People v. Rocha CA4/2
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Opinion
Filed 10/30/14 P. v. Rocha CA4/2
NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN OFFICIAL REPORTS California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for publication or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 This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.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 TWO
THE PEOPLE,
Plaintiff and Respondent, E059570
v. (Super.Ct.No. RIF1303076)
DANIEL NINO ROCHA, OPINION
Defendant and Appellant.
APPEAL from the Superior Court of Riverside County. Bernard Schwartz, Judge.
Affirmed with directions.
Rodger P. Curnow, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Defendant and
Appellant.
Kamala D. Harris, Attorney General, Julie L. Garland, Assistant Attorney General,
Eric A. Swenson, Kristine A. Gutierrez, and Lynne G. McGinnis, Deputy Attorneys
General, for Plaintiff and Respondent.
1 I
INTRODUCTION
Defendant Daniel Nino Rocha appeals from judgment entered following jury
convictions for assault with a firearm (Pen. Code, § 245, subd. (a)(2)1; count 1),
possession of a firearm by a felon (§ 29800, subd. (a)(1); count 2), and participation in a
street gang (§ 186.22, subd. (a); count 3)). The jury also found true the enhancements of
personally using a firearm and personally inflicting great bodily injury (GBI) as to
count 1 (§§ 12022.5, subd. (a), and 12022.7, subd. (a)). As to counts 1 and 2, the jury
found true allegations that the crimes were committed for the benefit of, at the direction
of, or in association with, a criminal street gang (§ 186.22, subd. (b)). In addition,
defendant admitted he served one prior prison term (§ 667.5, subd. (b)) and had one prior
serious felony conviction (§ 667.5, subd. (a)) and one prior strike conviction (§§ 667,
subds. (a) & (e)(1), and 1170.12, subd. (e)(1)). The trial court sentenced defendant to an
aggregate prison term of 38 years and eight months.
Defendant contends the trial court’s admission of preliminary hearing testimony
by David Jackson and Bernie Davis violated defendant’s constitutional rights to
confrontation, due process, cross-examination, compulsory process, and a fair trial, and to
present a defense. Defendant also contends there was insufficient evidence to support his
convictions, and the trial court erred in failing to give a clarifying instruction on the
meaning of “in association with any criminal street gang.” Defendant further argues
1 Unless otherwise noted, all statutory references are to the Penal Code.
2 there was insufficient evidence to support the gang enhancements, and the sentence on
count 3 must be stayed. We conclude there was no prejudicial error, with the exception
the sentence on count 3 must be stayed under section 654. In all other regards, we affirm
the judgment.
II
FACTS
As Jackson was arriving home on October 10, 2012, around 9:45 p.m., he noticed
two men on his street, Hillside Drive. The men looked “weird” to him. After parking
and entering his home, he heard his dogs barking and noise coming from his backyard
gate which adjoins the backyard of his neighbor, David Herrera.2 Jackson went outside
and saw one or two people running from his house, up the street. Jackson went to
David’s house and told him someone had been in David’s backyard and jumped his
fence.
Jackson, David, and his cousin Bernie Davis got into Jackson’s four-door truck
and drove about 300 feet, in the direction Jackson had seen the two men running.
Jackson drove up to the two men and stopped. David, Davis, and Jackson got out of the
truck and confronted the two men. David had already started wrestling with one of the
two men as Davis went around the truck to the other side where they were fighting.
2To avoid confusion, witnesses David Herrera and Gabriel Herrera, who share the same last name but are not related, will be referred to by their first names. We will also refer Bernie Davis’s wife, Jordan Davis, by her first name, and to sisters, Marissa, Selena, and Liana Holmes, by their first names. All others will be referred to by their last names.
3 While David was fighting with one of the men, the other man shot Jackson in the left
hand, both legs, and stomach. Jackson said, “‘Help me. Help me. Get me to the
hospital. I’m down. . . . I’m going to die. I’m going to die.’” Jackson claimed he did
not have a gun when he was shot. His wife’s gun was in the glove compartment of his
truck.
Davis testified that, after Jackson was shot, Jackson or David told Davis to pick up
Jackson’s gun on the ground and put it in the truck glove compartment box. Davis did
so. Davis and David picked up Jackson, put him in the truck, and drove him to the
hospital.
Robert Peters, who lived on Hillside Drive, testified at trial that on October 10,
2012, around 9:45 p.m., he heard about six rapidly fired gunshots. Robert’s wife called
911. Robert grabbed his firearm, ran to the front door, opened the door, and saw a gray
or black SUV with its headlights on and engine running, in front of his driveway. There
were about four individuals running around the car, with the driver and passengers
switching seats. Robert yelled from his front door, “What’s going on?” After the second
time he yelled this, a young man said, “It’s not me. They’re shooting at us.” Robert said,
“‘Then get out of here,’” and they sped off. Ten or 15 minutes later the police arrived.
Officer Bennett responded to the call. The dispatcher said a black SUV had left
the shooting scene on Hillside Drive. Bennett observed a black SUV leaving the area,
reported it to dispatch, and followed the SUV to the hospital. Officer Segura provided
backup, following Bennett’s unit. Upon the SUV’s arrival at the hospital, the officers
conducted a felony stop. A man got out of the back of the SUV, yelling, “‘I’ve been shot.
4 I’ve been shot.’” The officers identified the man as Jackson and assisted him in getting
medical help.
The officers returned to the Hillside Drive area to determine the location of the
crime scene and search for evidence. Bennett contacted Robert and his wife, who told
Bennett there had been gunshots in the area of their home and two men had been seen
jumping over a retaining wall, and running through the front yard of another residence.
Several other witnesses also saw the two men going over the retaining wall. Bennett saw
two sets of foot prints in the wet grass by the retaining wall of a nearby home. Law
enforcement secured the home on Hillside Drive, with an officer watching the back of the
home. A taxi came to pick up Marissa at the home. Bennett approached her as she
walked out to the cab. At Bennett’s request, Marissa called her mother, Rosanna Saubel,
and asked her to come outside. Rosanna came out and told Bennett there were no
suspects in her house. Only her two other daughters were there. Rosanna consented to
the officers searching her home to confirm the suspects were not there.
Bennett, Officer Feola, and Police Sergeant Hobb entered Rosanna’s home with
guns drawn. Rosanna’s two daughters, Selena and Liana, were in the living room. Feola
went to the back of the house and outside, where he chased a suspect in the backyard. He
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Filed 10/30/14 P. v. Rocha CA4/2
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 TWO
THE PEOPLE,
Plaintiff and Respondent, E059570
v. (Super.Ct.No. RIF1303076)
DANIEL NINO ROCHA, OPINION
Defendant and Appellant.
