People v. Loeza CA4/3

CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedFebruary 24, 2015
DocketG048660
StatusUnpublished

This text of People v. Loeza CA4/3 (People v. Loeza CA4/3) 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. Loeza CA4/3, (Cal. Ct. App. 2015).

Opinion

Filed 2/24/15 P. v. Loeza CA4/3

NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN OFFICIAL REPORTS California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for publication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 This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.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

FOURTH APPELLATE DISTRICT

DIVISION THREE

THE PEOPLE,

Plaintiff and Respondent, G048660

v. (Super. Ct. No. 12CF1411)

EDUARDO ORTIZ LOEZA, OPINION

Defendant and Appellant.

Appeal from a judgment of the Superior Court of Orange County, Thomas M. Goethals, Judge. Affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded with directions. Cynthia M. Jones, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Defendant and Appellant. Kamala D. Harris, Attorney General, Dane R. Gillette, Chief Assistant Attorney General, Julie L. Garland, Assistant Attorney General, Eric A. Swenson and Jennifer B. Truong, Deputy Attorneys General, for Plaintiff and Respondent. * * * INTRODUCTION A jury found Eduardo Ortiz Loeza guilty under count 1 of attempted forcible oral copulation (Pen. Code, §§ 288a, subd. (c)(2), 664, subd. (a)), under count 2 of sexual battery by restraint (id., § 243.4, subd. (a)), and under count 3 of misdemeanor 1 simple assault (id., § 242) as a lesser included offense of the charged offense of assault of a minor with the intent to commit a sexual offense (id., § 220, subd. (a)(2)). The trial court sentenced Loeza to a term of three years on count 2, with a concurrent term of three years on count 1, and suspended imposition of sentence on count 3. Loeza argues his conviction for simple assault must be reversed because it is a lesser included offense of sexual battery by restraint, for which he was convicted under count 2. He also argues he should receive one more day of presentence custody credit because Penal Code section 4019, subdivision (f) (section 4019(f)) must be interpreted as authorizing one day of presentence conduct credit for each day of actual presentence custody. We conclude, under the evidence presented, misdemeanor simple assault is a lesser included offense of sexual battery by restraint and, therefore, Loeza’s conviction under count 3 must be reversed. We also conclude that section 4019(f) authorizes two days of presentence conduct credit for every two days of actual custody and, therefore, Loeza is not entitled to an additional day of presentence custody credit. Our interpretation of section 4019(f), which is based on its plain and unambiguous language, does not violate equal protection. Accordingly, we reverse the conviction under count 3, remand with directions to modify the judgment to award Loeza 414 days of presentence conduct credit, and in all other respects affirm.

1 The jury verdict found Loeza guilty of “SIMPLE ASSAULT” in violation of Penal Code section 242, which defines battery. The jury was instructed on simple assault under Penal Code sections 240 and 241, subdivision (a).

2 FACTS Loeza lived with his girlfriend and their son in her parent’s three-bedroom house. Loeza and his girlfriend shared one bedroom. The girlfriend’s sister, M.Q., lived in the same house and slept in a different bedroom. On May 10, 2012 at 2:30 a.m., while half asleep, M.Q. heard a knock on her bedroom door. She got out of bed and opened the door to find Loeza standing outside. He told her to let him sleep in her bedroom. When she said no, he put his foot in the door so she could not close it. He pulled out a knife, forced himself into the room, and locked the door behind him. With the door locked, Loeza repeatedly told M.Q. he desired her. She told him to leave and reminded him that he was her sister’s boyfriend and that he had a son. Loeza told M.Q. to sit on the bed. She complied because she was afraid he would hurt her. Loeza touched M.Q.’s arms and legs and kissed her. When she tried to push him away, he told her, “don’t get me mad” and threatened her with the knife. He began to caress her bottom. He lifted M.Q.’s shirt, reached under her bra, and touched her breast. M.Q. told Loeza she was having her menstrual cycle and placed a teddy bear on her lap to deflect his advances. He tried pulling the teddy bear away and told her he wanted to have sex with her. Loeza pulled down his pants and exposed his erect penis. He grabbed M.Q.’s hand, placed it on his penis, and told her to move her hand back and forth. When M.Q. tried to pull her hand away, Loeza threatened her by saying, “don’t get me mad.” Loeza told M.Q. to put her mouth on his penis. She said no and resisted. He grabbed her head and pulled it toward his penis. She kept pushing away until he let go of her head. Then, a noise startled Loeza. He pulled his pants up and told M.Q. that if she told anybody what he had done, “something was going to happen” to her family.

3 DISCUSSION I. Misdemeanor Assault Conviction The jury found Loeza guilty under count 3 of simple assault as a lesser included offense of the charged offense of assault of a minor with intent to commit a sexual offense. Loeza seeks reversal of that conviction on the ground it was also a lesser included offense of count 2 (sexual battery by restraint). A defendant cannot be convicted of both an offense and a lesser offense necessarily included within that offense based on his or her commission of the identical act. (People v. Sanchez (2001) 24 Cal.4th 983, 987.) “When a defendant is found guilty of both a greater and a necessarily lesser included offense arising out of the same act or course of conduct, and the evidence supports the verdict on the greater offense, that conviction is controlling, and the conviction of the lesser offense must be reversed.” (People v. Sanders (2012) 55 Cal.4th 731, 736.) A lesser offense is necessarily included in the charged offense if either the “‘elements’” test or the “‘accusatory pleading’” test is met. (People v. Lopez (1998) 19 Cal.4th 282, 288.) The elements test is satisfied if all of the elements of the lesser offense are included in the elements of the greater offense. (Ibid.) “[I]f a crime cannot be committed without also necessarily committing a lesser offense, the latter is a lesser included offense within the former.” (Ibid.) Simple assault can be a lesser included offense of sexual battery by restraint. (People v. Carapeli (1988) 201 Cal.App.3d 589 (Carapeli).) In Carapeli, the victim agreed to give the defendant a ride to his home. (Id. at p. 591.) At one point, before the car came to a complete stop, the defendant crawled on top of the victim and, while she tried to set the emergency brake, tried to kiss her, and placed one hand down her blouse and the other hand up her skirt. (Id. at p. 592.) Although the victim resisted, the defendant managed to touch her breasts and vaginal area. (Ibid.) The victim ran from

4 the car and screamed for help. (Ibid.) The defendant ran after her, caught her, threw her over his shoulder and carried her to some bushes, where he threw her down and got on top of her. (Ibid.) The defendant again touched her breasts and vaginal area. The victim asked the defendant to get off her so she could remove a rock pressing against her back. (Ibid.) When he lifted up his body, the victim rolled out from under him and ran to the car. After a scuffle with the defendant, who had run after her, the victim was able to drive away. (Ibid.) In Carapeli, supra, 201 Cal.App.3d at page 591, the jury convicted the defendant of assault with intent to commit rape and sexual battery by restraint (corresponding to counts 3 and 2, respectively, in this case).

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People v. Olivas
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People v. Loeza CA4/3, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-loeza-ca43-calctapp-2015.