People v. Lindsey CA1/5

CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedDecember 27, 2023
DocketA164328
StatusUnpublished

This text of People v. Lindsey CA1/5 (People v. Lindsey CA1/5) 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. Lindsey CA1/5, (Cal. Ct. App. 2023).

Opinion

Filed 12/27/23 P. v. Lindsey CA1/5 NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN OFFICIAL REPORTS California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for publication or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 This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.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 FIVE

THE PEOPLE, Plaintiff and Respondent, A164328 v. BRANDON LAMONT LINDSEY, (Contra Costa County Super. Ct. No. Defendant and Appellant. 52001139)

Defendant (and appellant) Brandon Lamont Lindsey appeals from a judgment of conviction and sentence imposed after a jury found him guilty of multiple crimes including assault with a semiautomatic firearm (Pen. Code, § 245, subd. (b)).1 He contends his conviction should be reversed because the trial court elicited from a witness that Lindsey used a semiautomatic, rather than a fully automatic, firearm. He further contends the case should be remanded so the court can exercise its sentencing discretion under amendments to section 1170 and other recent legislation. Respondent agrees that a remand for resentencing is appropriate. We will remand for the trial court to consider resentencing but affirm the judgment in all other respects.

1 All statutory references herein are to the Penal Code.

1 I. FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY In January 2020, the Contra Costa County District Attorney filed an Information charging Lindsey with attempted murder (§§ 664/187, subd. (a)—count 1), shooting at an occupied motor vehicle (§ 246—count 2), assault with a semiautomatic firearm (§ 245, subd. (b)—count 3), and attempted second degree robbery (§§ 664/211—count 4). As to counts 1, 2 and 4, it was alleged that Lindsey personally and intentionally discharged a firearm (§ 12022.53, subds. (b)–(d)). As to count 3, the Information alleged that he personally used an assault weapon or machine gun (§ 12022.5, subd. (b)). A. Trial During the jury trial, the following facts were elicited. At approximately 8:30 p.m. on September 21, 2018, John E. drove his then-girlfriend, Juliet W., in a Range Rover SUV to an address in Antioch. Juliet W. told John E. that she needed to speak to a man called “B,” who was “going to give her some painkillers” (described elsewhere in the record as “Norcos”). When they arrived, a man later identified as Lindsey directed them down a long alley. John E. drove down the alley to its dead end. Lindsey claimed to be waiting for his friend to arrive with the drugs. Lindsey’s friend eventually arrived in a small Honda or Toyota. Lindsey spoke to the friend, who then backed his car up the alley and stopped, blocking John E.’s way out. John E. became nervous and drove toward Lindsey and his friend. Lindsey reached into his friend’s car, pulled out a gun, ran up to John E.’s open window, and pointed the gun at his face. Lindsey demanded, “Give me all your money.” Keeping his eyes on Lindsey’s face, John E. told Juliet W. to give Lindsey the money because he did not want to get shot. Juliet W. said

2 no, and Lindsey pointed the gun at her. When she reached into her purse for the money, Lindsey pointed the gun back at John E.2 John E. thought Lindsey was going to start shooting, so he turned towards the center console and pulled his left arm up. Lindsey began firing, and John E. heard three gunshots. If John E. had not moved, all three bullets would have entered the left side of his chest. Instead, Lindsey shot the inside of John E.’s left forearm, and two bullets went into the driver’s seat. Juliet W. threw her money at Lindsey, and John E. “hit the gas” and “pushed” Lindsey’s friend’s car out of the way. John E. drove to a store, 911 was called, and the police responded. Antioch Police Officer Mark Moraga found two nine-millimeter bullet casings on the front seat of John E.’s SUV, along with bullet holes and bloodstains. The bullet casings were consistent with being shot from a semiautomatic firearm. On cross-examination, Moraga acknowledged there may be firearms other than semiautomatic firearms, such as revolvers, that could shoot a nine-millimeter round. Detective Adrian Gonzalez testified, however, that revolvers do not eject casings, while semiautomatic firearms do, and he would not expect to find casings if a revolver was used in a shooting. Police did not find the firearm at the scene. Text messages recovered from Juliet W.’s phone indicated that someone named “B” had told her where to buy pills and that she texted “B”’s number when she arrived. A photograph of a man known to another witness as “B” was identified as a photograph of Lindsey. From photographs of potential

2 John E.’s trial testimony as to whether the firearm was an automatic or semiautomatic is the subject of the main issue on appeal, discussed later in this opinion.

3 suspects, John E. identified Lindsey as the shooter. Lindsey provided his cellphone number to police, who determined that the cellphone was within a quarter of a mile of the crime scene at the time of the shooting and moved away from the scene after the shooting. B. Jury Verdict and Sentence The jury found Lindsey guilty on all counts and found the enhancement allegations true. The trial court sentenced Lindsey to 23 years in state prison. The sentence consisted of the upper term of nine years on count 3 (assault with a semiautomatic weapon), the upper term of 10 years for an enhancement on that count under section 12022.5, subdivision (a),3 eight months (one-third the midterm) on count 4 (attempted second degree robbery), plus three years and four months (one-third the term) for a section 12022.53, subdivision (b) firearm enhancement on that count. As to count 1 (attempted murder), the court imposed a concurrent nine-year term, striking the firearm enhancement under section 1385. As to count 2 (shooting at an occupied motor vehicle), the court imposed but stayed, pursuant to section 654, a seven-year upper term, striking the firearm enhancement under section 1385. Lindsey filed a timely notice of appeal. II. DISCUSSION A. Trial Court’s Questioning of Victim John E. As the jury was instructed, a conviction on count 3 required proof beyond a reasonable doubt that Lindsey perpetrated an assault with a semiautomatic firearm or pistol. (§ 245, subd. (b).) Lindsey contends the trial court committed misconduct and violated his due process and jury trial

3 Before the jury was given its final instructions, the enhancement alleged under section 12022.5, subdivision (b) was amended to allege an enhancement under section 12022.5, subdivision (a), to conform to the proof at trial.

4 rights by effectively directing John E. to testify that the firearm was a “semiautomatic.” His argument is unpersuasive. 1. Trial Court Proceedings On direct examination, the prosecutor asked John E. to describe the gun Lindsey pointed at him. John E. testified it was “[a]n automatic weapon.” The prosecutor asked, “What did it look like?” Defense counsel objected that the question called for speculation. Before the court could finish ruling, John E. responded, “I don’t know. I mean—[¶] I’m not really good with guns. I didn’t have any guns at the time.” The court overruled the objection and told the witness he could answer the question—specifically, what the gun “looked like.” John E. testified: “I know what a revolver looks like. I know what an automatic looks like. It looked like an automatic, like maybe a 9 milliliter [sic], .45.” At that point, the trial court interrupted the prosecutor and engaged John E. in the following exchange, which is at the heart of Lindsey’s appeal: “THE COURT: Just to make sure, an automatic weapon is a machine gun, okay. So— [¶] THE WITNESS: Okay.

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Bluebook (online)
People v. Lindsey CA1/5, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-lindsey-ca15-calctapp-2023.