APPEAL from the Superior Court of Riverside County. Bernard Schwartz, Judge.
Affirmed with directions.
Rodger P. Curnow, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Defendant and
Appellant.
Kamala D. Harris, Attorney General, Julie L. Garland, Assistant Attorney General,
Eric A. Swenson, Kristine A. Gutierrez, and Lynne G. McGinnis, Deputy Attorneys
General, for Plaintiff and Respondent.
1 I
INTRODUCTION
Defendant Daniel Nino Rocha appeals from judgment entered following jury
convictions for assault with a firearm (Pen. Code, § 245, subd. (a)(2)1; count 1),
possession of a firearm by a felon (§ 29800, subd. (a)(1); count 2), and participation in a
street gang (§ 186.22, subd. (a); count 3)). The jury also found true the enhancements of
personally using a firearm and personally inflicting great bodily injury (GBI) as to
count 1 (§§ 12022.5, subd. (a), and 12022.7, subd. (a)). As to counts 1 and 2, the jury
found true allegations that the crimes were committed for the benefit of, at the direction
of, or in association with, a criminal street gang (§ 186.22, subd. (b)). In addition,
defendant admitted he served one prior prison term (§ 667.5, subd. (b)) and had one prior
serious felony conviction (§ 667.5, subd. (a)) and one prior strike conviction (§§ 667,
subds. (a) & (e)(1), and 1170.12, subd. (e)(1)). The trial court sentenced defendant to an
aggregate prison term of 38 years and eight months.
Defendant contends the trial court’s admission of preliminary hearing testimony
by David Jackson and Bernie Davis violated defendant’s constitutional rights to
confrontation, due process, cross-examination, compulsory process, and a fair trial, and to
present a defense. Defendant also contends there was insufficient evidence to support his
convictions, and the trial court erred in failing to give a clarifying instruction on the
meaning of “in association with any criminal street gang.” Defendant further argues
1 Unless otherwise noted, all statutory references are to the Penal Code.
2 there was insufficient evidence to support the gang enhancements, and the sentence on
count 3 must be stayed. We conclude there was no prejudicial error, with the exception
the sentence on count 3 must be stayed under section 654. In all other regards, we affirm
the judgment.
II
FACTS
As Jackson was arriving home on October 10, 2012, around 9:45 p.m., he noticed
two men on his street, Hillside Drive. The men looked “weird” to him. After parking
and entering his home, he heard his dogs barking and noise coming from his backyard
gate which adjoins the backyard of his neighbor, David Herrera.2 Jackson went outside
and saw one or two people running from his house, up the street. Jackson went to
David’s house and told him someone had been in David’s backyard and jumped his
fence.
Jackson, David, and his cousin Bernie Davis got into Jackson’s four-door truck
and drove about 300 feet, in the direction Jackson had seen the two men running.
Jackson drove up to the two men and stopped. David, Davis, and Jackson got out of the
truck and confronted the two men. David had already started wrestling with one of the
two men as Davis went around the truck to the other side where they were fighting.
2To avoid confusion, witnesses David Herrera and Gabriel Herrera, who share the same last name but are not related, will be referred to by their first names. We will also refer Bernie Davis’s wife, Jordan Davis, by her first name, and to sisters, Marissa, Selena, and Liana Holmes, by their first names. All others will be referred to by their last names.
3 While David was fighting with one of the men, the other man shot Jackson in the left
hand, both legs, and stomach. Jackson said, “‘Help me. Help me. Get me to the
hospital. I’m down. . . . I’m going to die. I’m going to die.’” Jackson claimed he did
not have a gun when he was shot. His wife’s gun was in the glove compartment of his
truck.
Davis testified that, after Jackson was shot, Jackson or David told Davis to pick up
Jackson’s gun on the ground and put it in the truck glove compartment box. Davis did
so. Davis and David picked up Jackson, put him in the truck, and drove him to the
hospital.
Robert Peters, who lived on Hillside Drive, testified at trial that on October 10,
2012, around 9:45 p.m., he heard about six rapidly fired gunshots. Robert’s wife called
911. Robert grabbed his firearm, ran to the front door, opened the door, and saw a gray
or black SUV with its headlights on and engine running, in front of his driveway. There
were about four individuals running around the car, with the driver and passengers
switching seats. Robert yelled from his front door, “What’s going on?” After the second
time he yelled this, a young man said, “It’s not me. They’re shooting at us.” Robert said,
“‘Then get out of here,’” and they sped off. Ten or 15 minutes later the police arrived.
Officer Bennett responded to the call. The dispatcher said a black SUV had left
the shooting scene on Hillside Drive. Bennett observed a black SUV leaving the area,
reported it to dispatch, and followed the SUV to the hospital. Officer Segura provided
backup, following Bennett’s unit. Upon the SUV’s arrival at the hospital, the officers
conducted a felony stop. A man got out of the back of the SUV, yelling, “‘I’ve been shot.
4 I’ve been shot.’” The officers identified the man as Jackson and assisted him in getting
medical help.
The officers returned to the Hillside Drive area to determine the location of the
crime scene and search for evidence. Bennett contacted Robert and his wife, who told
Bennett there had been gunshots in the area of their home and two men had been seen
jumping over a retaining wall, and running through the front yard of another residence.
Several other witnesses also saw the two men going over the retaining wall. Bennett saw
two sets of foot prints in the wet grass by the retaining wall of a nearby home. Law
enforcement secured the home on Hillside Drive, with an officer watching the back of the
home. A taxi came to pick up Marissa at the home. Bennett approached her as she
walked out to the cab. At Bennett’s request, Marissa called her mother, Rosanna Saubel,
and asked her to come outside. Rosanna came out and told Bennett there were no
suspects in her house. Only her two other daughters were there. Rosanna consented to
the officers searching her home to confirm the suspects were not there.
Bennett, Officer Feola, and Police Sergeant Hobb entered Rosanna’s home with
guns drawn. Rosanna’s two daughters, Selena and Liana, were in the living room. Feola
went to the back of the house and outside, where he chased a suspect in the backyard. He
apprehended and arrested the individual, who was identified as Gabriel Herrera. Feola
notified Bennett of the arrest by radio as Bennett continued searching the house. Bennett
told Selena and Liana that they could be subject to arrest if they did not tell him if anyone
else was in the house. Selena pointed to a bedroom and indicated someone was in there.
