People v. Gregory CA1/5

CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedJune 6, 2014
DocketA137593
StatusUnpublished

This text of People v. Gregory CA1/5 (People v. Gregory CA1/5) 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. Gregory CA1/5, (Cal. Ct. App. 2014).

Opinion

Filed 6/6/14 P. v. Gregory CA1/5

NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN OFFICIAL REPORTS California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for publication or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 This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.

IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA FIRST APPELLATE DISTRICT DIVISION FIVE

THE PEOPLE,

Plaintiff and Respondent, A137593

v. (San Francisco County Super. Ct. No. 218651) MICHAEL GREGORY,

Defendant and Appellant. _______________________________________/

A jury convicted appellant Michael Gregory of battery causing serious bodily injury (Pen. Code, § 243, subd. (d))1 and assault with a deadly weapon (§ 245, subd. (a)(1)) and found true the allegation Gregory personally used a knife in the commission of the battery (§ 12022, subd. (b)(1)). The court placed Gregory on probation with various terms and conditions. On appeal, Gregory argues: (1) the prosecutor committed misconduct during closing argument; (2) the court’s failure to compel the victim to appear and testify at trial violated his constitutional right of confrontation; (3) the probation condition regarding his possession of weapons must be modified to impose a knowledge requirement; and (4)

1 Unless otherwise noted, all further statutory references are to the Penal Code. 1 certain fines and fees “not orally ordered” at the sentencing hearing “must be stricken” from the court’s sentencing minute order. We modify the probation condition at issue to impose a knowledge requirement. We also strike from the court’s sentencing minute order certain fines and fees not orally imposed by the court at the sentencing hearing. In all other respects, we affirm the judgment. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND Prosecution Evidence Gregory was in an intimate relationship with Rodney McKinley from 2000 to 2012. Gregory lived in McKinley’s room at a residential hotel (the hotel) in the Tenderloin neighborhood of San Francisco. In July 2012, a San Francisco police officer went to the hotel because “there was a fight.” The officer arrested McKinley, who had outstanding traffic warrants. McKinley was intoxicated but cooperative. In August 2012, McKinley and Gregory broke up and Gregory began dating a woman. The two men argued about the breakup and McKinley taunted Gregory about his new relationship. On an afternoon in August 2012, McKinley was sitting in a chair outside the hotel. He yelled at Gregory, who was standing across the street, and threatened: “‘I’m going to beat your ass’” and “‘I’m going to [expletive] you up[.]’” McKinley — who appeared drunk — approached Gregory and “kind of acted like he was going to beat [Gregory] up.” McKinley then walked back to his chair and sat down. Shortly thereafter, Gregory crossed the street, approached McKinley, and “used a jabbing motion and stepped back.” Surveillance video from a nearby business captured the stabbing and showed McKinley sitting in his chair for about three minutes before Gregory stabbed him. The video did not show McKinley making any “wild” motions with his hands or interacting with anyone before the stabbing. The prosecution played a recording of the surveillance video for the jury. Blood gushed out of McKinley’s stomach. Gregory walked away; McKinley was taken to the hospital, where he had

2 surgery to repair a lacerated liver. At the hospital, McKinley told police officers Gregory usually carried a “‘buck knife’” and described how Gregory stabbed him.2 Police officers detained Gregory and found a knife matching the description given by McKinley. Officers interviewed Gregory, who appeared intoxicated. The prosecution played a recording of the interview for the jury. Gregory admitted stabbing McKinley, but claimed he did so with his fingernail. He said McKinley had stabbed him in the past and explained McKinley had “pushed” his “button” on the day of the incident. Gregory described the stabbing of McKinley as “tit for tat” and did not claim he acted in self- defense. Defense Evidence Several witnesses described incidents where McKinley was “violent toward” Gregory: he shoved Gregory down the stairs, held Gregory up against a wall, and kicked him. Gregory testified McKinley was violent and abusive toward him during their relationship and described how McKinley stabbed him and punched him the face, giving him a bloody lip. He also described the August 2012 incident, initially claiming he stabbed McKinley because he thought McKinley had a knife and was going to use it. Later, however, Gregory admitted he had not seen McKinley with a knife on the day of the incident. An expert on intimate partner battering testified about patterns of domestic violence and opined Gregory’s relationship with McKinkley contained a “cycle of violence” and that Gregory’s stabbing of McKinley was consistent with intimate partner battering. Verdict and Sentencing The jury convicted Gregory of battery causing serious bodily injury (§ 243, subd. (d)) and of assault with a deadly weapon (§ 245, subd. (a)(1)). The jury found true the allegation Gregory personally used a deadly weapon in the commission of the battery (§

2 After six attempts, an investigator for the prosecutor’s office personally served McKinley with two subpoenas to appear and testify at trial. McKinley ignored the subpoenas and the court admitted statements he made to the police at the hospital. The prosecution played an audio recording of his statements for the jury. 3 12202, subd. (d)(1)). Gregory moved for a new trial on several grounds, including prosecutorial misconduct. The court denied the motion, finding “no prejudicial let alone highly prejudicial or impermissible conduct by [the prosecutor], who has comported herself extraordinarily professionally throughout this case, as has [defense counsel].” At the sentencing hearing, the court sentenced Gregory to state prison for three years, suspended imposition of sentence, and placed him on probation with various terms and conditions. The court orally ordered: “You shall possess no weapons, and by weapons I’m including any knives of the sort that were used in this instance.” The court’s sentencing minute order, however, states, “Defendant not to possess knives.” At the sentencing hearing, the court also orally imposed a $240 restitution fine (§ 1202.4, subd. (b)), a $40 court operations assessment (§ 1465.8, subd. (a)), and a $30 criminal convictions assessment (Gov. Code, § 70373). The court’s sentencing minute order, however, includes additional fines and fees not orally imposed at the sentencing hearing, including: (1) a $240 restitution fine “per convicted felony count” (1202.4, subd. (b)); (2) a $240 probation revocation restitution fine (§ 1202.44); (3) “probation costs up to an amount of $50 per month” (§ 1203.1b, subd. (a)); (4) a $150 presentence investigation fee (§ 1203.1b, subd. (a)); and (5) a $135 booking fee (Gov. Code, § 29550.2). DISCUSSION I. Gregory’s Prosecutorial Misconduct Claim Fails Gregory contends the prosecutor committed misconduct during closing argument by appealing to the jury’s passion and prejudice, shifting the burden of proof, misstating the law, and denigrating the defense and defense expert. “‘“A prosecutor’s . . . intemperate behavior violates the federal Constitution when it comprises a pattern of conduct “so egregious that it infects the trial with such unfairness as to make the conviction a denial of due process.”’” [Citations.] Conduct by a prosecutor that does not render a criminal trial fundamentally unfair is prosecutorial misconduct under state law only if it involves “‘“the use of deceptive or reprehensible methods to attempt to persuade

4 either the court or the jury.”’” [Citations.]” (People v.

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People v. Gregory CA1/5, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-gregory-ca15-calctapp-2014.