People v. Jester CA6

CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedMay 16, 2014
DocketH037592
StatusUnpublished

This text of People v. Jester CA6 (People v. Jester CA6) 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. Jester CA6, (Cal. Ct. App. 2014).

Opinion

Filed 5/16/14 P. v. Jester CA6 NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN OFFICIAL REPORTS California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for publication or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 This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.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

SIXTH APPELLATE DISTRICT

THE PEOPLE, H037592 (Monterey County Plaintiff and Respondent, Super. Ct. No. SS102695A)

v.

STEVEN ANTHONY JESTER,

Defendant and Appellant.

A jury convicted defendant Steven Anthony Jester of attempting by threat or violence to deter the performance of an officer’s duty (Pen. Code, § 69), failing to comply with a lawful order (Veh. Code, former § 2800, subd. (a)),1 driving under the influence (DUI) (§ 23152, subd. (a)), and possessing marijuana while driving (§ 23222, subd. (b)). An allegation that he willfully refused to submit to a chemical test (§ 23577, subd. (a)) was also found true. The jury acquitted defendant of making criminal threats (Pen. Code, § 422). The trial court suspended imposition of sentence and placed him on probation. On appeal, defendant contends that (1) there was insufficient evidence to support his former section 2800 and Penal Code section 69 convictions and the section 23577 enhancement because the prosecution failed to prove the officer acted lawfully; (2) the

1 Further statutory references are to the Vehicle Code unless otherwise noted. trial court prejudicially erred in failing to instruct the jury on “the element of lawfulness” and the elements of criminal trespass; (3) the trial court prejudicially misinstructed the jury on “the reach of Penal Code section 69;” (4) the trial court prejudicially erred in giving CALCRIM No. 225 instead of CALCRIM No. 224; (5) the trial court abused its discretion in allowing the “surprise testimony” of a 911 caller; (6) his defense counsel was prejudicially deficient; and (7) the cumulative effect of the trial court’s errors denied him due process. Defendant also asks us to independently review the transcript of the in camera hearing on his Pitchess2 motion for discovery of police officer personnel records, which the trial court denied. We affirm.

I. Background California Highway Patrol (CHP) Officer Ben Grasmuck was on patrol in Big Sur around 4:45 p.m. on December 8, 2010. He was traveling north on Highway 1 when he came upon defendant and another man standing on the shoulder in the middle of the Bixby Bridge. Defendant was lowering something over the west side of the bridge as the other man video recorded his actions. Grasmuck believed that defendant was about to bungee jump from the bridge. He radioed for backup, stopped his patrol vehicle, activated its emergency lights, and told defendant over the P.A. system, “ ‘Don’t even think about it’ . . . . ‘Pull your crap up.’ ” As Grasmuck got out of his vehicle, defendant “jumped up on the bridge railing,” lost his balance and fell back onto the roadway, and then climbed up again. It “looked like he was going to parachute off the bridge.” Grasmuck put up his hand to stop an approaching pickup truck because he “was worried about [defendant] falling backwards in front of that truck.” “I was concerned about his safety. I was concerned about traffic safety. I didn’t know what the guy with the camera

2 Pitchess v. Superior Court (1974) 11 Cal.3d 531 (Pitchess).

2 was going to do.” Grasmuck told defendant he would arrest him if he jumped. Defendant told him, “Sorry, but I gotta do it.” “And then he jumped.” Grasmuck drove to the Bixby Bridge parking area. Videographer Tyler Mitchell was waiting there for defendant. When defendant returned, Grasmuck arrested him for disobeying a lawful order. Grasmuck had noticed defendant’s “red and watery” eyes before defendant jumped. He also “smelled a strong odor” of alcohol that he thought came from defendant. When he put defendant into the patrol vehicle, Grasmuck again noticed “the strong odor of an alcoholic beverage . . . .” Defendant’s speech was slurred. His “eyes were red and watery.” He was also “loud” and “argumentative.” Defendant was “yelling” at Mitchell to film the encounter and “yelling” at Grasmuck that he could not arrest him for jumping off the bridge. Grasmuck had made over 1,200 DUI arrests and assisted in about 1,000 more in his 23 years with the CHP. He concluded that defendant was “very intoxicated” and told him he was also under arrest for DUI. Officer John Correa responded to Grasmuck’s call for backup. Correa did an inventory search of defendant’s black Isuzu Trooper. He found two baggies of a substance that he recognized as marijuana in “the main pocket” of a backpack on the rear seat of the Isuzu. Grasmuck transported defendant to the CHP office in Salinas. Defendant was “screaming” insults at him during the 90-minute drive. “And then he would calm down for a little while” and ask why Grasmuck arrested him. When Grasmuck repeated that defendant was under arrest for disobeying a lawful order, “for jumping off of the bridge, which is a trespassing charge,” and for DUI, “that would send him up that ramp again.” Defendant repeatedly threatened to “find [Grasmuck] later” and “fuck [him] up” but then apologized. He offered several times to give Grasmuck a free skydiving lesson if he let him go. Mood swings and threats are “not uncommon when you arrest somebody for drunk driving” but Grasmuck became concerned when defendant threatened his family. 3 Defendant said, “I’m gonna look you up on Facebook and I’m gonna find you. And then I’m going to come to your house, I’m gonna fuck you up.” “I’m going to find you on the internet. I’m gonna find your wife. I’m gonna befriend her and I’m going to fuck her up the ass.” At the CHP office, Grasmuck told defendant that he was required to take a chemical test. Defendant “screamed back I wasn’t driving, I was jumping off a bridge.” Grasmuck read the requirement to defendant and asked again if he would submit to the test. “And he said no, fuck you.” Grasmuck testified at trial about what occurred that day. The jury viewed Mitchell’s two videos and examined 28 photographs of the Bixby Bridge area. Grasmuck explained that there is no designated trail providing public access to the beach below the bridge. The area below the bridge and most of the land along Highway 1 in the area is privately owned. Grasmuck testified that “at the time, I thought the only way out was across private property up Bixby Creek. . . . But there was another way that was unknown to me at that time.” Defendant returned from the beach that way. Mitchell testified that defendant called him on December 8, 2010 from somewhere near Mitchell’s house in Marina and asked if he wanted to go to Big Sur. Defendant appeared “normal” when he drove up about 20 minutes later. Mitchell denied telling Grasmuck that he smelled alcohol on defendant’s breath when defendant picked him up. Mitchell had not used alcohol or drugs that day. Neither he nor defendant consumed alcohol during the drive to the bridge. Mitchell noticed defendant weaving “a little bit” as he drove and “maybe veer[ing] from the lane a little bit.” When they arrived at the bridge, defendant told Mitchell that there was alcohol in the truck and offered him some. Mitchell declined. He testified that defendant “was drinking a lot” for 10 or 15 minutes before he jumped. Defendant downed “multiple” glasses of an alcoholic beverage “[i]n gulps.” Mitchell did not recall telling police that

4 defendant had nothing alcoholic to drink at the bridge or that they had been there just 10 minutes before Grasmuck arrived.

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Bluebook (online)
People v. Jester CA6, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-jester-ca6-calctapp-2014.