Bennett told Hobb and Feola, who had reentered the house, that someone was possibly in
5 the bedroom. Feola yelled for the individual to come out with his hands up. A short time
later, defendant crawled out of the bedroom.
After defendant was arrested, the officers thoroughly searched the house. Selena
indicated to Bennett that he should look in the laundry room. Bennett found in the
clothes hamper, under some clothes, a semiautomatic .45-caliber handgun. There was a
magazine in the gun and one cartridge in the chamber.
Officer Segura spoke to Jackson at the hospital. Jackson told him he saw two men
jump over David’s fence. Jackson went next door to tell David. David, Davis, and
Jackson got into Jackson’s SUV to look for the two men. When they found the men, they
confronted them about being at Jackson’s residence. One of the two men fought with
David on someone’s front lawn and the other individual shot Jackson. Davis similarly
told Segura that, while he was having dinner with David, Jackson came over and said two
men were in David’s backyard. David, Jackson, and Davis went to look for the two men
in Jackson’s truck. They found the two men a short distance away. Davis confirmed the
man who shot Jackson was not the man who was fighting with David.
Police Detective David Loera conducted separate infield show-ups at the police
station. Davis identified defendant and Gabriel as the two perpetrators. Davis identified
defendant as the shooter and said, “‘I’m pretty sure that’s him.’” “‘It was dark.’”
However, at the preliminary hearing, Davis recanted his identification. He testified he
could not see anyone because “[i]t was really dark and it happened so quick.” Jackson
testified at the preliminary hearing that he was positive defendant was not the shooter and
that he could recognize defendant because he went to school with defendant. Jackson
6 described him as a “good guy” and said defendant was not a gang member.3
Gabriel testified at trial that on October 10, 2012, after drinking at home, he
“blacked out,” and then went to Selena’s house. He jumped over the gate and knocked
on the back door. She invited him into only the laundry room. Gabriel borrowed her
phone and went outside to call his mother. When he heard the police arrive, he ran
because he was on parole. Defendant was not with him that evening. Defendant and
Gabriel are cousins. Gabriel claimed he did not know defendant was in the house.
Gabriel pled guilty in the instant case to assault with a deadly weapon (his fists).
Gabriel said that, although he had gang tattoos and was a documented gang
member, he was “trying to do better with [his] life.” Gabriel admitted he was convicted
in 2009 of giving a false identification to police officers and of being an active member
of a criminal street gang. He pled guilty to the criminal street gang offense.
Gang Expert Testimony
Sergeant Hobb testified as a gang expert for the prosecution. Hobb stated that
Eastside Banning Sapos gang (ESBS) is the largest gang in the Banning/Beaumont area.
There are three cliques within the gang: the Santos, the Mad Ass Youngsters, and the Pee
Wee Locos. The gang’s primary activities are auto thefts, drug sales, thefts, burglaries,
and possession of guns. Nongang members usually refuse to cooperate with law
enforcement when ESBS is involved because of fear of retaliation and intimidation by the
gang.
3 Davis and Jackson’s preliminary hearing testimony was read to the jury, since they were found to be unavailable at the time of trial.
7 According to Hobb, ESBS committed two predicate crimes. On May 29, 2009,
Hobbs stopped a vehicle driving in a neighborhood where there were reports of
shootings. Three ESBS members were in the car. Hobb found two loaded firearms in the
car.
The second predicate crime was on January 6, 2010, when five ESBS members,
including defendant, got out of a car at an intersection and chased the 18-year-old victim
and his brother. The brother escaped but the ESBS members severely beat up the victim,
who was wearing a leg brace. A passerby intervened and called the police. Defendant
was arrested and charged with assault with a deadly weapon and a gang enhancement.
In Hobb’s opinion, defendant and Gabriel were active ESBS members. During
several police interviews, including in the instant case, defendant admitted membership
and said he had a gang moniker. Defendant also had numerous gang tattoos and was seen
on his brother’s website throwing gang signs. Gabriel also admitted gang membership,
beginning in 2007, and claimed to be a member of the Pee Wee Locos ESBS clique. He
had a moniker and several gang tattoos. Hobb also knew Rosanne Saubel. He had been
in her home and had seen ESBS graffiti on her daughter’s bedroom walls and door frame.
Hobb testified he would be suspicious if he saw two ESBS members walking
around a neighborhood, jumping over fences, and looking into backyards. He would
suspect the men were looking for someone or something to steal. In Hobb’s opinion, if
defendant fired a gun at a civilian, the crime would benefit ESBS by instilling fear in the
community and allowing ESBS to operate with impunity, since witnesses and victims
would be afraid to contact law enforcement. Defendant’s possession of a gun also
8 benefited ESBS, because it was used to protect defendant from other gang members and
law enforcement. Gun possession allowed defendant to harm others and commit crimes.
According to Hobb, it can be assumed that, if a citizen confronts two gang
members, the gang members will respond violently in defense of their turf, because the
gang’s reputation is at stake. A violent response would benefit the gang. Hobb strongly
believed that defendant’s crimes were committed for the benefit of ESBS. The violence
escalated from a fistfight to discharging a gun against Jackson. Defendant and Gabriel’s
violent response demonstrated the gang’s willingness to hurt others and warned the
community of ESBS’s presence in the community. It also showed that ESBS was not
afraid to commit crimes and did not fear law enforcement.
III
PRELIMINARY HEARING TESTIMONY
Defendant contends that admitting into evidence Jackson and Davis’s preliminary
hearing testimony violated his constitutional rights to present a defense, confrontation,
due process, cross-examination, compulsory process, and a fair trial. We disagree.
A. Procedural Background
During a pretrial hearing under Evidence Code section 402 (402 hearing), the
prosecutor informed the court that Jackson and Davis were unavailable to testify at trial.
Davis testified in this case at a preliminary hearing in December 2012,4 and Jackson
testified at a separate preliminary hearing in this case in April 2013. The prosecutor
4Ramirez erroneously testified the preliminary hearing occurred in 2011, which would have been before the charged crimes occurred.
9 maintained that after Jackson and Davis testified at the preliminary hearings, they
actively evaded service. The prosecution’s investigator, Edward Ramirez of the district
attorney’s office, testified during the 402 hearing that he was asked in February 2013, to
locate Jackson and Davis and took the following action.
Jackson
Ramirez discovered Jackson had moved after the subject shooting incident.
Ramirez contacted Jackson before the preliminary hearing, at his new address in April
2013. During Ramirez’s first contact with Jackson, Jackson refused to answer the door.
He said he did not want to have anything to do with the case and wanted to be left alone.
