People v. Overly

171 Cal. App. 3d 203, 216 Cal. Rptr. 924, 1985 Cal. App. LEXIS 2402
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedAugust 16, 1985
DocketNo. B007805
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 171 Cal. App. 3d 203 (People v. Overly) 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. Overly, 171 Cal. App. 3d 203, 216 Cal. Rptr. 924, 1985 Cal. App. LEXIS 2402 (Cal. Ct. App. 1985).

Opinion

Opinion

STONE, P. J.

Richard Overly appeals from an order of recommitment to Atascadero State Hospital for an additional two years. (Pen. Code, § 1026.5, subd. (b).) He contends there was insufficient evidence to support the trial court’s order and that Penal Code section 1026.5, subdivision (b) is inapplicable to the offense which underlies his original commitment. We disagree with both arguments and affirm the order.

I

Facts

On November 26, 1979, appellant, a patient at Atascadero State Hospital, assaulted another patient while in the dining room by stabbing him in the head and neck with a piece of silverware. This incident spawned a criminal charge against appellant of assault with a deadly weapon, a felony (Pen. Code, § 245, subd. (a)), to which he pleaded “not guilty” and “not guilty by reason of insanity.” Appellant and the People waived trial by jury; the trial court found him guilty of the felony charged and then, at the sanity phase of the trial, found him not guilty by reason of insanity. The court committed him to Atascadero State Hospital. (Pen. Code, § 1026.)

On April 9, 1984, the district attorney filed a petition for extended commitment requesting that appellant’s commitment be extended because he represented a substantial danger of physical harm to others. (Pen. Code, § 1026.5, subd. (b).) Appellant waived trial by jury. After hearing testimony of three expert witnesses as well as appellant and receiving evidence concerning the original charge, the trial court found that appellant had committed a felony posing serious threat of bodily harm to another person and that he represented a substantial danger of physical harm to others.

II

Discussion

A. Substantial Evidence

Appellant contends the evidence is insufficient to support the trial court’s decision to extend commitment to Atascadero. This argument stems from [207]*207the trial court’s statement that, “[t]he evidence is conflicting and if the only witness who had testified was Dr. Dennis, the Court could not make that finding [that appellant posed a substantial danger to others].” Apparently the court reached that conclusion because Doctor Dennis, a hospital psychiatrist, testified that appellant “has a propensity for being a substantial danger to others should he respond to stimuli commanding him to carry out assaultive behavior.” (Italics added.) He would not say that appellant represented a substantial danger of physical harm to others.1

To continue confinement, the prosecution bears the burden of demonstrating beyond a reasonable doubt, that appellant is mentally ill and causes a physical danger to others. (People v. Buttes (1982) 134 Cal.App.3d 116, 125 [184 Cal.Rptr. 497]; People v. Bennett (1982) 131 Cal.App.3d 488, 492 [182 Cal.Rptr. 473].) Testimony by mental health experts is often the only way to establish whether such dangerousness exists. (People v. Bennett, supra, at p. 497.)

Although we find no authority which specifically sets forth the standard for reviewing sufficiency of evidence to support a Penal Code section 1026.5 extension, we note that in considering recommitment of a person as a mentally disordered sex offender, the reviewing court applies the same test employed to review a judgment of conviction. (People v. Martin (1980) 107 Cal.App.3d 714, 719 [165 Cal.Rptr. 773].) Since the classes of offenders are so similar (In re Moye (1978) 22 Cal.3d 457, 463 [149 Cal.Rptr. 491, 584 P.2d 1097]), the same criterion should be used here. Thus, we review the entire record in the light most favorable to the judgment to determine whether substantial evidence supports the trial court’s conclusion. (People v. Johnson (1980) 26 Cal.3d 557, 576-578 [162 Cal.Rptr. 431, 606 P.2d 738, 16 A.L.R.4th 1255].)

Doctor Dennis stated that appellant was a chronic paranoid-schizophrenic who responded to internal stimuli and who, at times, was not fully in contact with reality. Although Doctor Dennis had observed no evidence of assaultive behavior in the prior six months, he attributed his behavioral improvement to “being in a very highly structured environment” and receiving “very high doses of neurotrophic medication.” He was uncertain whether his improved function would continue in a less structured setting, noted his recidivism, and mentioned that he had not taken his medication when released to the community previously. Doctor Dennis supported a recommendation for recommitment.

[208]*208Doctor Salcedo, a staff clinical psychologist, testified that he had observed occurrences personally and heard reports from others of appellant’s assaultive behavior in the preceding year, and opined that appellant represented a substantial danger of physical harm to others. Doctor Mosman, a court-appointed clinical psychologist, reached the same conclusion after having read medical and staff reports and interviewing appellant.

Appellant contends that, because Doctor Dennis was “the most qualified witness” and had seen no recent evidence of assaultive behavior, his opinion was entitled to greatest weight. Not so. Appellant cites no authority, nor are we aware of any, that requires a trier of fact to favor testimony of a psychiatrist over that of a psychologist. Conflicts in evidence, and even testimony, which are subject to justifiable suspicion do not justify reversal of a judgment. (People v. Thornton (1974) 11 Cal.3d 738, 754 [114 Cal.Rptr. 467, 523 P.2d 267], disapproved on other grounds in People v. Flannel (1979) 25 Cal.3d 668, 684 [160 Cal.Rptr. 84, 603 P.2d 1].) The trial court had before it evidence which was reasonable, credible, and of solid value, from which it could find that appellant posed a substantial danger of physical harm to others. (People v. Thompson (1980) 27 Cal.3d 303, 322-323 [165 Cal.Rptr. 289, 611 P.2d 883].) Moreover, proof of a recent overt act is not constitutionally required to extend the commitment of a person found to be criminally insane. (People v. Buttes, supra, 134 Cal.App.3d 116, 127.) There was no error.

B. Applicability of Penal Code Section 1026.5, Subdivision (b)

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Related

People v. Overly
171 Cal. App. 3d 203 (California Court of Appeal, 1985)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
171 Cal. App. 3d 203, 216 Cal. Rptr. 924, 1985 Cal. App. LEXIS 2402, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-overly-calctapp-1985.