People v. Hebert

67 Cal. Rptr. 3d 893, 156 Cal. App. 4th 1114, 2007 Cal. App. LEXIS 1842
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedNovember 13, 2007
DocketC054280
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 67 Cal. Rptr. 3d 893 (People v. Hebert) 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. Hebert, 67 Cal. Rptr. 3d 893, 156 Cal. App. 4th 1114, 2007 Cal. App. LEXIS 1842 (Cal. Ct. App. 2007).

Opinion

67 Cal.Rptr.3d 893 (2007)
156 Cal.App.4th 1114

The PEOPLE, Plaintiff and Respondent,
v.
Joseph HEBERT, Defendant and Appellant.

No. C054280.

Court of Appeal of California, Third District.

November 13, 2007.

*894 Alex Green, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Defendant and Appellant.

Edmund G. Brown, Jr., Attorney General, Dane R. Gillette, Chief Assistant Attorney General, Michael P. Farrell, Senior Assistant Attorney General, David A. Rhodes and Clayton S. Tanaka, Deputy Attorneys General, for Defendant and Appellant.

RAYE, J.

One spring evening, officers, responded to an uncompleted 911 call from defendant Joseph Hebert's residence.[1] Defendant admitted he had earlier smoked "speed" and told officers his kitchen contained drugs. Two years later, on Christmas Eve, defendant repeatedly made harassing phone calls to a 911 operator, requesting sexual favors and threatening to kill the President. When officers took defendant into custody, they found a small baggie of methamphetamine.

The first incident resulted in a complaint charging defendant with possession of cocaine base, being under the influence of a controlled substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia. (Health and Saf. Code, §§ 11350, 11550, subd. (a), 11364.) Defendant entered a plea of no contest to possession of cocaine base. The trial court granted defendant probation on the condition he complete a Proposition 36 drug treatment program. (Pen.Code, § 1210.1.)

The second incident resulted in an information charging defendant with felony possession of methamphetamine and misuse of a 911 emergency line. (Health & Saf.Code, § 11377, subd. (a); Pen.Code, § 653x.) Defendant entered a negotiated plea of no contest.

After defendant failed to appear, the court sentenced him to three years in state prison. Defendant appeals, arguing he must be allowed to withdraw his plea pursuant to Penal Code section 1192.5. We shall reverse the judgment.

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

In April 2003 officers were dispatched to defendant's residence in response to an incomplete 911 call. The caller yelled profanities and said he wanted to "get the bitch in his sights." After officers arrived, one of them recognized defendant from a previous encounter. Defendant appeared to be under the influence of narcotics. He admitted smoking speed that afternoon and told officers his kitchen contained drugs. Officers found a tinfoil smoking pipe in defendant's pocket and seized .13 gram of cocaine base.

On Christmas Eve of 2005 officers responded to reports of harassing phone calls to a 911 operator emanating from defendant's residence. In the calls, defendant requested sexual favors from the dispatcher, threatened to kill the President, and claimed to be employed by the California *895 Highway Patrol and the American Consulate. Defendant refused to stop calling 911, even after being advised that his calls were not of an emergency nature. When officers took defendant into custody, they discovered a small baggie containing .97 gram of methamphetamine in his pocket.

In case No. 03FO3671, stemming from the April 2003 incident, a complaint charged defendant with possession of cocaine base, being under the influence of methamphetamine, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Defendant entered a plea of no contest to possession of cocaine base.

The trial court placed defendant on four years' formal probation and ordered him to serve 240 days in the county jail, to be suspended pending successful completion of a Proposition 36 program. Defendant later requested deletion of the Proposition 36 program requirement and was remanded to serve his jail sentence.

Two years later, in case No. 05F11205, an information charged defendant with possession of methamphetamine and misuse of a 911 emergency line. The information also alleged defendant had been convicted of a strike prior under Penal Code sections 667, subdivisions (b) through (i) and 1170.12. The court revoked defendant's probation in case No. 03F03671. The trial court also granted defendant's request to represent himself.

Appearing in propria persona at a hearing on his own motions, defendant announced that he and the district attorney had discussed plea arrangements and he was prepared to enter a plea. Thereafter, the court inquired about the terms of the plea and the prosecutor described the offer. The court then explained the sentencing process, including the necessity of a probation report, whereupon defendant explained that his decision to plead was because of his impending eviction and that he needed to be released from custody. The court asked the prosecutor about defendant's criminal history, after which the following colloquy ensued:

"The Court: Mr. Hebert, I need to know what you're going to do today. [¶] Are you going to enter a plea, or do you want me to hear your motion to compel?

"The Defendant: Well, I would say this, Your Honor: [¶] I would be more than willing to forego, as far as entering the plea, if the district attorney or the People would not oppose an OR in the interrum [sic] of the sentencing, and I—

"The Court: That offer was to the People, [¶] ... [¶] ... I could require a Cruz waiver. [¶] ... [¶] All right. Mr. Hebert, here's what I will do, because it's the Judge that has to release you. It's not the prosecutor. [¶] ... [¶] If I release you, following your entry of plea, I would require what is referred to as a Cruz waiver.

"The Defendant: Okay.

"The Court: In other words, I would let you out, if you agree that at sentencing, if you failed to show up, then you go to prison for sixteen months.

"The Defendant: Absolutely, Your Honor. [¶] I would-I was going to say the high term. I would be willing to take the high term.

"The Court: All right. We'll call it three years if you're willing to accept the high term.

"The Defendant: If I am willing to ... this is only based upon the fact that I do not appear at the sentencing?

"The Court: Correct.

"The Defendant: Okay. Absolutely, Your Honor.

"The Court: I need a guarantee you will come back.

*896 "The Defendant: Yes, that's a guarantee, Your Honor.

"The Court: You're willing to enter a Cruz waiver for the upper term of three years? [¶] ... [¶]

"The Defendant: Provided I get released today.

"The Court: Are you prepared to enter a plea on the charges on the conditions stated by the prosecutor, sir?

"The Defendant: Yes, Your Honor. [H] However, there is one exception. The— since the threats or the information is hearsay in the police report concerning those alleged statements of kilhng the President and the sexual favors, I would ask that those be omitted. [¶] I do plead to the charge.

"The Court: Omitted?

"The Defendant: Well, not so much omitted. Those are facts that have not been sustained or proven, is what I am saying.

"The Court: You're saying out of the complaint. [¶] How is the complaint plead [sic]? Is it fact spiecific?

"Mr. Trudgen [prosecutor]: I don't believe so, Your Honor.

"The Court: Let me see the complaint.

"Mr. Trudgen: Although it would be included in the factual basis."

The trial court then advised defendant of his constitutional rights. Defendant entered his plea. The trial court then informed defendant he was to return on April 11. The court continued: "Now, I will release you on your own recognizance pending judgment and sentencing, but I am going to take from you what I call a Cruz

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Bluebook (online)
67 Cal. Rptr. 3d 893, 156 Cal. App. 4th 1114, 2007 Cal. App. LEXIS 1842, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-hebert-calctapp-2007.