People v. Moore CA2/4

California Court of Appeal·Decided October 12, 2023·No. B322489·Unpublished

Opinion

Filed 10/12/23 P. v. Moore CA2/4 NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL REPORTS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 This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.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 FOUR

THE PEOPLE, B322489

Plaintiff and Respondent, (Los Angeles County Super. Ct. No. MA078625) v.

LAMARR MOORE,

Defendant and Appellant.

APPEAL from a judgment of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, Kathleen Blanchard, Judge. Affirmed as modified. Aaron J. Schechter, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Defendant and Appellant. Rob Bonta, Attorney General, Lance E. Winters, Chief Assistant Attorney General, Susan Sullivan Pithey, Assistant Attorney General, Wyatt E. Bloomfield, Supervising Deputy Attorney General, and Nicholas J. Webster, Deputy Attorney General, for Plaintiff and Respondent. INTRODUCTION A jury convicted defendant Lamarr Moore of attempted murder, three counts of assault, and other firearm-related offenses. Defendant asserts multiple sentencing errors on appeal. He contends the trial court erred in: (1) imposing the upper term on one of his firearm enhancements (Pen. Code, § 1170, subd. (b));1 (2) failing to dismiss all but one firearm enhancement (§ 1385, subd. (c)(2)(B)); (3) miscalculating his presentence credits; and (4) imposing two assessments and a restitution fine without determining defendant’s ability to pay. We conclude that defendant forfeited any claim of error based on the trial court’s imposition of the upper term as well as the court’s failure to assess defendant’s ability to pay. We further conclude the court was not required to dismiss all but one enhancement under section 1385, subdivision (c)(2)(B). We accept the Attorney General’s concession that the presentence credits were miscalculated but reject defendant’s assertion the court erred in applying all of his conduct credits to his 364-day county jail term in count 1. We therefore modify the judgment but otherwise affirm.

PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND We provide only the facts relevant to the issues raised on appeal. In June 2022, a jury found defendant guilty of exhibiting a concealed firearm in public (§ 417, subd. (a)(2)(A), count 1), four counts of felon in possession of a firearm (§ 29800, subd. (a)(1), counts 2 and 7 through 9), attempted murder (§§ 664/187, subd. (a), count 3), three counts of assault with a firearm (§ 245, subd. (a)(2), counts 4 through 6), and unlawful

1 All further statutory references are to the Penal Code unless otherwise stated.

2 possession of ammunition (§ 30305, subd. (a)(1), count 10). As to counts 3 through 6, the jury found true the allegation that defendant personally used a firearm (§ 12022.5, subd. (a)). Prior to trial, defendant admitted he had a prior felony conviction for carrying a concealed firearm (§ 25400, subd. (a)(2)) for purposes of the felon in possession of a firearm charge. At the sentencing hearing in July 2022, the trial court noted both parties had stipulated that the court could use the probation officer’s report for purposes of sentencing. The court acknowledged the “newly amended Penal Code section 1170[, subdivision] (b)(2),” and explained that it was “now limited to imposing a sentence that does not exceed the middle term, except when circumstances in aggravation have been admitted by the defendant, proven to the jury or to the court.” However, “the court can look at the defendant’s criminal history.” The court then sentenced defendant to an aggregate term of 27 years and 4 months in state prison. As relevant here, the court designated count 3 (attempted murder) as the base term and sentenced defendant to the midterm of 7 years plus the upper term of 10 years for the firearm enhancement. The court explained that the upper term on the firearm enhancement was imposed based on its finding the following two factors in aggravation: “[t]he defendant has engaged in violent conduct that indicates a serious danger to society” (Cal. Rules of Court, rule 4.421(b)(1));2 and “[t]he defendant’s prior convictions as an adult or sustained petitions in juvenile delinquency proceedings are numerous or of increasing seriousness” (Cal. Rules of Court, rule 4.421(b)(2)).

2 The trial court indicated it was relying on California Rules of Court, rules 4.421(b)(2), (b)(3). However, it is clear from the record (and to the parties) that the court intended to reference rules 4.421(b)(1) and (b)(2).

3 The court granted defendant 541 days of presentence credits, which included 470 days of actual credits and 71 days of conduct credit. The court then applied all 71 days of conduct credit and 293 days of actual credit to satisfy the 364-day sentence he was to serve in county jail in count 1. After the credit for time served, the court indicated “there will be a . . . total of 165 days of credit” remaining. The court imposed $400 in court operations assessments, $300 in conviction assessments, and a $500 restitution fine. Defendant filed a timely notice of appeal.

DISCUSSION 1. Imposition of the Upper Term Defendant contends that we must vacate the sentence and remand the matter because he did not admit, and the jury did not find true beyond a reasonable doubt, the facts underlying the circumstances in aggravation that the trial court relied upon in imposing the upper term for the firearm enhancement in count 3. We agree with the Attorney General that the issue is forfeited.

A. Senate Bill No. 567 In late 2021, Senate Bill No. 567 was signed into law, amending the determinate sentencing scheme in section 1170, subdivision (b). Prior to the bill’s passage, section 1170, subdivision (b), permitted sentencing courts to impose determinate sentences comprised of either the lower, middle, or upper terms. Sentencing courts had broad discretion to impose any of the three terms and could make factual findings regarding aggravating or mitigating circumstances as described in California Rules of Court, rules 4.421 and 4.423.

4 On January 1, 2022, under the newly amended law, the middle term was deemed the presumptive term of imprisonment. (§ 1170, subd. (b)(1).) Following the enactment of Senate Bill No. 567, sentencing courts may only impose the upper term sentence where there are circumstances in aggravation that justify imposition of a term of imprisonment exceeding the middle term, and the facts underlying all of the aggravating circumstances have been stipulated to by the defendant or are found true beyond a reasonable doubt by a jury or a trial court. (§ 1170, subds. (b)(1), (2).) As an exception to the general rule, a trial court is permitted to rely upon a certified record of conviction to determine prior criminality for purposes of sentencing without submitting the prior conviction to a jury. (§ 1170, subd. (b)(3).)

B. Forfeiture “[T]he right to challenge a criminal sentence on appeal is not unrestricted. In order to encourage prompt detection and correction of error, and to reduce the number of unnecessary appellate claims, reviewing courts have required parties to raise certain issues at the time of sentencing. In such cases, lack of a timely and meaningful objection forfeits or waives the claim.” (People v. Scott (1994) 9 Cal.4th 331, 351, italics omitted.) The forfeiture doctrine applies to “claims involving the trial court’s failure to properly make . . . its discretionary sentencing choices.” (Id. at p. 353; accord, People v. Scott (2015) 61 Cal.4th 363, 406.) For the forfeiture doctrine to apply, the trial court must give the parties a meaningful opportunity to object or seek clarification of potential errors in a sentence. (People v.

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