People v. Mills CA2/5

CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedMay 23, 2014
DocketB251258
StatusUnpublished

This text of People v. Mills CA2/5 (People v. Mills CA2/5) 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. Mills CA2/5, (Cal. Ct. App. 2014).

Opinion

Filed 5/23/14 P. v. Mills CA2/5 NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL REPORTS California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for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 This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.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

SECOND APPELLATE DISTRICT

DIVISION FIVE

THE PEOPLE, B251258

Plaintiff and Respondent, (Los Angeles County Super. Ct. No. MA057312) v.

MICHAEL ERIC MILLS,

Defendant and Appellant.

APPEAL from a judgment of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, Eric P. Harmon, Judge. Affirmed with modifications. Richard L. Fitzer, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Defendant and Appellant. Kamala D. Harris, Attorney General, Dane R. Gillette, Chief Assistant Attorney General, Lance E. Winters, Assistant Attorney General, James William Bilderback II and Steven D. Matthews, Deputy Attorneys General, for Plaintiff and Respondent. I. INTRODUCTION

Defendant, Michael Eric Mills, pled no contest to first degree residential burglary. (Pen. Code, § 459.)1 Defendant admitted he had sustained prior convictions within the meaning of sections 667, subdivisions (b) through (i) and 1170.12. He also admitted he had previously served a prior prison term. (§ 667.5, subd. (b).) The trial court ruled an alleged section 667, subdivision (a)(1) five-year enhancement for a prior serious felony was inapplicable because the underlying offense was a juvenile adjudication. (People v. Smith (2003) 110 Cal.App.4th 1072, 1080, fn. 10; People v. West (1984) 154 Cal.App.3d 100, 106-110.) Defendant was sentenced to nine years in state prison. Defendant appeals from the denial of his motion to withdraw his no contest plea. Defendant obtained a probable cause certificate. (People v. Johnson (2009) 47 Cal.4th 668, 679; People v. Ribero (1971) 4 Cal.3d 55, 63-64.) We find no abuse of discretion. We modify the judgment with respect to presentence custody and conduct credits. We further modify the oral pronouncement of judgment to reflect penalties and a surcharge on a local crime prevention programs fine. (§ 1202.5, subd. (a).) We affirm the judgment as modified.

II. BACKGROUND

A. The September 20, 2012 Preliminary Hearing

The burglary occurred on July 17, 2012. A Nintendo system and a laptop were stolen. Deputy Daniel Gore interviewed defendant in custody on September 4, 2012. A “fingerprint return” from the first floor outside window pane of the victim, Kah-Kia Mattress, had led Deputy Gore to defendant. Defendant was told his fingerprint had been found on Ms. Mattress’s window. Defendant said he had a brief relationship with Ms. Mattress. Defendant explained that while visiting Ms. Mattress’s home, he closed a

1 Further statutory references are to the Penal Code except where otherwise noted.

2 window because it was cold in the house. Deputy Gore testified, “I explained to him that the fingerprint was on the outside, not on the inside of the window, and this happened in July when we were still in triple digit weather so there was no reason to close the window.” When Deputy Gore inquired, Ms. Mattress confirmed defendant had been in her house. But she denied defendant had ever touched the window. Ms. Mattress told Deputy Gore, “[H]e never shut the window because it was so hot, the air conditioning had been on.” Deputy Gore re-interviewed defendant. Deputy Gore accused defendant of burglarizing the apartment in anger after discovering Ms. Mattress was a man. Deputy Gore testified, “When I made the statement, [defendant] didn’t deny it and he didn’t confirm it.” Deputy Gore asked defendant whether Ms. Mattress’s property would be recovered. Defendant said the victim’s stolen gaming system was “long gone.” Defendant denied knowing anything about Ms. Mattress’s laptop. Defendant told Deputy Gore, “[H]e knew what he had done but he needed to find out what type of time, referring to what type of offer, he was going to be given . . . .” Defendant said he was willing to pay restitution. At the conclusion of the preliminary hearing, defendant was held to answer.

B. The Plea Negotiations

At the outset of the September 20, 2012, preliminary hearing, the prosecutor described a pending settlement offer: “It’s count 1, low term [of two years] doubled for the strike for a total of four years, and now count 2, one third the [two-year] midterm for a total of, I believe, five years[, four months].” Defendant, on the record, declined to accept the offer. The parties appeared for trial on January 22, 2013. The trial court inquired about the status of plea negotiations. Deputy Public Defender Cornell Mimms advised the court: “According to my notes, on September 20th, my client relayed an offer of four years to the People. And that was rejected. [¶] And according to my notes, that was the

3 last best offer made by the defense to the People. [¶] And I think at that time, the People’s offer was five years, four months. And that would be calculated as low term on count 1 plus count 2.” When the trial court asked whether the offer was still open, Deputy District Attorney Taly Peretz responded: “No, Your Honor. I don’t have any notes representing that offer of five years, four months. [¶] The only offer that I have in the file is a nine-year offer that was made prior to trial. And I believe that it was the low term times two plus the five-year prior.” The following transpired: “The Court: And Mr. Mimms, you indicated that your file indicates there was an offer extended at some point of five years, four months? [¶] Mr. Mimms: Correct. On [September 18], the People’s offer was nine years. [¶] It looks like two days later, the People made an offer on September 20th, five years, four months. They wanted a plea to both counts. [¶] . . . [¶] Ms. Peretz: . . . My notes indicate on September 20th, your Honor, in Department A- 2 in front of Judge Estes, my understanding is that the offer that was conveyed by counsel was a mid-term on Count 1. I don’t know if it’s just mid-term without double. [¶] . . . [¶] Mr. Mimms: It was mid-term, four years.” Following a lunch break, Ms. Peretz advised the trial court, “[W]e won’t take anything less than four years.” On January 28, 2013, after the jury was sworn, the parties announced they had a disposition. Ms. Peretz stated, “The defendant is going to plead guilty to count 1, a residential burglary, for the mid-term of four years doubled for the strike, eight, plus an additional one year pursuant to the [section] 667.5[, subdivision] (b) prior, for a total of nine years in state prison.” Following advisements and waivers, defendant pled no contest to first degree burglary and admitted the prior conviction and prison term allegations. Defendant did not admit he had sustained a prior serious felony conviction within the meaning of section 667, subdivision (a)(1).

C. Defendant’s Oral Motion To Withdraw His Plea

Over two months later, on April 2, 2013, Mr. Mimms said, “[Defendant] informed me he would like to withdraw his plea.” At Mr. Mimms’s request, the trial court

4 appointed new counsel to represent defendant to determine whether there were grounds to permit the plea to be withdrawn. On April 16, 2013, defendant appeared in court represented by Robert Nadler. Mr. Nadler sought and was granted a continuance. On June 14, 2013, defendant was once again represented by Mr. Mimms. The trial court stated on the record it had become aware of People v. Sanchez (2011) 53 Cal.4th 80, 90, which disapproved appointing a conflict attorney solely to evaluate a defendant’s legal grounds to withdraw a plea. Mr.

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People v. Mills CA2/5, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-mills-ca25-calctapp-2014.