Jackson became belligerent. Ramirez left. A day or two later, two other investigators
served Jackson with a subpoena, and Jackson agreed to appear in court. Ramirez took
Jackson to court to testify at defendant’s preliminary hearing. Jackson, who was
cooperative, indicated he was willing to testify, and testified at defendant’s preliminary
hearing. Jackson was told at the preliminary hearing that he would be needed for trial.
In preparation for trial, the prosecutor asked Ramirez again to locate Jackson.
Ramirez went to Jackson’s last known residence and no one answered the door. No one
appeared to be living at the residence. Ramirez left his business card at Jackson’s home.
A neighbor across the street said Jackson had moved away about two weeks before.
Ramirez spoke to a supervisor at the U.S. Post Office, who indicated there was no
forwarding address for Jackson.
Ramirez attempted to locate Jackson’s wife. He searched various databases and
checked them daily for new information regarding Jackson and his wife. Ramirez also
10 checked Jackson and his wife’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) records. Nothing
produced a more recent residence address. Ramirez routinely checked jail records for
Jackson and requested the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department to notify him if there
were any contacts with Jackson.
Jackson’s wife, who is Native American Indian, receives funds from her tribe.
Ramirez attempted to obtain information regarding Jackson’s wife through the tribe but
tribal members would not cooperate. Tribal police officer Gomez told Jackson that, even
if Ramirez knocked on tribal members’ doors, they would not talk to him or answer their
doors.
Ramirez also went twice to Jackson’s mother’s home in Redlands. She told
Ramirez she had nothing to do with her son and did not speak to him. She asked Ramirez
to leave her property. Ramirez acknowledged he did not know if Jackson was actually
actively evading service, since Jackson might not know Ramirez was looking for him.
Davis
Davis moved after the preliminary hearing. Ramirez’s efforts to locate Davis after
he moved included searching various databases. Ramirez routinely checked Davis’s jail
records to see if he was in custody. Ramirez also provided information on Davis to
various law enforcement agencies, including the Banning task force and the deputy
district attorney assigned to the reservation, to assist in locating him.
Ramirez met with the Morongo tribal police chief, and spent a day conducting
surveillance on the Indian reservation, since Davis’s wife, Jordan Davis, is Native
American Indian. Ramirez discovered she received money from the tribe and had a home
11 on the reservation. Jordan’s mother and other relatives also lived on the reservation.
Ramirez met with the tribal police and went with them to Jordan’s relatives’ homes on
the reservation. Ramirez and another investigator conducted four hours of surveillance
where Jordan picked up her tribal check. Jordan did not appear during the surveillance.
If a tribal check is not picked up, it is mailed to the member.
On the day of the surveillance, Ramirez provided the tribal police with
photographs of Davis. The tribal police indicated they would try to locate Davis. When
Ramirez spoke to the tribal police, he was told the tribal police would not provide any
information because they did not trust law enforcement. Ramirez was told he was
“spinning [his] wheels by talking to them.” When Ramirez attempted to get the address
used for disbursement of the tribal funds to Davis and Jordan, tribal officer Gomez told
Ramirez he could not directly go to the person disbursing the funds and ask for Davis and
Jordan’s address. If he did ask, he would not be provided with an address. Gomez said
he would try to obtain a list of addresses for Ramirez that same afternoon and
immediately call Ramirez when he received it, but Gomez never called Ramirez back.
The home Ramirez was told Jackson and Jordan were building on the reservation was
merely a mailbox on the main road. There was no construction.
Ramirez checked three addresses for Davis provided by the Banning Police
Department. At each address, people who occupied the residences told him Davis and his
wife no longer lived there. Ramirez checked a post office box address for Jordan. The
address was Jordan’s mother’s address on the reservation. Officer Gomez told Ramirez
he was not permitted to go to Jordan’s mother’s address. Unless it was an emergency,
12 Ramirez had to be accompanied on the reservation by Officer Gomez when searching for
someone. Gomez went to Jordan’s mother’s residence and then told Ramirez Jordan’s
mother’s vehicle was not there. Gomez said it would be fruitless for Ramirez to try to
talk to her because no one at Jordan’s mother’s home would talk to law enforcement.
Ramirez spoke to Davis’s father six or seven times, from February 2013, up until a
week before Ramirez’s testimony at the 402 hearing in July 2013. Ramirez contacted
Davis’s father at Davis’s last known address in Banning. Davis’s father was not
cooperative. He said he had not seen Davis since the shooting incident, which Ramirez
did not believe. When asked for contact information for Davis, Davis’s father said he
had none. Twice Ramirez also spoke to Davis’s grandmother who lived next door to
Davis’s father. She said she did not know where Davis was. Ramirez was unable to find
out anything regarding Davis or Jordan’s location. The cell phone numbers Ramirez was
given for Davis and Jordan were no longer in service. Ramirez did not have any
information on whether Davis and Jordan were employed.
Ramirez checked an address on Nicolet, which a police officer told Davis
defendant frequently visited. Ramirez conducted surveillance there for two hours, with
no results. Ramirez also conducted surveillance at Davis’s father’s home a few times for
one to two hours but did not see Davis. Ramirez met with the Banning Police
Department three or four times to see if they had seen Davis. Ramirez believed Davis
was aware Ramirez was looking for him, and was actively avoiding service. Ramirez
believed Davis was living with Jordan on the reservation.
13 402 Hearing on Admissibility of Preliminary Hearing Testimony
During the hearing on excluding Davis and Jackson’s preliminary hearing
testimony, the prosecution argued Ramirez had exercised due diligence in attempting to
procure Davis and Jackson’s attendance at trial but was unable to locate them. Therefore
the witnesses were unavailable to testify at trial and their preliminary hearing testimony
was admissible. The trial court concluded there was no additional information regarding
Jackson and Davis’s location and nothing further that could be done to find them. They
might be on the Indian reservation but law enforcement could not search the reservation
because of denial of access and lack of cooperation by the tribal police and tribal
members. The court found that reasonable efforts were made to locate the witnesses.
Therefore Jackson and Davis were unavailable as witnesses and their preliminary hearing
testimony was admissible at trial under Evidence Code section 1291.
During the third day of trial, Jackson and Davis’s preliminary hearing testimony
was read to the jury. Later, the morning of July 9, 2013, the prosecutor informed the
court that defense counsel had told him Jackson was in custody. Defense counsel
informed the court Jackson was found at Banning Road Camp and was currently at the
Larry Smith facility, with an arraignment scheduled for the following morning in
department 63 of the Riverside Superior Court. The prosecutor offered to have his
investigators bring Jackson to the court to speak with an investigator. The court indicated
Jackson would testify the following day, when in court for arraignment on the other
criminal matter. Later, in the afternoon on July 9, 2013, the prosecutor advised the court
that, when his investigators went to pick up Jackson, they discovered he was not in the
14 Banning jail. He was arrested on June 25, 2013, and released that same day on bail.
Jackson’s bail bondsman told the prosecutor Jackson had given him a false address.
