467 and the order committing defendant to jail in case No. F-19-307. As so modified, we affirm. FACTS The relevant facts are largely undisputed and may be stated briefly. On December 8, 2019, about 3:00 a.m., defendant entered a forested area of Modoc County with a friend, Rex Kunert, seeking to cut down a tree for firewood. Defendant smoked methamphetamine a few hours before he and Kunert headed out to the woods in separate trucks. Defendant brought a shotgun in case they encountered a mountain lion. Kunert’s girlfriend, L., accompanied them, but remained in Kunert’s truck with their dog, Aurora. L. was asleep in the truck when defendant and Kunert walked into the woods together. Fifteen to twenty minutes later, about 30 feet from where they parked, defendant heard what sounded like a limb breaking. Kunert called out for L. to see if the sound came from her, but she did not respond. Defendant then saw a tail emerge from behind a

3 tree and fired the shotgun believing he was firing at a mountain lion. The tail belonged to Aurora. Unbeknownst to either defendant or Kunert, L. and the dog had left the truck at some point and also went into the woods. L. was hit in both legs with shotgun pellets. Aurora’s tail was also hit. Realizing his mistake, defendant took off his belt, fashioned a tourniquet, and drove L. to the hospital. DISCUSSION I Sufficiency of the Evidence Defendant contends the evidence is insufficient to support either of his convictions. We agree with respect to defendant’s conviction for battery. Defendant’s conviction for grossly negligent discharge of a firearm, however, is adequately supported by substantial evidence. A. Standard of Review The standard of review is well-settled: “When reviewing a challenge to the sufficiency of the evidence, we ask ‘ “whether, after viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution, any rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the crime beyond a reasonable doubt.” ’ [Citation.] Because the sufficiency of the evidence is ultimately a legal question, we must examine the record independently for ‘ “substantial evidence—that is, evidence which is reasonable, credible, and of solid value” ’ that would support a finding beyond a reasonable doubt. [Citation.]” (People v. Banks (2015) 61 Cal.4th 788, 804.) “ ‘Conflicts and even testimony [that] is subject to justifiable suspicion do not justify the reversal of a judgment, for it is the exclusive province of the trial judge or jury to determine the credibility of a witness and the truth or falsity of the facts upon which a determination depends. [Citation.] We resolve neither credibility issues nor evidentiary conflicts; we look for substantial evidence. [Citation.]’ [Citation.] A reversal for

4 insufficient evidence ‘is unwarranted unless it appears “that upon no hypothesis whatever is there sufficient substantial evidence to support” ’ the jury’s verdict. [Citation.]” (People v. Zamudio (2008) 43 Cal.4th 327, 357.) With this standard of review in mind, we shall now assess the sufficiency of the evidence supporting each of defendant’s convictions in this case. B. Battery “A battery is any willful and unlawful use of force or violence upon the person of another.” (Pen. Code, § 242.)3 “The mental state required for battery is the same as that required for assault.” (People v. Hayes (2006) 142 Cal.App.4th 175, 180 (Hayes).) This mental state “ ‘is established upon proof the defendant willfully committed an act that by its nature will probably and directly result in injury to another, i.e., a battery.’ ” (People v. Williams (2001) 26 Cal.4th 779, 782 (Williams).) The defendant need not intend the battery to occur. (Id. at p. 786.) Nor is it required that the defendant be “subjectively aware of the risk that a battery might occur.” (Id. at p. 788, fn.

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Bluebook (online)
People v. Crawford CA3, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-crawford-ca3-calctapp-2021.