People v. Holdridge CA1/3

CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedDecember 12, 2013
DocketA135692
StatusUnpublished

This text of People v. Holdridge CA1/3 (People v. Holdridge CA1/3) 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. Holdridge CA1/3, (Cal. Ct. App. 2013).

Opinion

Filed 12/12/13 P. v. Holdridge CA1/3 NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN OFFICIAL REPORTS California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for publication or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 This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.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 THREE

THE PEOPLE, Plaintiff and Respondent, A135692 v. BRENT JOHN HOLDRIDGE, (Humboldt County Super. Ct. Nos. CR1000371, Defendant and Appellant. CR1006116A & CR1001616)

In this appeal, defendant Brent John Holdridge challenges an order denying his motion to withdraw his guilty pleas in three criminal cases. Holdridge contends that, despite being promised probation with a suspended sentence, he was sentenced to serve seven years eight months in state prison. According to Holdridge, he is entitled to withdraw his pleas because the enactment of the Criminal Justice Realignment Act of 20111 (Realignment Act) rendered it impossible for the court to comply with the plea agreement and place him on probation. For reasons we shall explain, Holdridge’s argument lacks merit. The court’s decision to deny probation was consistent with his plea agreement and was not compelled by the Realignment Act. Accordingly, we affirm the judgment. PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND Holdridge appeals from an order denying his motion to withdraw his pleas in three Humboldt County cases. For ease of reference, and consistent with the identification of

1 Stats. 2011, 1st Ex. Sess. 2011-2012, ch. 12, § 1.

1 the cases in the abstract of judgment, we shall refer to case number CR1000371 as case A, case number CR1006116A as case B, and case number CR1001616 as case C. Also relevant to this appeal is Mendocino County case number SCUKCRCR 09-93336202, which we shall refer to as case D. The Mendocino County case—case D—was the subject of a separate appeal in Division One of this court but nonetheless bears upon the issues in this appeal because Holdridge’s plea agreement in cases A, B, and C turned on the sentence imposed by the Mendocino County Superior Court in case D.2 Case A In January 2010, the Humboldt County District Attorney filed a complaint in case A charging Holdridge with sale of methamphetamine (Health & Saf. Code, § 11379, subd. (a)), possession of methamphetamine (Health & Saf. Code, § 11377, subd. (a)), misdemeanor possession of marijuana while driving (Veh. Code, § 23222, subd. (b)), and driving a vehicle without a license plate (Veh. Code, § 5200, subd. (a)). In addition, as to the charge of selling methamphetamine, it was alleged that Holdridge had suffered two prior convictions for narcotics offenses (Health & Saf. Code, § 11370.2, subd. (c)). Case C In March 2010, the Humboldt County District Attorney filed a complaint in case C charging Holdridge with sale or transportation of marijuana (Health & Saf. Code, § 11360, subd. (a)) and sale of methamphetamine (Health & Saf. Code, § 11379, subd. (a)). Case D (Mendocino County) In April 2010, the Mendocino County District Attorney filed an information in case D charging Holdridge with transportation of methamphetamine (Health & Saf. Code, § 11379, subd. (a)) and possession of methamphetamine for sale (Health & Saf. Code, § 11378). It was also alleged that Holdridge had suffered two prior convictions for

2 At the request of the Attorney General, we take judicial notice of the record and appellate opinion in case D (People v. Holdridge (March 29, 2012, A134125 [nonpub. opn.]). (Evid. Code, §§ 452, subd. (d), 459, subd. (a); People v. McKinzie (2012) 54 Cal.4th 1302, 1350, fn. 1.)

2 narcotics offenses. (Health & Saf. Code, § 11370.2, subd. (c).) The charges in case D resulted from a probation search of Holdridge’s car during a traffic stop in October 2009. (See People v. Holdridge, supra, A134125.) July 2010 Plea in Cases A and C In July 2010, Holdridge agreed to a conditional plea resolving cases A and C. In case A he agreed to plead guilty to sale of methamphetamine and admit suffering two prior narcotics convictions, and in case C he agreed to plead guilty to sale or transportation of marijuana. The remaining charges in cases A and C were to be dismissed. The plea agreement specified that Holdridge was to be placed on probation after being sentenced to a ten-year term of imprisonment with execution of the sentence suspended. Case B In October 2010, before Holdridge was sentenced in cases A and C, the Humboldt County District Attorney filed a complaint in case B charging Holdridge with possession of methamphetamine (Health & Saf. Code, § 11377, subd. (a)), possession of a firearm by a convicted felon (Pen. Code, former § 12021, subd. (a)(1)),3 and maintaining a place for selling or using methamphetamine (Health & Saf. Code, § 11366). As to the charge of possession of methamphetamine, it was alleged that Holdridge was armed with a firearm during the commission of the offense. (§ 12022, subd. (a)(1).) At a hearing conducted in November 2010, the parties agreed to continue sentencing in cases A and C pending the outcome of case D in Mendocino County. January 2011 Plea in Case D In January 2011, Holdridge agreed to a plea resolving case D in Mendocino County. He agreed to plead no contest to possession of methamphetamine for sale and admitted one prior narcotics conviction in exchange for dismissal of the remaining

3 All further statutory references are to the Penal Code unless otherwise specified. Former section 12021, subdivision (a)(1) was repealed and reenacted as section 29800, subdivision (a)(1). (See Stats. 2010, ch. 711, § 6.)

3 charges. The plea was an open plea with a maximum confinement time of six years. During the plea colloquy, the Mendocino County Superior Court admonished Holdridge that “[i]t’s an open plea, meaning no representations are made to you as to whether you would be on probation or in custody or a prison term.” February 2011 Plea in Case B (plus Cases A and C) In February 2011, Holdridge agreed to a plea resolving case B in Humboldt County. He agreed to enter a plea of guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in exchange for dismissal of the remaining charges in case B. As part of the deal, he agreed that he would be subject to a maximum aggregate term of 10 years eight months in cases A, B, and C, with the understanding that execution of the sentence would be suspended and he would be placed on probation if he were granted probation in case D by the court in Mendocino County. In a letter to the probation department, the deputy district attorney explained the terms of the plea as follows: “The defendant is facing a maximum term of ten years and eight months on all three of his pending felonies [in Humboldt County]. The terms of the plea are that if he is placed on a grant of probation in Mendocino County, he will also receive probation here with the understanding it is 10 years, 8 months, execution of sentence suspended. If he receives prison in Mendocino County, he will also be sent to prison on our cases.” Consequently, unlike the earlier, July 2010 plea deal involving cases A and C in which Holdridge was promised probation with a suspended sentence, the February 2011 plea deal resolving all three of Holdridge’s Humboldt County cases (A, B, and C) offered the promise of probation only if the Mendocino County Superior Court first granted him probation in case D. July 2011 Sentencing in Cases A, B, and C In a supplemental probation report prepared in April 2011, the Humboldt County probation department noted that the Mendocino County probation department was recommending a prison sentence for Holdridge in case D.

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People v. Holdridge CA1/3, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-holdridge-ca13-calctapp-2013.