People v. Rodriguez

California Court of Appeal·Decided July 19, 2021·No. C087974·Published

Opinion

Filed 7/19/21 CERTIFIED FOR PARTIAL PUBLICATION *

IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA THIRD APPELLATE DISTRICT (San Joaquin) ----

THE PEOPLE, C087974

Plaintiff and Respondent, (Super. Ct. No. STKCRFECOD20150006748) v.

JESUS ALBERTO RODRIGUEZ,

Defendant and Appellant.

APPEAL from a judgment of the Superior Court of San Joaquin County, William D. Johnson, Judge. Affirmed as modified.

Paul Couenhoven, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Defendant and Appellant.

Kamala D. Harris and Xavier Becerra, Attorneys General, Michael P. Farrell, Assistant Attorney General, Carlos A. Martinez, Catherine Tennant Nieto, Deputy Attorney General, for Plaintiff and Respondent.

* Pursuant to California Rules of Court, rules 8.1105 and 8.1110, this opinion is certified for publication with the exception of Parts II – IV, VI.

1 Defendant and his codefendant Ralph Gamboa went on a two-day crime spree in Stockton. They robbed and attempted to rob numerous victims, and when met with resistance or perceived noncompliance, they resorted to violence. In separate incidents on the same day, defendant shot Victor D.R. in the head but he survived, Gamboa later shot and killed Luis Z., and defendant later shot and killed Javier R. 1 A jury found defendant guilty of all 19 counts charged and found true 11 firearm enhancements and two robbery-murder special-circumstances allegations. The trial court sentenced defendant to an aggregate term of 178 years eight months to life plus two consecutive terms of life without the possibility of parole. On appeal, defendant asserts: (1) the evidence was legally insufficient to support the special circumstances finding as to Luis because he was not the actual killer and the evidence was insufficient to prove that he had the intent to kill Luis or was a major participant who acted with reckless indifference to human life; (2) following the enactment of Senate Bill No. 1437, his conviction for Luis’s murder must be reversed; (3) as related to Javier R., the evidence was insufficient to prove defendant attempted to rob Javier R. or that it was defendant who shot and killed him and therefore the robbery-murder special circumstances, an attempted robbery conviction, and a firearm enhancement must be struck; (4) Penal Code section 654 2 barred separate punishment for counts 1 (murder of Luis) and count 2 (attempted robbery of Luis), and for count 6 (attempted murder of Victor), count 7 (attempted robbery of Victor), and count 8 (mayhem involving Victor); (5) the trial court’s imposition of a $1,000 administrative fee under section 1202.4, subdivision (l),

1 Pursuant to the California Rules of Court, rule 8.90, governing “Privacy in Opinions,” we refer to the victims and witnesses by their first name and last initial and thereafter by their first names, except where their first name is unusual, in which case we refer to them by their first and last initials. 2 Further undesignated statutory references are to the Penal Code in effect at the time of the charged offenses.

2 was unauthorized because defendant was sentenced to prison; and (6) the parole revocation fine must be struck because defendant was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. We shall modify the judgment to (1) stay execution of the sentence imposed on count 8, mayhem, pursuant to section 654, and (2) impose the $1,000 collection fee pursuant to section 1202.4, subdivision (l), the trial court did not orally impose. As so modified, we affirm. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND Defendant was charged with multiple counts, two robbery-murder special- circumstance allegations and multiple firearm enhancements related to a two-day crime spree. 3 Codefendants Gamboa and Sirenia Alcauter were charged in the same information. Defendant was 16 years old at the time of these events. After a transfer hearing pursuant to Proposition 57, the “Public Safety and Rehabilitation Act of 2016,” defendant was found unfit for juvenile court.

3 Defendant was charged with two counts of first degree murder (§ 187, subd. (a); counts 1, 4), four counts of attempted robbery (§§ 664, 211; counts 2, 5, 7, 9), assault with a firearm (§ 245, subd. (a)(2); count 3), attempted murder (§§ 664, 187, subd. (a); count 6), mayhem (§ 203; count 8), eight counts of second degree robbery (§ 211; counts 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17), possession of a firearm near a school (§ 626.9, subd. (b); count 25), and resisting, obstructing, or delaying a peace officer (§ 148; count 26). In connection with count 1, the information alleged felony murder and multiple-murder special circumstances against defendant. (§ 190.2, subds. (a)(3), (17).) In connection with count 4, the information alleged defendant personally discharged a firearm causing great bodily injury or death (§ 12022.53, subd. (d)), and felony murder and multiple- murder special circumstances (§ 190.2, subds. (a)(3), (17)). In connection with counts 5- 8, the information alleged defendant personally discharged a firearm causing great bodily injury. (§ 12022.53, subd. (d).) In connection with counts 9, 10, 11, 15, 16, and 17, the information alleged defendant personally used a firearm. (12022.53, subd. (b).)

3 Events Occurring on June 11, 2015 Attempted Robbery of C.T. 4 Just before 3:00 p.m., witness R.G. was at a store on Charter Way in Stockton cashing a check. 5 When she returned to her car, she saw a robbery taking place. She saw a man walk towards the far side of California Street and towards a parked car. He pulled out a gun and pointed it at people inside the car. R.G. took a picture of the robbery and then called 911. The 911 call was received at 2:56 p.m. In the call, R.G. described the person attempting to commit the robbery as a Hispanic male approximately 19 or 20 years old wearing a white shirt and black jeans. Robbery of Mario S. At approximately 3:00 p.m., Mario S. was parked on California Street where he had driven with his father. Mario’s father went into a salon while Mario stayed in the car. Mario noticed what appeared to be a son arguing with his father, or a younger guy arguing with an older guy. The younger person was outside of a car, and the older person was in the car. 6 Mario resumed texting on his phone. Then someone came up to the driver’s side of Mario’s car and told Mario to give him his phone. The person pulled out a silver revolver, pointed it at the side of Mario’s head, and repeated, “ ‘Give me your phone.’ ” He also told Mario, “ ‘Do you think I’m playing?’ ” Mario testified that the person looked “a little younger than I was, and I think probably around 16 years old.” Mario gave the person his phone. The person opened the rear driver’s-side door of Mario’s car, grabbed something, and then he took off. As he was leaving, Mario’s father

4 C.T. did not testify at trial. 5 Except where otherwise specified, all events occurred in Stockton. 6 The prosecutor argued in closing that this was defendant attempting to rob C.T.

4 returned and yelled at the person who “dropped the stuff and took off.” Mario’s father called 911. The call was received at 3:02 p.m. Attempted Robbery and Attempted Murder of Victor Victor was walking near the corner of Grant Street and First Street, talking to his mother on his cell phone. Victor passed defendant, who was wearing shorts and a white T-shirt. After Victor passed him, defendant said, “ ‘Hey, let me see that phone.’ ” Victor turned around and “noticed a revolver probably a foot or two away from [his] face” being held by defendant. The revolver was silver. Victor shook his head and continued to walk. He looked over his shoulder, heard a loud pop, and felt something “really, really terrible,” pain on the right side of his head near the corner of his eye. Victor called 911. He described the perpetrator as Hispanic and wearing a white shirt and jean shorts.

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