People v. Loveless CA4/3

CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedAugust 18, 2014
DocketG049644
StatusUnpublished

This text of People v. Loveless CA4/3 (People v. Loveless 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. Loveless CA4/3, (Cal. Ct. App. 2014).

Opinion

Filed 8/18/14 P. v. Loveless 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NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN OFFICIAL REPORTS California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for publication or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 This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.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, G049644

v. (Super. Ct. No. FSB702707)

QUWONTE LOVELESS, OPINION

Defendant and Appellant.

Appeal from a judgment of the Superior Court of San Bernardino County, Duke D. Rouse, Judge. (Retired judge of the San Bernardino Super. Ct. assigned by the Chief Justice pursuant to art. VI, § 6 of the Cal. Const.) Affirmed as modified. Michael B. McPartland, 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, Barry Carlton and Karl T. Terp, Deputy Attorneys General, for Plaintiff and Respondent. Quwonte Loveless appeals from a judgment after a jury convicted him of first degree murder, attempted willful, deliberate, and premeditated murder, and assault with a firearm, and found true firearm and street gang enhancements. Loveless argues the following: (1) the trial court erred in failing to instruct the jury sua sponte with a CALJIC instruction on resolving doubt between first and second degree murder in favor of the defendant; (2) the court erred in failing to give the jury the option of finding him guilty of attempted murder that was not willful, deliberate, and premeditated; and (3) there were sentencing errors. We agree the trial court’s instructions and the verdict form on attempted murder were erroneous but conclude Loveless was not prejudiced. We also conclude the trial court erred in sentencing Loveless. His other instructional claim is meritless, and we affirm the judgment as modified. FACTS In June 2007, Summer Starnes had a 16th birthday party at her home on 5580 Bonnie Street in San Bernardino. The day of the party, Starnes saw Loveless and Trevon Miller at a liquor store and invited them to her party. At the party, Starnes arranged for someone to search guests for weapons before they entered her home. Nineteen-year-old Loveless, a member of the 59th Street East Coast Crips (59th Street) who went by the gang moniker “Killer Tae,” went to the party with Miller 1 and Marshon Triplett.2 Miller, who was 14 years old, was also a member of 59th Street and went by the gang moniker “Capone.” Triplett, who was 16 years old, was a member of 18th Street Maze (18th Street) and went by the gang moniker, “Young 9” or “Baby 9.”

1 In exchange for his truthful testimony, Miller would not serve his 21-year prison sentence for committing voluntary manslaughter for the benefit of a criminal street gang.

2 In exchange for his truthful testimony, Triplett would not serve his 21-year prison sentence for committing voluntary manslaughter for the benefit of a criminal street gang.

2 Loveless, Miller, and Triplett were driven to the party by a man they knew as “Joe Blow” (Blow) in a Chevrolet Tahoe. Miller had a gun, which he gave to Loveless to sneak into the party. Loveless, Miller, and Triplett went into the backyard. In the backyard, Donzell Tate, a member of the Rolling 40 Crips (Rolling 40), approached Loveless and asked him if they still had a problem. Six years earlier Tate stabbed Loveless’s “godbrother.” Tate told Loveless, “I am going to stab you like I stabbed your brother[.]” Loveless pulled out a gun and threatened to shoot Tate as they continued to argue. Tate told Loveless they should move to the front of the house. Loveless refused Miller’s offer to hold the gun. Tate said he was going to get his gun and left. Loveless, Miller, and Triplett got into Blow’s vehicle, and Blow drove away; Loveless was in the passenger seat. Blow made a U-turn and drove past Starnes’s home. As Blow drove past the house, Loveless opened fire, firing 12 to 15 shots, two of which hit Demetrius Payne and resulted in his death. Officers arrived at the scene and found 12 bullet casings in front of Starnes’s home and on the street. Officers found two bullet holes in a car parked down the street. They also found two bullet holes in a residence near Starnes’s house. All of the rounds were fired from the same .40 caliber gun. A November 2007 information charged Loveless with first degree murder of Payne (Pen. Code, § 187, subd. (a))3 (count 1), attempted willful, deliberate, and premeditated murder of Tate (§§ 664, 187, subd. (a)) (count 2), and assault with a firearm (§ 245, subd. (a)(2)) (count 3). With respect to counts 1 and 2, the information alleged Loveless personally and intentionally discharged a firearm (§ 12022.53, subd. (c)), personally used a firearm (§ 12022.53, subd. (b)), and committed the offenses for the benefit of a criminal street gang (§ 186.22, subd. (b)(1)(C)). As to count 1, the

3 All further statutory references are to the Penal Code, unless otherwise indicated.

3 information also alleged he personally and intentionally discharged a firearm causing death (§ 12022.53, subd. (d)). With respect to count 3, the information alleged he personally used a firearm (§ 12022.5, subds. (a), (d)). After numerous continuances and pre-trial motions, trial commenced in April 2012. Triplett testified he did not remember if anyone in front of the house had a gun as they drove by. He did not remember hearing any gun shots other than when Loveless fired the gun. Miller testified they had to make a U-turn because Bonnie Street was a cul-de-sac. He stated that after Blow made the U-turn, he heard Triplett say, “Somebody got a gun.” He did not hear any shots other than the shots Loveless fired. Officer Michael Salazar testified concerning the physical evidence officers found on Bonnie Street. When presented with a photographic exhibit of Bonnie Street, Salazar said it was not a cul-de-sac; it is bordered on the south by Eureka Street and on the north by Foothill Drive. He said a driver going north on Bonnie Street would not have to make a U-turn to exit Bonnie Street. The parties stipulated 59th Street was a criminal street gang as defined in section 186.22. Kevin Snyder, a gang expert testified Loveless was a 59th Street gang member based on his self-admissions, his tattoos, and his associates. Snyder opined the offenses were committed for the benefit of a criminal street gang because the offenses show 59th Street gang members are willing to commit murder “to get their point across.” Loveless testified on his own behalf. Loveless admitted he pulled out a gun after Tate threatened to stab him. As Loveless walked towards Blow’s vehicle, he heard Tate say he was going to get his gun to shoot Loveless. Loveless, Miller, and Triplett got into Blow’s vehicle, Blow drove away, and he made a U-turn. As they drove past Starnes’s home, Miller said, “‘He got a gun.’” Loveless saw a flash and heard a gunshot. Loveless put his gun out of the window and fired in the direction of where the gunshot came from. Loveless testified he did not want to get shot and he did not intend to kill

4 anyone. He only wanted to get out of the area without being shot. Loveless claimed that a couple days later, he saw a couple of bullet holes in Blow’s vehicle. The trial court discussed the jury instructions, the CALCRIM instructions, both off and on the record. At no point did Loveless request the trial court instruct the jury with any CALJIC instructions. As relevant here, the court instructed the jury with the following: CALCRIM Nos.

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People v. Loveless CA4/3, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-loveless-ca43-calctapp-2014.