People v. Jenkins

44 Cal. Rptr. 3d 788, 140 Cal. App. 4th 805, 2006 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 5395, 2006 Daily Journal DAR 7809, 2006 Cal. App. LEXIS 909
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedJune 20, 2006
DocketB181966
StatusPublished
Cited by50 cases

This text of 44 Cal. Rptr. 3d 788 (People v. Jenkins) 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. Jenkins, 44 Cal. Rptr. 3d 788, 140 Cal. App. 4th 805, 2006 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 5395, 2006 Daily Journal DAR 7809, 2006 Cal. App. LEXIS 909 (Cal. Ct. App. 2006).

Opinion

Opinion

BOLAND, J.

INTRODUCTION

Appellant Mark Jenkins challenges his murder conviction on the grounds the trial court erred by concluding that his prior Utah convictions for aggravated robbery constituted serious or violent felonies under California *809 law, refusing his request to instruct on second degree murder as a lesser included offense, doubling his life without possibility of parole term under the “Three Strikes” law, and imposing a parole revocation fine.

We conclude the record is insufficient to prove that appellant’s Utah priors constitute serious or violent felonies under California law. Appellant was not entitled to instructions on second degree murder, as no evidence was presented that would have absolved him of felony murder but not second degree murder based upon malice. The trial court erred by imposing a parole revocation fine.

BACKGROUND AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY

Appellant entered a liquor store, placed a white plastic bag on the counter, and pointed a gun at the store’s proprietor, Chan Hoeung. Words were exchanged, and Hoeung drew his own gun. Appellant fired at Hoeung, who fired back. As a result of the gunfire, Hoeung died and appellant was injured.

A jury convicted appellant of first degree murder and found true a robbery-murder special-circumstance allegation. It also found he had personally and intentionally fired a gun, causing death, and personally used a gun. The court found appellant had suffered two prior serious or violent felony convictions and served two prior prison terms within the scope of Penal Code section 667.5, subdivision (b). It sentenced appellant to life in prison without possibility of parole, and doubled the term under the Three Strikes law. The court enhanced appellant’s sentence by 25 years to life under Penal Code section 12022.53, subdivision (d) and 10 years under Penal Code section 667, subdivision (a)(1).

DISCUSSION

1. Appellant’s prior Utah robbery convictions do not constitute serious or violent felonies under California law.

The information alleged appellant had suffered two prior serious and/or violent felony convictions within the scope of the Three Strikes law and Penal Code section 667, subdivision (a)(1). To prove these allegations, the prosecutor introduced the following: (1) a judgment of conviction dated October 30, 1997, reflecting a guilty plea to one count of aggravated robbery in Weber County, Utah; (2) a sentencing worksheet dated August 11, 1997, reflecting a conviction of one count of aggravated robbery in Davis County, Utah; (3) two copies of apparently the same Utah State Prison fingerprint card; and (4) photocopies of photographs of appellant. None of these documents indicate the facts underlying either of appellant’s aggravated robbery convictions.

*810 Appellant contends the evidence was insufficient to show that his Utah aggravated robbery convictions constituted strikes or prior serious felonies for purposes of enhancement under Penal Code section 667, subdivision (a)(1). In particular, he argues robbery may be committed in Utah with a different intent than is required in California. He further argues that, whereas California law requires that force or fear be used against the person in possession of the property taken in a robbery, force or fear may be used against any person in Utah. Therefore, he argues, application of the Three Strikes law and Penal Code section 667, subdivision (a)(1) violated due process.

Penal Code section 667, subdivision (a)(1) provides for a sentence enhancement for each prior conviction for “any offense committed in another jurisdiction which includes all of the elements of any serious felony” under California law. Under the Three Strikes law, a prior conviction from another jurisdiction constitutes a strike if it is “for an offense that includes all of the elements of the particular felony as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 667.5 or subdivision (c) of Section 1192.7.” (Pen. Code, §§ 667, subd. (d)(2), 1170.12, subd. (b)(2).) Thus, the prior foreign conviction “must involve conduct that would qualify as a serious [or violent] felony in California.” (People v. Avery (2002) 27 Cal.4th 49, 53 [115 Cal.Rptr.2d 403, 38 P.3d 1].) “To make this determination, the court may consider the entire record of the prior conviction as well as the elements of the crime.” (Ibid.) If the record insufficiently reveals the facts of the prior offense, the court must presume the prior conviction was for the least offense punishable under the foreign law. (People v. Rodriguez (1998) 17 Cal.4th 253, 262 [70 Cal.Rptr.2d 334, 949 P.2d 31]; People v. Guerrero (1988) 44 Cal.3d 343, 352 [243 Cal.Rptr. 688, 748 P.2d 1150].) Robbery constitutes both a serious and violent felony. (Pen. Code, §§ 667.5, subd. (c)(9), 1192.7, subd. (c)(19).)

The proof of appellant’s Utah offenses consisted of records that established only the existence, date, and statutory authority of his convictions. Because this evidence did not establish any of the facts underlying the charges or convictions, the determination of whether these offenses would constitute serious or violent felonies if committed in California must be made from an analysis of the elements of aggravated robbery under Utah law and a comparison of Utah and California law.

a. Target of force or fear

In 1997, a person committed aggravated robbery in Utah “if in the course of committing robbery, he: [f] (a) uses or threatens to use a dangerous weapon as defined in Section 76-1-601; [f] (b) causes serious bodily injury upon another; or [f] (c) takes ... an operable motor vehicle.” (Utah Code Ann. (1953) § 76-6-302, subd. (1), p. 255.)

*811 In 1997, the Utah robbery statute provided that “[a] person commits robbery if: [][] (a) the person unlawfully and intentionally takes or attempts to take personal property in the possession of another from his person, or immediate presence, against his will, by means of force or fear; or [f] (b) the person intentionally or knowingly uses force or fear of immediate force against another in the course of committing a theft.” (Utah Code Ann. (1953) § 76-6-301, subd. (1).) 1

Appellant contends that under subdivision (l)(b) of section 76-6-301, a defendant could be convicted of robbery if he stole the property of one person without the use of force or fear, but used force or fear against a second person without any possessory interest in the property during his flight from the scene of the theft.

Under California law, a theft accomplished without the use of force or fear becomes robbery if force or fear is used during asportation. (People v. Estes (1983) 147 Cal.App.3d 23, 28 [194 Cal.Rptr.

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44 Cal. Rptr. 3d 788, 140 Cal. App. 4th 805, 2006 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 5395, 2006 Daily Journal DAR 7809, 2006 Cal. App. LEXIS 909, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-jenkins-calctapp-2006.