People v. Glass

8 Cal. Rptr. 3d 417, 114 Cal. App. 4th 1032, 2004 D.A.R. 200, 2004 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 155, 2004 Daily Journal DAR 200, 2004 Cal. App. LEXIS 6
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedJanuary 6, 2004
DocketF041380
StatusPublished
Cited by11 cases

This text of 8 Cal. Rptr. 3d 417 (People v. Glass) 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. Glass, 8 Cal. Rptr. 3d 417, 114 Cal. App. 4th 1032, 2004 D.A.R. 200, 2004 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 155, 2004 Daily Journal DAR 200, 2004 Cal. App. LEXIS 6 (Cal. Ct. App. 2004).

Opinion

*1034 Opinion

CORNELL, J.

We are confronted in this case with an issue of first impression. Penal Code section 12022.8 1 requires imposition of a five-year sentence enhancement if the defendant causes great bodily injury during the commission of specifically listed sex crimes. Section 269, aggravated sexual assault of a child, subjects a defendant who is found guilty of committing specifically listed sex crimes against a child under 14 years of age and more than 10 years younger than the defendant to a “one strike” sentence of 15 years to life. Section 269 is not one of the sex crimes listed in section 12022.8.

The issue presented is whether a defendant convicted of violating section 269 is also subject to a section 12022.8 enhancement if he or she inflicts great bodily injury during the assault. We conclude a defendant in this position is subject to the five-year enhancement because a violation of section 269 necessarily includes commission of one of the sex crimes listed in section 12022.8.

The jury found that Raymond George Glass raped his 12-year-old stepdaughter, Jane Doe, 2 on two separate occasions and attempted to dissuade her mother, S.G., from testifying against him. The jury convicted Glass of two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child (§ 269), two counts of lewd and lascivious acts by force (§ 288), one count of attempting to dissuade a witness (§ 136.1), and one count of making criminal threats (§ 422). The jury also made special findings that Glass caused great bodily injury on each occasion that he raped Jane and that he had incurred two prior convictions constituting strikes. (§ 667, subds. (b)-(i).)

Glass primarily contests the sufficiency of the evidence supporting the great bodily injury enhancements, as well as the admission of evidence that he raped another young girl 20 years previously. He also contends there was instructional error.

As will appear, we agree with some of his arguments. We will vacate and dismiss one of the prior conviction enhancements because the conviction was overturned on appeal and Glass was acquitted on retrial. We also conclude that substantial evidence did not support the jury’s finding that Glass caused great bodily injury within the meaning of section 12022.8 on count I and within the meaning of section 667.6 on count III. We reject the remainder of Glass’s arguments and remand for resentencing.

*1035 FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL SUMMARY

The evidence against Glass came primarily from Jane and from DNA analysis testimony. Jane testified that Glass raped her on two occasions. Jane’s mother, S.G., was present on both occasions. 3 Only after the second rape did S.G. take Jane to the police. Semen and blood were found on the sanitary napkin Jane utilized after the second rape. DNA testing established that the likely donor of the semen on the sanitary napkin was Glass, and the likely donor of the blood was Jane. Medical testimony established that Jane’s condition after the second rape was consistent with forcible penetration. There also was evidence that Glass threatened S.G. after he was arrested and attempted to prevent her from testifying.

Michelle B. testified she was raped by Glass approximately 20 years ago when she was 14 and Glass was in his mid-twenties.

Glass denied raping Jane, insisting that Jane’s mother planted the semen on the sanitary napkin to frame Glass. Glass also claimed his encounter with Michelle was consensual.

Glass was charged with two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child under 14 years of age (§ 269, subd. (a)(5)), two counts of lewd and lascivious acts by force on a child under 14 years of age (§ 288, subd. (b)), one count of dissuading a witness by force (§ 136.1, subd. (c)), and one count of making criminal threats (§ 422). An enhancement for inflicting great bodily injury pursuant to sections 12022.8 and 667.61, subdivision (b) was alleged for the first four counts. The information further alleged that Glass incurred two prior convictions within the meaning of sections 667, subdivision (d) and 667.5, subdivision (b).

A jury convicted Glass of all charges and found each enhancement true.

DISCUSSION

I.-IV.A., B. *

*1036 C. Section 12022.8 enhancements

Glass challenges the imposition of two five-year enhancements pursuant to section 12022.8 8 on counts I and II, the convictions for violating section 269.

Section 269 imposes an enhanced sentence when the defendant commits enumerated sex crimes and the victim is under 14 years of age and more than 10 years younger than the defendant. The enumerated crimes are section 261, subdivision (a)(2) (rape by force or fear), section 264.1 (rape in concert), section 286, subdivision (c)(2) (sodomy by force or fear), section 288a, subdivision (c)(2) (oral copulation by force or fear), and section 289, subdivision (a) (forcible sexual penetration). A conviction for violating section 269 results in a sentence of 15 years to life. (§ 269.)

Section 12022.8 imposes a five-year enhancement when a defendant inflicts great bodily injury (as defined in section 12022.7) when committing any of the listed sex crimes. Glass argues the enhancement cannot be imposed because section 269 is not listed in section 12022.8.

Each crime listed in section 269 also is listed in section 12022.8. Hence, every defendant convicted of violating section 269 necessarily commits a crime listed in section 12022.8. Yet, section 269 is not listed in section 12022.8. For the reasons set forth below, we conclude this omission does not preclude imposition of the enhancement in section 269 prosecutions.

First, sections 269 and 12022.8 serve two different purposes. Section 269 provides increased punishment when the defendant sexually assaults a particularly vulnerable victim, a child under the age of 14 who is also 10 years younger than the defendant. Section 12022.8 is intended to enhance the punishment when the defendant inflicts great bodily injury while committing a sexual assault.

Second, as stated above, in order to be convicted of violating section 269, the jury must determine that the defendant committed one of the crimes listed in section 12022.8. It would seem injudicious to allow a defendant to escape the section 12022.8 enhancement simply because his victim was under 14 years of age.

*1037 Third, the Legislature’s omission of section 269 from section 12022.8 is understandable since section 269 was enacted after section 12022.8. Section 12022.8 was passed in 1979 as part of a bill that substantially increased criminal sentencing. (Stats. 1979, ch. 944, § 18, p. 3263.) Section 269 was passed during the first extra session of the 1993-1994 Legislature. (Stats. 1993-1994, 1st Ex. Sess., ch.

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8 Cal. Rptr. 3d 417, 114 Cal. App. 4th 1032, 2004 D.A.R. 200, 2004 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 155, 2004 Daily Journal DAR 200, 2004 Cal. App. LEXIS 6, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-glass-calctapp-2004.