However, Jackson was due in court on July 10, 2013.
The prosecutor requested closing arguments be continued one day to allow
Jackson to testify in the case, after he appeared in court, in department 63, on July 10.
The court agreed to continue closing argument until July 11, 2013. It was anticipated that
during the morning of July 10, Jackson would testify after arraignment in department 63.
If Jackson did not show up, the parties could proceed with closing argument.
On July 10, 2013, the prosecutor informed the court that defendant did not show
up for arraignment in department 63. Jackson had two cases in Banning and had not been
in court for two of his last three court appearances. Jackson was arrested on the Indian
reservation. The court clerk in the instant matter was instructed to inform department 63
that, if Jackson appeared, the instant court needed to know immediately. If defendant did
not appear in the Riverside courthouse by the time evidence was completed, jury
instructions would be discussed and the parties would proceed with closing arguments.
After the close of evidence, the court informed the parties that, according to the
clerk in department 63, Jackson did not appear for arraignment. The prosecutor stated his
investigator went to the address Jackson had given his bail bondsman and the house was
vacant, with a car next to the house covered in dust. After waiting there a couple of
hours, the investigator concluded no one lived at the house.
Later, after a recess, the court informed the parties that Jackson appeared in court
in Banning, not in department 63 in Riverside. Jackson indicated he had been in the
15 hospital and appeared in court in a hospital gown. His arraignment in Banning was
continued. The court in Riverside advised counsel in the instant case that there was no
warrant out for Jackson and, since he had not been ordered to appear for defendant’s trial,
the court did not have authority to issue a warrant for his appearance. The parties agreed
to proceed with defendant’s trial.
The following day, July 11, 2013, the court again told the parties that the court
clerk in Banning had called and confirmed that Jackson had walked into the Banning
courtroom on July 10 in a hospital gown, with his sister. He had left the hospital against
the wishes of hospital personnel. His Coumadin levels were out of control and he was
scheduled for surgery on July 11, for complications relating to his gunshot wound from
the charged shooting incident. He intended to return to the hospital after leaving the
Banning court. The court issued a warrant for defendant, pending until July 24, 2013.
When the trial court in the instant case asked counsel if they wanted anything further
done regarding Jackson, counsel said no. The trial thereafter continued to completion,
with neither Jackson nor Davis appearing at trial.
B. Applicable Law
The confrontation clauses of the federal and state Constitutions guarantee a
criminal defendant the right to confront the prosecution’s witnesses. (U.S. Const., 6th
Amend.; Cal. Const. art. I, § 15.) “‘“An exception exists when a witness is unavailable
and, at a previous court proceeding against the same defendant, has given testimony that
was subject to cross-examination. Under federal constitutional law, such testimony is
admissible if the prosecution shows it made ‘a good-faith effort’ to obtain the presence of
16 the witness at trial.” [Citations.]’” (People v. Fuiava (2012) 53 Cal.4th 622, 674-675
(Fuiava).)
Under Evidence Code section 1291, subdivision (a)(2), “[e]vidence of former
testimony is not made inadmissible by the hearsay rule if the declarant is unavailable as a
witness and: [¶] . . . [¶] (2) The party against whom the former testimony is offered was
a party to the action or proceeding in which the testimony was given and had the right
and opportunity to cross-examine the declarant with an interest and motive similar to that
which he has at the hearing.” (Evid. Code, § 1291, subd. (a)(2).) A witness is
unavailable if “[a]bsent from the hearing and the proponent of his or her statement has
exercised reasonable diligence but has been unable to procure his or her attendance by the
court’s process.” (Evid. Code, § 240, subd. (a)(5).)
“Due diligence” is required under section 240. (See Fuiava, supra, 53 Cal.4th at
p. 675.) “‘[T]he term “due diligence” is “incapable of a mechanical definition,” but it
“connotes persevering application, untiring efforts in good earnest, efforts of a substantial
character.” [Citations.] Relevant considerations include “‘whether the search was timely
begun,’” [citation], the importance of the witness’s testimony [citation], and whether
leads were competently explored [citation].’ (People v. Cromer (2001) 24 Cal.4th 899,
904.)” “‘It is enough that the People used reasonable efforts to locate the witness.’
[Citation.]” (Fuiava, at p. 677.) “‘[T]he Sixth Amendment does not require the
prosecution to exhaust every avenue of inquiry, no matter how unpromising.’” (Ibid.)
When the facts are undisputed, a reviewing court decides the question of due
diligence independently, not deferentially. (Fuiava, supra, 53 Cal.4th at p. 675.)
17 Applying this standard of review, we conclude the trial court properly admitted Jackson
and Davis’s preliminary hearing testimony.
C. Analysis
Defendant’s reliance on People v. Sandoval (2001) 87 Cal.App.4th 1425
(Sandoval) for the proposition the prosecution did not exercise due diligence in procuring
Davis’s and Jackson’s attendance at trial, is misplaced. In Sandoval, the absent witness
was deported to Mexico after testifying at the defendant’s preliminary hearing. (Id. at p.
1432.) The witness told the prosecution he was willing to return for the trial if given
money to make the trip to California. (Ibid.) The prosecution refused to provide
financial assistance to the witness and did nothing further to secure his attendance at the
trial. (Ibid.) Although the trial court had no authority to compel the witness’s
appearance at trial (id. at p. 1434), the Sandoval court noted the United States and
Mexico had a treaty providing for cooperation in the prosecution of crimes and mutual
assistance in obtaining witness testimony. (Id. at pp. 1439-1440.) The treaty included
several cooperative methods by which a Mexican resident’s testimony could be obtained,
either in California or in Mexico. (Id. at p. 1439.) The Sandoval court stated that, “[A]
good faith effort must be undertaken even though the court itself does not have the power
to compel the attendance of the witness.” (Id. at p. 1441.) The Sandoval court concluded
that the prosecution’s failure to pursue any of the cooperative methods provided in the
treaty precluded a finding of good faith. (Id. at p. 1444.) The court thus held the absent
witness residing in Mexico was not unavailable and therefore admitting his preliminary
hearing testimony violated the defendants’ constitutional right to confront witnesses.
18 (Ibid.)
