People v. Lopez

173 Cal. App. 3d 125, 218 Cal. Rptr. 799, 1985 Cal. App. LEXIS 2612
California Court of Appeal·Decided October 10, 1985·No. Docket Nos. F002620, F002714, F003146·Published·Cited by 8 cases

Opinion

Opinion

RITCHEY, J. *

The present case represents the consolidated appeals of four defendants: Billy Kenneth Turner, Mark Anthony Hinojos, Michael Miguel Renteria, and Paul Anthony Lopez.

In an information filed in Tulare County Superior Court in March 1983, defendants Turner and Hinojos were charged with multiple violations of the Penal Code: 1 count I, section 211 (robbery); count II, section 459 (burglary). It was also alleged that during the commission and attempted commission of these offenses, defendants were armed within the meaning of section 12022, subdivision (a). In the third count of this information, Turner was additionally charged with violation of Vehicle Code section 10851 (unlawful driving or taking of a vehicle).

*130 Two other informations were filed in Tulare County Superior Court that same month. In one of these, Renteria was charged with violation of section 213.5 (robbery of an inhabited dwelling) in count I. Count II charged him with violation of section 459. As with Turner and Hinojos, it was further alleged in this information that Renteria was armed within the meaning of section 12022, subdivision (a). In the other information, Lopez was charged in count I with violation of section 459, and in count II with violation of section 211. Each defendant was arraigned and pled not guilty. In April, Turner filed a motion, joined in by Renteria and Lopez, to suppress evidence or return evidence pursuant to section 1538.5. A similar, separate motion was made by Hinojos.

All parties ultimately agreed the preliminary hearing transcript of February 25, 1983, should be considered in deciding the issues presented in their suppression motions. This preliminary hearing involved only defendants Turner, Hinojos, and Renteria. Although Lopez had a separate preliminary hearing, he stipulated at his suppression hearing that the preliminary hearing of the other defendants be used in deciding the merits of his motion. Also to be used in deciding his motion was the testimony of Detective Hardin, the affiant, taken at Lopez’ suppression hearing. Hinojos had a separate suppression hearing. However, no mention was made of Hardin’s testimony of April 19, 1983, at Hinojos’ suppression motion. Further, Hardin did not testify at this hearing.

These motions were denied. Subsequently, all defendants withdrew their pleas and pled guilty to some or all of the charges against them. Turner pled guilty to robbery, taking and driving an automobile, and admitted the arming allegation. Hinojos pled guilty to burglary. Renteria pled guilty to robbery of an inhabited dwelling and admitted being armed. In exchange for his promise to testify truthfully against his codefendants, Lopez was allowed to plead guilty to burglary. The charge was reduced to a misdemeanor pursuant to section 17, subdivision (b). They timely appeal their convictions.

Facts

Because this case presents appeals of the denial of suppression motions, the facts surrounding the crimes for which defendants are charged will be recounted only briefly.

The statement in support of probable cause, the affidavit, the search warrant, and police reports attached to the affidavit, were exhibits at both suppression hearings. The facts will therefore be those taken from those documents and the preliminary hearing transcript of February 25, 1983. *131 The additional testimony of Officer Hardin taken at the suppression hearing of April 19, 1983, will be used in analyzing the issues presented by all defendants except Hinojos.

During the evening of January 10, 1983, three masked men broke into the home of Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Lauritzen. The Lauritzens were bound and their heads were covered so they could not see what the men were doing. One of the men carried a shotgun, another carried a stick.

The men asked where the jewelry, money and guns were kept. For approximately an hour, the men were in the house. The Lauritzens heard them rummaging about. Jewelry was removed from both Mr. and Mrs. Lauritzen. The men asked for the car keys. Mr. Lauritzen later heard what he believed to be the sound of his cars being started. After the men left, Mr. Lauritzen untied himself and his wife. They went to a neighbor’s house and called the sheriff.

It was later determined that one of their vehicles was missing. Jewelry, cash, firearms, appliances and other miscellaneous items had also been taken.

On January 20, 1983, a statement of probable cause was filed in the Municipal Court for the Tulare-Pixley Judicial District by Detective Hardin. He stated he had been investigating the robbery at the Lauritzens’ home and that he had received information about the robbery from a confidential informant who had visited Turner’s residence on two occasions. The informant was in the custody of the sheriff’s department at the time Hardin interviewed him.

According to the detective, Turner told the informant he and three others were involved: one stood watch while he and two others carried out the actual robbery. The informant also told Hardin that Turner showed him a diamond ring and leather carrying case used for carrying liquor. The case held a mixing cup and a bottle of Jack Daniels. The ring was described as a large ring with one large diamond in the center, surrounded by eight smaller diamonds. The ring and case were similar to those reported stolen during the Lauritzen robbery. The informant said he was shown these items at Turner’s residence.

The informant was shown a picture of the stolen ring. He identified it as being the one he saw in Turner’s possession on both visits. Hardin contacted Mrs. Lauritzen who informed him that one of three bottles in the liquor case at the time it was stolen was either Early Times or Jack Daniels.

*132 It was requested by Hardin that the warrant additionally authorize nighttime service. The basis for this request was fear the property would be disposed of through sale or transfer.

Turner’s home was searched on January 21, 1983, at 6 a.m. Items from the Lauritzen robbery were recovered. Turner made statements incriminating himself and all other defendants. As the other defendants were contacted, additional incriminating statements were made.

Omissions from and misstatements in the statement of probable cause became apparent from Hardin’s testimony at the preliminary hearing. Those argued on appeal as a basis for reversing the denial of defendants’ section 1538.5 motions are as follows: The informant was not only in custody, but criminal charges were pending against him. Hardin told the informant there was a possibility the felony charges would be dropped if he cooperated. The informant was unable to provide Hardin with Turner’s street address.

At the suppression hearing held on April 19, 1983, Hardin testified he omitted the information about possible dismissal of charges in exchange for cooperation because he did not believe this fact to be important. He also did not think knowledge of this fact would influence the magistrate. He did not believe the fact was intentionally omitted.

I. Omissions and Misstatements

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

People v. Lopez, 173 Cal. App. 3d 125, 218 Cal. Rptr. 799, 1985 Cal. App. LEXIS 2612 (Cal. Ct. App. 1985).

173 Cal. App. 3d 125 (People v. Lopez) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

Related

People v. Jones CA5
California Court of Appeal, 2022
County of Contra Costa v. Humore, Inc.
45 Cal. App. 4th 1335 (California Court of Appeal, 1996)
People v. Huston
210 Cal. App. 3d 192 (California Court of Appeal, 1989)
Rodriguez v. Superior Court
199 Cal. App. 3d 1453 (California Court of Appeal, 1988)
Sanchez v. State
734 P.2d 726 (Nevada Supreme Court, 1987)
People v. Mayer
188 Cal. App. 3d 1101 (California Court of Appeal, 1987)
People v. Neer
177 Cal. App. 3d 991 (California Court of Appeal, 1986)