People v. Jefferson

CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedAugust 6, 2019
DocketF074519
StatusPublished

This text of People v. Jefferson (People v. Jefferson) 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. Jefferson, (Cal. Ct. App. 2019).

Opinion

Filed 8/6/19

CERTIFIED FOR PARTIAL PUBLICATION*

IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

FIFTH APPELLATE DISTRICT

THE PEOPLE, F074519 Plaintiff and Respondent, (Super. Ct. No. F15907389) v.

TYRECE DEVELLE JEFFERSON, OPINION Defendant and Appellant.

APPEAL from a judgment of the Superior Court of Fresno County. Arlan L. Harrell, Judge.

Allen G. Weinberg, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Defendant and Appellant. Xavier Becerra, Attorney General, Gerald A. Engler, Chief Assistant Attorney General, Michael P. Farrell, Assistant Attorney General, Catherine Chatman and A. Kay Lauterbach, Deputy Attorneys General, for Plaintiff and Respondent. -ooOoo-

*Pursuant to California Rules of Court, rules 8.1105(b) and 8.1110, this opinion is certified for publication with the exception of parts I through IV and VI. INTRODUCTION Among other appellate contentions, defendant Tyrece Develle Jefferson argues he is entitled to a remand of his case to permit the trial court to exercise its discretion regarding whether to permit him to seek mental health diversion under newly enacted section 1001.36 of the Penal Code. (Undesignated statutory references are to the Pen. Code.) Because the trial court clearly found, in another context, that defendant’s alleged mental health disorder was not a significant factor in his commission of the charged offenses, we conclude a remand for further consideration on this question would be futile. We therefore reject defendant’s contention. Defendant was charged with and convicted of attempted second degree robbery (§§ 664, 211; count 1), assault with a semiautomatic firearm (§ 245, subd. (b); count 2), possession of a firearm by a felon (§ 29800, subd. (a)(1); count 3), and multiple enhancements after he attempted to rob a store at gunpoint. He challenges his conviction for assault with a semiautomatic firearm, arguing the trial court’s failure to sua sponte instruct the jury regarding unanimity resulted in a violation of his right to due process. He also asserts numerous challenges to his sentence. First, he contends remand is required because the trial court mistakenly believed it was required to sentence him consecutively on counts 1 and 2, though it had discretion to run the counts concurrently. To the extent that contention was waived for failure to object, defendant argues he received ineffective assistance of counsel. He next challenges the victim restitution order. He further contends all of his convictions should be conditionally reversed so the trial court can consider granting him mental health diversion pursuant to section 1001.36. Finally, he seeks a new sentencing hearing to permit the trial court to exercise its discretion and decide whether to strike the firearm enhancements in light of Senate Bill No. 620 (2017–2018 Reg. Sess.) (Senate Bill 620) and his two prior serious felony enhancements in light of Senate Bill No. 1393 (2017–2018 Reg. Sess.) (Senate Bill 1393).

2. We remand this matter for resentencing to permit the trial court to exercise its discretion regarding whether to run the sentences on counts 1 and 2 consecutively or concurrently and to consider whether to dismiss defendant’s firearm and/or prior serious felony enhancements in light of Senate Bills 620 and 1393. In all other respects, the judgment is affirmed. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND On November 26, 2015, Ms. Ward was working as a cashier at a store in Fresno. Around noon, defendant, who had a mask over his face, entered the store holding a silver gun and approached Ward’s register. He pointed the gun at Ward and told her to “‘[g]ive [him] the money.’” Ward was scared and called the manager to open the register drawer but then realized she could open it herself. She opened the register and “backed up.” Defendant “threw [a] bag” and told her to “‘[p]ut the money in the bag.’” Ward was about to put money in the bag when the customer who was paying, Mr. Rodriguez, turned and handed his five-month-old baby to his wife. Defendant told Rodriguez, “‘No, you’re fine’” or “‘you’re cool’” and then turned the gun back on Ward. Rodriguez approached defendant, punched him, and tried to grab the gun. They began fighting inside the store and then moved outside. Defendant’s pistol “lightly hit” Rodriguez in the face. Rodriguez explained, as they struggled, he was trying to get away from the gun because it was right next to his ribs. Eventually, a shot was fired. After the gunshot, Ward’s coworker, Mr. Botello, saw defendant pointing the gun toward the store, trying to pull back the slide or cock it. Rodriguez grabbed the gun and kicked it away. Rodriguez and Botello managed to subdue defendant on the ground until police arrived and apprehended him. Another person delivered the gun to police when they arrived. The gun’s magazine was “one round short of being full.” It was a “working firearm.” The police found a “bullet impact in the carpet” inside of the store.

3. Neither Ward nor Botello saw defendant’s face. Rodriguez saw defendant’s face once Rodriguez subdued him after the fight and the mask slipped partway, revealing facial tattoos; Rodriguez identified him as the perpetrator at trial. The People introduced video surveillance footage from the store. Another employee who was present that day and witnessed the events, Ms. Coffman, narrated what was occurring in the video. The video depicted a masked man entering the store at 12:16 p.m. He waved a gun around and interacted with the cashier. At 12:17 p.m. a man in a white shirt could be seen approaching the gunman and the two engaged in a struggle. Within seconds, the struggle continued outside of the store and Coffman explained the gun went off. Coffman testified: “They hit the white van. They are struggling, struggling, fighting, and [the gunman’s] hand went up, the gun went off. Then when the gun went off, it fell to the ground.” She did not see the gun pointing toward anyone when it went off. The People also introduced a recording of the police interview conducted with defendant on November 26, 2015. In the interview, defendant admitted he went into the store “to do a robbery,” and he “told the clerk, open the register.” He stated he “wasn’t trying to hurt nobody”; he was going through a “tough time” and “needed some money.” The jury convicted defendant of attempted second degree robbery (§§ 664, 211; count 1), assault with a semiautomatic firearm (§ 245, subd. (d); count 2), and possession of a firearm by a felon (§ 29800, subd. (a)(1); count 3). Following the guilt phase, the court conducted a proceeding for the jury to consider defendant’s plea of not guilty by reason of insanity. During that hearing, defendant testified he became suicidal and homicidal when he was approximately 15 years old and his mother passed away. He tried to commit suicide while in juvenile hall by using sheets to hang himself from a bunk but the staff intervened and cut him down. According to defendant, he was treated for depression and anxiety at the California Youth Authority when he was 17 and had “panic attacks, bipolar,

4. schizophrenic and emotional states. And other things, such as like … anger problems and stuff.” He testified he was prescribed medication, including Vistaril and lithium. He was released from the California Youth Authority in 2004 but went back to prison as an adult from 2005 to 2015. Defendant testified, while in prison he was diagnosed with “bipolar, schizophrenic [sic], anxiety, depression, a few other things, such as dealing with anger and having nightmares and stuff, panic attacks.” By panic attacks, defendant explained: “I become unconscious or I black out, I get real anxiety [sic] and I don’t properly think, I just react.” Defendant testified, while in prison in 2013, he attempted suicide again by cutting his wrist. He also hung himself in his room in 2014 when his grandmother died.

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Bluebook (online)
People v. Jefferson, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-jefferson-calctapp-2019.