Here, unlike in Sandoval, there was no evidence of any applicable treaty, accord,
or agreement controlling extradition of witnesses or cooperation with local authorities. In
addition, Jackson and Davis’s current addresses were unknown. It was uncertain they
even lived on the Indian reservation. The trial court in the instant case found Jackson and
Davis unavailable, not because they resided on the reservation, which was foreign,
sovereign territory, but because Ramirez could not locate the witnesses. Also, there was
substantial evidence that, unlike in Sandoval, the witnesses were actively evading service
and the prosecution had exercised due diligence in attempting to locate the two witnesses,
to no avail. Unlike in Sandoval, here, the Indian tribe was not cooperative in assisting the
prosecution in locating and making Jackson and Davis available.
Evidence establishing due diligence included Ramirez’s testimony he visited
Jackson and Davis’s last known residences; conducted surveillance; contacted the
witnesses’ relatives, including Jackson’s mother and Davis’s father and grandmother;
attempted to locate the witnesses’ wives; checked with the post office and DMV for
contact information; ran daily database searches for information regarding the witnesses
and their wives; and enlisted the assistance from the tribal police in locating the witnesses
and their wives. Ramirez’s efforts to locate Jackson and Davis extended over a
substantial period of time, up until the trial in July 2013. Even though there may have
been additional acts Ramirez could have taken to locate Jackson and Davis, we conclude
Ramirez’s efforts to locate the two witnesses were reasonably diligent and in good faith.
The prosecution was not required to do everything possible to procure Jackson and
19 Davis’s attendance at trial; “it was only required to use reasonable diligence.” (People v.
Lopez (1998) 64 Cal.App.4th 1122, 1128.)
Defendant further argues that when Jackson was located midtrial, the prosecution
failed to urge the trial court immediately to arrange for his seizure under section 1332.
Section 1332, subdivision (a), provides in relevant part that “when the court is satisfied,
by proof on oath, that there is good cause to believe that any material witness for the
prosecution or defense, whether the witness is an adult or a minor, will not appear and
testify unless security is required, at any proceeding in connection with any criminal
prosecution . . . the court may order the witness to enter into a written undertaking to the
effect that he or she will appear and testify at the time and place ordered by the court or
that he or she will forfeit an amount the court deems proper.”
Defendant asserts that the prosecution should have urged the court to contact
Jackson’s attorney and request assistance in producing Jackson. Defendant also argues
the prosecutor should have urged the court to contact the Banning court and arrange for
Jackson’s detention and an undertaking or at least identify the hospital where Jackson
was receiving treatment. Although these were actions the prosecutor could have
requested, the prosecutor’s failure to do so does not demonstrate a lack of due diligence
under the circumstances in this case, particularly since defense counsel was equally
capable of requesting such measures, and did not do so.
Even if the prosecutor made such requests, it is unlikely the trial court would have
ordered Jackson detained for purposes of testifying at trial since Jackson was in poor
health and would have been unavailable to testify in the near future because he was
20 currently hospitalized, the hospital staff had advised him not to leave the hospital, and he
was scheduled for surgery on July 11, which was when closing argument was scheduled.
Any orders mandating Jackson appear in court to testify would have required delaying
completion of the jury trial until after Jackson recovered from his surgery.
Furthermore, the discovery of Jackson’s location occurred near the end of
defendant’s trial, after Jackson and Davis’s preliminary testimony had already been read
to the jury. The trial court nevertheless attempted to arrange for Jackson’s testimony
immediately upon being informed Jackson had been located. The prosecutor made every
effort to cooperate and agreed to accommodate scheduling Jackson’s testimony before
concluding the trial. It was initially believed that Jackson would appear for arraignment
in the same courthouse where the trial was pending in the instant case and therefore
would be available to testify in the trial. Arrangements were accordingly made to
postpone closing argument and jury instructions. However, Jackson unexpectantly
showed up in the Banning courthouse, rather than the Riverside courthouse, and was in
poor health, with surgery scheduled the following day, which was the final day of
defendant’s trial. At that point, both parties indicated they did not wish to take any
further action to force Jackson to testify. Under such circumstances, admission of
Jackson and Davis’s preliminary hearing testimony did not violate defendant’s
constitutional rights.
IV
SUFFICIENCY OF EVIDENCE OF CHARGED CRIMES
Defendant contends there was insufficient evidence identifying him as the
21 perpetrator of the charged crimes. Defendant argues that the only identification evidence
consisted of police detective David Loera conducting infield show-ups at the police
station. Davis identified defendant and Gabriel as the two perpetrators. Davis identified
defendant as the shooter, stating, “‘I’m pretty sure that’s him.’” “‘It was dark.’”
However, at the preliminary hearing, Davis recanted his identification. He testified he
could not see anyone because “[i]t was really dark and it happened so quick.” Jackson
testified at the preliminary hearing that he was positive defendant was not the shooter and
that he could recognize defendant because he went to school with defendant. Jackson
described him as a “good guy” and said he was not a gang member. Defendant notes
there was no evidence connecting the .45-caliber gun to defendant or that Jackson was
shot with the gun.
A. Standard of Review
“‘In reviewing the sufficiency of evidence under the due process clause of the
Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, the question we ask is
“whether, after viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution, any
rational trier of fact could have found the essential elements of the crime beyond a
reasonable doubt.”’ [Citations.] We apply an identical standard under the California
Constitution. [Citation.] ‘In determining whether a reasonable trier of fact could have
found defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, the appellate court “must view the
evidence in a light most favorable to respondent and presume in support of the judgment
the existence of every fact the trier could reasonably deduce from the evidence.”’
[Citation.]” (People v. Young (2005) 34 Cal.4th 1149, 1175.)
22 When reviewing the sufficiency of the evidence, “a reviewing court resolves
neither credibility issues nor evidentiary conflicts. [Citation.] Resolution of conflicts and
inconsistencies in the testimony is the exclusive province of the trier of fact. [Citation.]
Moreover, unless the testimony is physically impossible or inherently improbable,
testimony of a single witness is sufficient to support a conviction.” (People v. Young,
supra, 34 Cal.4th at p. 1181.) A reversal for insufficient evidence “is unwarranted unless
it appears ‘that upon no hypothesis whatever is there sufficient substantial evidence to
support’” the jury’s verdict. (People v. Bolin (1998) 18 Cal.4th 297, 331.)
B. Analysis
There was substantial evidence supporting the jury’s finding defendant was the
perpetrator of the charged crimes. Police detective Loera testified at trial that he
conducted infield show-ups at the police station, during which Davis identified defendant
and Gabriel as the two perpetrators. Davis further identified defendant as the shooter and
said, “‘I’m pretty sure that’s him.’” This evidence alone was sufficient to support the
jury’s finding that defendant was the perpetrator of the charged crimes. (People v.
