People v. Garrett

7 Cal. App. 5th 871
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedJanuary 20, 2017
DocketC067436A
StatusPublished

This text of 7 Cal. App. 5th 871 (People v. Garrett) 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. Garrett, 7 Cal. App. 5th 871 (Cal. Ct. App. 2017).

Opinion

Opinion

HOCH, J.

This appeal arises out of Victor Tyrone Garrett and Erion Demonta Varnado’s participation in armed robberies and an attempted armed robbery in November 2008. 1 Both Garrett and Varnado were 17 years old when the offenses were committed, but were tried as adults. (Welf. & Inst. Code, § 707, subd. (b)(3); id., former subd. (c).) A jury convicted Garrett of six counts of second degree robbery (Pen. Code, § 211), 2 two counts of kidnapping for robbery (§ 209, subd. (b)(1)), one count of attempted robbery (§§211, 664), and one count of assault with a firearm (§ 245, subd. (a)(2)). For each of the offenses, the jury found true the allegation Garrett personally used a firearm (§ 12022.53, subd. (b)), and as to the assault with a firearm, that Garrett personally discharged a firearm (§ 12022.53, subd. (c)). Garrett was sentenced to serve a total of 74 years four months to life in prison.

Varnado was also convicted by a jury of two counts of second degree robbery, one count of attempted robbery, and one count of assault with a firearm. The jury also found true the allegation Varnado personally used a firearm during the assault and attempted robbery. However, the jury found Varnado not guilty of four counts of robbery. The jury was unable to reach a verdict as to the two counts of kidnapping to commit robbery, the allegation Varnado personally used a firearm during the second degree robberies, or he discharged a firearm during the attempted robbery. The trial court declared a mistrial as to the counts and enhancements for which the jury could not reach a verdict.

On retrial, Varnado was convicted of the remaining two counts of second degree robbery, and the jury found true the allegation he used a firearm *874 during these robberies. The second jury was not asked to decide whether Varnado discharged a firearm during the attempted robbery. Varnado was sentenced to serve a total of 31 years to life in prison.

On appeal, both defendants contend (1) the evidence of asportation was insufficient to support their convictions of kidnapping for robbery. In a related argument, Varnado contends (2) the trial court erred in refusing defense counsel’s proposed instruction informing the jury that “incidental” movement does not amount to kidnapping for robbery.

Varnado further argues (3) evidence regarding the firing of a gun during the attempted robbery was improperly admitted during his retrial to prove he used a gun on a separate occasion, (4) insufficient evidence of intent to commit theft requires reversal of his attempted robbery conviction, and (5) an unduly suggestive identification procedure was used to identify him two days after the robbery.

Garrett separately argues (6) an in-field showup employed by the police shortly after his arrest was an unduly suggestive identification procedure, (7) his Miranda rights were violated during his interrogation by the police, 3 and (8) his prison sentence of 74 years four months to life constitutes cruel and unusual punishment because he was a minor at the time of the offenses.

We conclude defendants’ act of moving the victims of kidnapping for robbery from where they were standing into the locked trunk of a car sufficed for the asportation requirement of the offense. Contrary to Varnado’s contention, the trial court was not required to give defense counsel’s proposed pinpoint instruction. We also find no error in the admission of testimony regarding the discharge of a firearm during the attempted robbery. The evidence was sufficient to establish intent to commit robbery during the attempted robbery. And the police did not use an unduly suggestive identification procedure two days after Varnado’s arrest.

As to Garrett’s separate claims, the in-field showup did not constitute an unduly suggestive identification procedure. And the police did not violate his Fifth Amendment rights because Garrett knowingly and voluntarily waived his rights after being given a Miranda advisement.

Consistent with our original opinion, we affirm Garrett and Varnado’s convictions.

As to the sentencing, we now benefit from the California Supreme Court’s recent guidance in People v. Franklin (2016) 63 Cal.4th 261 [202 Cal.Rptr.3d *875 496, 370 P.3d 1053] (Franklin). After this court filed its original opinion, the California Supreme Court granted review and transferred the cause back to us for reconsideration in light of Franklin, supra, 63 Cal.4th 261. In Franklin, the Supreme Court held the Legislature’s passage of Senate Bill No. 260 (2013-2014 Reg. Sess.) (Senate Bill No. 260) effectively guarantees a youth offender a parole hearing before the Board of Parole Hearings during a juvenile offender’s 25th year of incarceration. (Franklin, supra, at pp. 276-277.) The Franklin court declared the new statutory remedy provides a meaningful opportunity for release and renders moot claims that effective life without parole (LWOP) sentences for crimes committed as a juvenile violate constitutional prohibitions against cruel and unusual punishment. (Ibid.) After the cause was transferred back to us, we invited the Attorney General and counsel for defendants to file supplemental briefing as to whether Franklin requires a limited remand in this case. We have received and considered supplemental briefing from all parties on this issue. We remand the matter to the trial court for the limited purpose of determining whether defendants have had an adequate opportunity to make a record of mitigating evidence that will be relevant at a future youth offender parole hearing.

BACKGROUND

Robberies of Kilgore, Cheatham, Douglas, and Cordero (Counts 1-4)

At approximately 9:00 p.m. on November 15, 2008, Jaquan Cheatham and Lonnie Kilgore were walking to a 7-Eleven store. Two males with guns approached Cheatham and instructed him to empty his pockets. Cheatham heard the cocking of a gun and turned over his school identification and telephone. Cheatham gave the robbers his pants so they would know he had turned over everything. Kilgore also took off clothing and handed it to the robbers.

Thomas Douglas and Alexis Cordero were nearby and watched Cheatham and Kilgore get robbed. Cordero explained she initially saw a black car with three male occupants. Cordero then “had a bad feeling” and turned around to see two of the males “attack” a boy behind her. The robbers brandished guns and took everything from the boy—even his clothes.

Fearing the robbers would attack her group too, Cordero told her friends to run away. Cordero and Douglas hid behind a nearby van. When the same black car drove by, Cordero heard someone from the car tell them to come out from behind the van. Cordero and Douglas did so with their hands up. One of the robbers instructed, “Lean up against the garage and give us *876

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Related

Miranda v. Arizona
384 U.S. 436 (Supreme Court, 1966)
Harmelin v. Michigan
501 U.S. 957 (Supreme Court, 1991)
Ewing v. California
538 U.S. 11 (Supreme Court, 2003)
Roper v. Simmons
543 U.S. 551 (Supreme Court, 2005)
People v. Caballero
282 P.3d 291 (California Supreme Court, 2012)
Miller v. Alabama
132 S. Ct. 2455 (Supreme Court, 2012)
People v. Franklin
370 P.3d 1053 (California Supreme Court, 2016)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
7 Cal. App. 5th 871, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-garrett-calctapp-2017.