People v. McMahan

3 Cal. App. 4th 740, 4 Cal. Rptr. 2d 708, 92 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 1357, 92 Daily Journal DAR 2185, 1992 Cal. App. LEXIS 593
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedJanuary 29, 1992
DocketF014845
StatusPublished
Cited by59 cases

This text of 3 Cal. App. 4th 740 (People v. McMahan) 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. McMahan, 3 Cal. App. 4th 740, 4 Cal. Rptr. 2d 708, 92 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 1357, 92 Daily Journal DAR 2185, 1992 Cal. App. LEXIS 593 (Cal. Ct. App. 1992).

Opinion

Opinion

BUCKLEY, J.

John E. McMahan appeals from a conviction by jury trial of a violation of Penal Code section 220, 1 assault with intent to commit rape, and from the jury’s finding in a bifurcated proceeding, that he suffered two prior convictions within the meaning of section 667, subdivision (a). 2 He contends the prosecution failed to meet its burden of proving the elements of *743 the prior conviction from the State of Missouri as an enhancement. McMahan also argues the trial court erred in imposing the fíne under section 290.3 without first determining he had the ability to pay the fine. We will affirm.

Discussion

Since the issues on appeal address only the prior conviction from Missouri and the fine imposed at sentencing pursuant to section 290.3, discussion of the facts relating to the section 220 conviction will be omitted.

At trial, the allegations regarding the prior convictions were bifurcated. The second prior conviction alleged was from the State of Missouri for rape (violation of § 566.030 punishable under § 558.011.1(2) of the Revised Statutes of Missouri). At trial on the prior conviction, over defense objection, the prosecution admitted into evidence the judgment/sentence, indictment, McMahan’s entry of plea of guilty, the conditions for his pretrial release and the transcript of the proceeding in which he entered his guilty plea in the State of Missouri.

There was no attempt to introduce any evidence, such as a copy of the pertinent Missouri statutes, indicating what elements must be shown to commit the offense of rape as defined in section 566.030 and punishable under section 558.011.1(2) of the Revised Statutes of Missouri.

It is this omission that McMahan contends is fatal to the finding of the prior conviction thereunder. In support of his argument, McMahan relies primarily on People v. Crowson (1983) 33 Cal.3d 623 [190 Cal.Rptr. 165, 660 P.2d 389] and People v. Guzman (Cal.App.). However, subsequent to submission of the briefs on appeal, Guzman was ordered depublished and therefore, is neither capable of being argued nor cited as authority.

As we will explain, reliance on Crowson is also unavailing. In Crowson, the Supreme Court held that a sentence enhancement for a prior foreign conviction is only permissible when the elements of the foreign crime, as defined by that jurisdiction’s statutory or common law, include all of the elements of the California felony. (33 Cal.3d at p. 632.) There, a one-year enhancement on a prior federal conspiracy offense was not found to be *744 authorized under section 667.5, subdivision (f) because the federal offense did not require proof of an overt act that was a necessary element under the corresponding California felony. The Crowson court first looked to the language of the statute and determined that the term “offense” refers to a specific crime as defined by law and not the actual conduct of defendant. (33 Cal.3d at p. 633.) The cases of In re Finley (1968) 68 Cal.2d 389 [66 Cal.Rptr. 733, 438 P.2d 381] and In re McVickers (1946) 29 Cal.2d 264, 276 [176 P.2d 40], relating to prior foreign convictions under section 668 were reviewed by the court and found supportive of its interpretation.

Crowson further held under the theory of collateral estoppel, a trier of fact is not permitted to rely on facts included in the record of conviction if proof of such facts is not a required element of the original offense. Because the defendant had no reason or incentive to contest them, these facts were not litigated in the original proceeding and were therefore deemed immaterial surplusage. (33 Cal.3d at pp. 633-634.)

Because of the prosecution’s failure to submit the pertinent Missouri statute, McMahan contends the jury may have relied on facts that were not properly adjudicated in the original proceeding to support its finding that his prior conviction was a serious felony under California law.

The continued viability of Crowson has been undercut by more recent cases such as People v. Guerrero (1988) 44 Cal.3d 343 [243 Cal.Rptr. 688, 748 P.2d 1150], People v. Johnson (1991) 233 Cal.App.3d 1541 [285 Cal.Rptr. 394] and others.

In People v. Guerrero, supra, 44 Cal.3d 343, 355, the Supreme Court held that a trier of fact may examine the entire record of conviction to determine the substance of the prior conviction. In that case, the prior conviction of burglary predated the enactment of a statute which made “residential burglary” a serious felony. The trier of fact was permitted to review the entire record to determine whether the prior burglary conviction involved a burglary of a residence.

The Supreme Court reviewed its earlier decisions involving section 668 which were also relied upon in Crowson: In re Finley, supra, 68 Cal.2d 389, In re Seeley (1946) 29 Cal.2d 294 [176 P.2d 24] and In re McVickers, supra, 29 Cal.2d 264. In doing so, the Supreme Court overruled People v. Alfaro (1986) 42 Cal.3d 627 [230 Cal.Rptr. 129, 724 P.2d 1154] which had limited proof to matters necessarily established by the prior judgment of conviction. Under Alfaro, the trier of fact was limited to reviewing the judgment and the matters necessarily adjudicated therein. (Id. at p. 636.)

*745 Although Guerrero involved a prior felony committed in California, certain cases relied upon by that court involved the use of prior foreign convictions for enhancement purposes. The principles set forth in Guerrero also apply to use of prior foreign convictions for enhancement purposes as authorized under section 667. (People v. Reynolds (1989) 211 Cal.App.3d 382, 390 [259 Cal.Rptr. 352]; People v. Johnson, supra, 233 Cal.App.3d 1541, 1547.)

We agree with the interpretation of Guerrero and Crowson given by the appellate court in People v. Johnson, supra, 233 Cal.App.3d 1541, a case involving an issue similar to that addressed here.

In Johnson, the court was presented with the Nevada indictment, judgment and trial court minute orders to support a finding that the Nevada prior was a serious felony.

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3 Cal. App. 4th 740, 4 Cal. Rptr. 2d 708, 92 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 1357, 92 Daily Journal DAR 2185, 1992 Cal. App. LEXIS 593, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-mcmahan-calctapp-1992.