Cuevas (1995) 12 Cal.4th 252, 263-275 (Cuevas).)
Even though during the preliminary hearing Davis contradicted his out-of-court
identification and claimed he could not identify the shooter, such inconsistent testimony
was suspect. Davis’s preliminary hearing testimony described in detail the events leading
up to and during the shooting. Yet, when he was asked to identify the shooter, Davis was
suddenly unable to provide any details whatsoever. He stated, “I’m not too sure. I can’t
identify nobody. [¶] . . . [¶] It was really dark and it happened so quick.”
23 When determining the sufficiency of evidence of an uncorroborated out-of-court
identification, this court should consider “the many varied circumstances that may attend
an out-of-court identification and affect its probative value. These circumstances include,
for example: (1) the identifying witness’s prior familiarity with the defendant; (2) the
witness’s opportunity to observe the perpetrator during the commission of the crime; (3)
whether the witness has a motive to falsely implicate the defendant; and (4) the level of
detail given by the witness in the out-of-court identification and any accompanying
description of the crime. (See also CALJIC No. 2.92 (5th ed. 1988) [listing factors
relevant to reliability of eyewitness identification].)” (Cuevas, supra, 12 Cal.4th at p.
267.)
Davis may not have had prior familiarity with defendant but the evidence shows
that he had ample opportunity to observe defendant as he, Jackson, and David drove up to
defendant and Gabriel on the street. The jury could reasonably infer that Davis saw
defendant before, during, and/or after defendant shot Jackson. There was little, if any,
evidence that Davis had a motive to falsely implicate defendant. In addition, Davis’s
description of the events leading up to, during, and after the shooting was detailed.
Circumstances this court considers when a witness fails to identify the defendant
at trial, include: “(1) whether the identifying witness admits, denies, or fails to remember
making the out-of-court identification; (2) whether the witness remembers the underlying
events of the crime but no longer believes in the accuracy of the out-of-court
identification; (3) whether, if the witness claims the identification was false or erroneous,
the witness offers an explanation for making a false or erroneous identification; (4)
24 whether, if the witness claims a failure of recollection, there are reasons supporting the
loss of memory; (5) whether there is evidence that the witness’s failure to confirm the
identification in court resulted from the witness’s appreciation that doing so would result
in the defendant’s conviction; or (6) whether there is evidence that, as the Attorney
General suggests occurred here, the witness’s failure to confirm the identification arises
from fear or intimidation.” (Cuevas, supra, 12 Cal.4th at pp. 267-268.)
At the preliminary hearing, Davis admitted identifying defendant during the out-
of-court identification but, during the preliminary hearing, said he no longer believed in
the accuracy of the identification because he based it on defendant’s clothing and was
scared. However, when asked at trial what clothes defendant and Gabriel were wearing,
defendant said he did not know, “I’m not too sure. Probably black – black, white, gray.
I’m not sure.” Furthermore, during Davis’s out-of-court identification of defendant,
Davis did not mention defendant’s clothing.
Davis did not testify his identification was false and he did not explain why he
identified defendant right after the incident but could not do so at the preliminary hearing.
Davis merely said, “I’m not too sure. I can’t identify nobody.” He added, it was dark
and the crime “happened so quick.” Davis did not claim any loss of memory and
described the incident in detail. There was no evidence Davis was aware his
identification would result in defendant’s conviction but this was relatively apparent.
Furthermore, since defendant and Gabriel were known gang members, there would be
reason for Davis to fear identifying them as perpetrators, particularly after defendant’s
brutal shooting of Jackson.
25 In addition to Davis’s identification of defendant as the perpetrator, there was
substantial corroborating evidence establishing that defendant shot Jackson. Jackson
testified at the preliminary hearing that the man who shot him was not the man who was
fighting with David. Officer Segura testified at trial that Jackson and Davis said David
confronted two individuals and, while fighting one of the two men, the other man fired
the gun. Gabriel testified at trial that he had pled guilty in the instant case to “[a]ssault to
fighting.” Gabriel acknowledged he had a bump on his face which he believed was from
fighting during the shooting incident. Additional evidence defendant was the individual
who fired the gun, included testimony that shortly after the shooting, defendant and
Gabriel were seen running to Saubel’s home and the police found defendant inside
Rosanna Saubel’s home. The police also found a gun hidden in a laundry basket in the
home and Gabriel was apprehended in Saubel’s back yard. The jury could reasonably
infer from this evidence that Gabriel was the individual fighting David and defendant
fired the gun at Jackson.
The evidence as a whole, including Loera’s testimony that Davis identified
defendant as the shooter, was sufficient to support the jury’s finding that defendant was
the perpetrator of the charged crimes.
V
GANG ENHANCEMENT INSTRUCTION
The jury found true the gang enhancements on counts 1 and 2. Defendant
contends that, when instructing on the gang enhancements, the trial court erred in failing
to instruct the jury sua sponte on the meaning of the phrase, “in association with a
26 criminal street gang.” The trial court gave CALCRIM No. 1401 on the elements of the
criminal street gang enhancement but there was no definition of the phrase, “in
association with a criminal street gang.”
The jury was instructed on the elements of the criminal street gang enhancement
pursuant to CALCRIM No. 1401 in relevant part as follows: “To prove this allegation,
the People must prove that: [¶] 1. The defendant committed the crime for the benefit of,
at the direction of or in association with a criminal street gang; [¶] AND [¶] 2. The
defendant intended to assist, further, or promote criminal conduct by the gang members.”
(Italics added.)
Defendant argues that under People v. Albillar (2010) 51 Cal.4th 47, 60-62
(Albillar), “in association with a criminal street gang” is a legal term with a specific
definition which the trial court must define for the jury. In response, the People argue
CALCRIM No. 1401 sufficiently instructed the jury on the law and no further instruction
was required absent a request.
“The trial court has a sua sponte duty to give correct instructions on the basic
principles of the law applicable to the case that are necessary to the jury’s understanding
of the case. [Citation.] That duty requires the trial court to instruct on all the elements of
the charged offenses and enhancements. [Citation.]” (People v. Williams (2009) 170
Cal.App.4th 587, 638–639 [Fourth Dist., Div. Two].) When the terms are used as
commonly understood, the court has no obligation to define them absent a request for
amplification or explanation.
27 Citing Albillar, supra, 51 Cal.4th at page 60, defendant asserts that the term “‘in
association with any criminal street gang’ requires a showing that [he] ‘relied on . . .
common gang membership and the apparatus of the gang in committing’ the charged
crime.” In Albillar, three fellow gang members were convicted of forcible rape and
forcible sexual penetration, while acting in concert. In rejecting the defendants’
contention that there was insufficient evidence that the sexual offenses were committed in
association with the defendants’ gang, the Supreme Court relied on the gang expert’s
testimony regarding gang membership and reasons for gang members committing crimes.
(Albillar, supra, 51 Cal.4th at pp. 60-61.)
Applying the evidence to the expert’s testimony, the Albillar court concluded,
“Defendants not only actively assisted each other in committing these crimes, but their
common gang membership ensured that they could rely on each other’s cooperation in
committing these crimes and that they would benefit from committing them together.
They relied on the gang’s internal code to ensure that none of them would cooperate with
the police, and on the gang’s reputation to ensure that the victim did not contact the
police. We therefore find substantial evidence that defendants came together as gang
members to attack [the victim] and, thus, that they committed these crimes in association
with the gang. [Citations.]” (Albillar, supra, 51 Cal.4th at pp. 61-62.)
The Albillar court did not provide a new definition for the phrase “in association
with any criminal street gang,” or hold that the phrase has a technical meaning requiring
sua sponte instruction in future cases. The court in Albillar merely discussed the
sufficiency of the evidence in establishing the elements of the criminal street gang
28 enhancement. The trial court does not have a duty under Albillar to define, sua sponte,
the phrase, “in association with any criminal street gang.” Since in the instant case,
defense counsel did not request instruction on the meaning of the phrase, “in association
with a criminal street gang,” the trial court did not commit instructional error by not
defining the phrase.
VI
SUFFICIENCY OF EVIDENCE OF GANG ENHANCEMENTS
Defendant contends there was insufficient evidence to support the gang
enhancements on counts 1 and 2. Imposing a gang enhancement requires substantial
evidence the defendant committed the underlying felony (1) “for the benefit of, at the
direction of, or in association with any criminal street gang,” and (2) “with the specific
intent to promote, further, or assist in any criminal conduct by gang members . . . .”
(§ 186.22, subd. (b)(1).) Defendant contends there was insufficient evidence establishing
these elements. We disagree.
Evidence defendant committed the charged offenses for the benefit of and in
association with a gang included evidence defendant committed the crimes with another
gang member, Gabriel, who pled guilty to fighting during the shooting incident. There
was also gang expert testimony by Detective Hobb, establishing that defendant and
Gabriel were active members of the ESBS gang and that defendant’s crimes were
committed for the benefit of his gang. It is well settled that a trier of fact may rely on
expert testimony about gang culture and habits to reach a finding on a gang allegation.
(People v. Ferraez (2003) 112 Cal.App.4th 925, 930.) California law permits a person
29 with “‘“special knowledge, skill, experience, training, or education” in a particular field
to qualify as an expert witness (Evid. Code, § 720) and give testimony in the form of an
opinion (id., § 801).’” (In re Frank S. (2006) 141 Cal.App.4th 1192, 1196 (Frank S.).)
Defendant cites Frank S., supra, 141 Cal.App.4th 1192 for the proposition the
prosecution failed to prove the first gang-related prong. In Frank S., police stopped a
minor for riding his bicycle through a red light. The juvenile court found true allegations
that the minor was carrying a concealed knife, was in possession of methamphetamine,
and made a false representation to a peace officer. The minor challenged on appeal, on
sufficiency of evidence grounds, the gang enhancement allegation that the minor
possessed the knife for the benefit of his gang. The Frank S. court reversed the gang
enhancement, holding that “crimes may not be found to be gang-related based solely
upon a perpetrator’s criminal history and gang affiliations.” (Frank S., supra, 141
Cal.App.4th at p. 1195.)
The instant case is distinguishable from Frank S. in that in the instant case there
was evidence defendant was with another gang member, Gabriel, when he committed the
charged offenses. Defendant shot Jackson while Gabriel was fighting with David, after
Jackson, David, and Davis accused defendant and Gabriel of trespassing on Jackson and
David’s property. Defendant and Gabriel were both seen fleeing together from the
shooting scene and shortly afterwards were apprehended on Saubel’s property.
There was also expert testimony, unlike in Frank S., that defendant and Gabriel’s
acts of fighting David and shooting Jackson, was typical gang-related retaliation to
confrontation, committed for the benefit of defendant’s gang and with intent to promote
30 it. As Hobbs explained, if gang members are confronted by citizens, it is typical for gang
members to react violently, and such a response would benefit the gang. In the culture of
gangs, such confrontation could not go unavenged and would warrant a retaliatory strike.
By reacting violently, defendant and Gabriel enhanced their gang’s reputation in the
community and encouraged citizens to leave their gang alone, through intimidation and
fear. Furthermore, “[c]ommission of a crime in concert with known gang members is
substantial evidence which supports the inference that the defendant acted with the
specific intent to promote, further or assist gang members in the commission of the
crime.” (People v. Villalobos (2006) 145 Cal.App.4th 310, 322 [Fourth Dist., Div.
Two].)
VII
SENTENCING ERROR
The People do not oppose defendant’s contention his sentence on count 3
(participation in a street gang (§ 186.22, subd. (a)) must be stayed under section 654. The
trial court imposed a consecutive term on count 3 of one year four months.
Under People v. Mesa (2012) 54 Cal.4th 191, 193, section 654 precludes
punishment for both participation in a street gang (§ 186.22, subd. (a)) and underlying
felonies (assault with a firearm and possession of a firearm by a felon), which transform
mere gang membership (a noncrime) into the crime of actively participating in a criminal
street gang. On resentencing, the sentence on count 3 must be stayed. (See People v.
Ahmed (2011) 53 Cal.4th 156, 164 [section 654 “bars multiple punishment for the same
31 aspect of a criminal act.”].) Defendant cannot suffer multiple punishments for active
gang participation and the underlying felonies. (Mesa, at pp. 197-198.)
VIII
DISPOSITION
The judgment is ordered modified to stay the one-year-four-month sentence on
count 3 (participation in a street gang) under section 654. In all other regards, the
judgment is affirmed. The trial court is directed to prepare a corrected abstract of
judgment and to forward it to the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN OFFICIAL REPORTS
CODRINGTON J.
We concur:
RAMIREZ P. J.
McKINSTER J.
Related
Cite This Page — Counsel Stack
People v. Rocha CA4/2, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-rocha-ca42-calctapp-2014.