People v. Sylvestry

112 Cal. App. Supp. 3d 1, 169 Cal. Rptr. 575, 1980 Cal. App. LEXIS 2469
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedOctober 9, 1980
DocketCrim. A. No. 17706
StatusPublished
Cited by19 cases

This text of 112 Cal. App. Supp. 3d 1 (People v. Sylvestry) 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. Sylvestry, 112 Cal. App. Supp. 3d 1, 169 Cal. Rptr. 575, 1980 Cal. App. LEXIS 2469 (Cal. Ct. App. 1980).

Opinion

Opinion

SAETA, J.

This case involves the legality of giving a defendant credit against a mandatory jail term for time spent in a rehabilitation facility as a result of a release on own recognizance. We have concluded that such credit was properly given.

On November 15, 1978, defendant was charged in a two-count complaint with violating, in count I, Health and Safety Code, section 11550 (use or under the influence of an opiate) and, in count II, Business and Professions Code section 4143, subdivision (a) (possession of a hypodermic needle and syringe). Defendant was arraigned and entered a not guilty plea. The matter was set for trial on February 28, 1979. On that date defendant changed her plea to guilty to count I and count II was dismissed. The case was continued for sentence to June 1, 1979. The reporter’s transcript shows an indicated disposition was given, as follows: probation would be imposed with a condition of 90 days in jail and credit for time served in á rehabilitation facility. Health and Safety Code, section 11550 (hereafter § 11550) mandates service of 90 days in jail either outright or as a condition of probation.1

[Supp. 4]*Supp. 4The docket indicates that defendant was advised and understood that the People might appeal the indicated sentence and that if the appellate court reversed the sentence defendant would be permitted to withdraw her plea and go to trial or let the plea stand and serve 90 days in jail in addition to the time she spent in the rehabilitation facility. The People opposed the indicated sentence.

On May 15, 1979, on petition of the People, the superior court issued an alternative writ of mandate commanding the trial court to either vacate its order of February 28,- 1979, and sentence defendant to 90 days in jail without postconviction credit for time served in a drug rehabilitation facility, or to show cause on May 23 why the court should not so order.

Prior to the return date on the alternative writ, on May 21, 1979, the case was advanced on the trial court’s calendar from June 1 and defendant moved to withdraw her guilty plea and enter a not guilty plea and be released on her own recognizance (O/R) on condition that she enter a custodial drug treatment program and remain there until further court order.2 There was no objection by the People and the motion was granted. Defendant was released O/R on condition that she enter a drug treatment facility and not leave without court order. The court was to be notified within 24 hours if défendant left the program. The case was reset for trial on July 30.

The next day, the People, having second thoughts, moved to vacate and/or stay the order permitting defendant to withdraw her plea. The [Supp. 5]*Supp. 5court stated that it was without power to grant such a motion. No grounds or authority were advanced by the People to vacate the previous order. That order was properly grounded on the court’s promise of February 28, 1979. Not only had the deputy city attorney in court on May 21, 1979, acquiesced in the withdrawal of the plea, a member of the appellate section of the city attorney’s office had stated to defense counsel that there was no objection to the withdrawal of the plea and setting the case for trial. In addition, the prosecutor stated, that the May 2Í order did not violate the terms of the alternative writ. On May 22 the only real objection was the setting of the trial on July 30, whereupon the court reset the case for July 16.

The People again petitioned for writ relief—this time to order the trial court to vacate its order of May 21 postponing the trial to July 16. (Actually the setting of July 16 came in the order of May 22, not May 21.) The writ was denied on June 26 on the ground it was premature.

Defendant failed to appear for trial on July 16 and her O/R release was revoked and a bench warrant issued. O/R was reinstated on July 18 when defendant appeared and the matter was trailed for trial to July 20. On July 20 defendant again changed her plea and the court made the following findings: (1) Impact House was a custodial rehabilitation facility within the terms of Penal Code section 2900.5 (hereafter § 2900.5);

(2) Custody in that facility was attributable to the present offense; and

(3) The facility was custodial based on the testimony of a counselor from Impact House.

Defendant entered a. plea of nolo contendré to count I; count II was again dismissed on the motion of the People. Defendant was sentenced to 180 days in county jail. Execution of sentence was suspended and she was placed on probation for 24 months on condition that she serve 90 days in the county jail. She was then given credit for 68 days presentence time served plus 22 days good time/work time based on her confinement in Impact House. She was further ordered to complete a six- to nine-month program in that facility as a condition of probation. The People appeal the granting of credit for time served as an order made after sentence. (People v. Belton (1978) 84 Cal.App.3d Supp. 23, 26 [149 Cal.Rptr. 231].

[Supp. 6]*Supp. 6The analysis of the issue on appeal centers on the following questions: 1. Was Impact House a custodial facility within the terms of section 2900.5, subdivision (a)?3

2. Was defendant’s stay in Impact House attributable to proceedings related to the same conduct for which she had been convicted within section 2900.5, subdivision (b)?4 and;

3. Is section 2900.5 in conflict with section 11550? Our answers to these three questions are: Yes, Yes, and No, respectively.

1. The court’s finding that Impact House constituted a custodial residential institution for purposes of section 2900.5, subdivision (a) was supported by substantial evidence. A similar facility was found to qualify for credit in People v. Rodgers (1978) 79 Cal.App.3d 26, 30-33 [144 Cal.Rptr. 602]; see also In re Wolfenbarger (1977) 76 Cal.App.3d 201, 205-206 [142 Cal.Rptr. 745].

2. The applicability of section 2900.5 to credit for time served in a foreign jurisdiction was discussed in In re Watson (1977) 19 Cal.3d 646 [139 Cal.Rptr. 609, 566 P.2d 243]. There the court stated that “[t]he crucial element of the statute is not where or under what conditions the defendant has been deprived of his liberty but rather whether the custody to which he has been subjected ‘is attributable to charges arising from the same criminal act or acts for which the defendant has been [Supp. 7]*Supp. 7convicted.’ (§ 2900.5, subd. (b).)” (Ibid at p. 651.) This was further elaborated in In re Rojas (1979) 23 Cal.3d 152, 155-156 [151 Cal.Rptr. 649, 588 P.2d 789], wherein the court stated “. .. a defendant is not to be given credit for time spent in custody if during the same period he is already serving a term of incarceration.” (1) In the present case, defendant was not in custody on any other offense, so her time in Impact House could only be attributable to the present charge. Even though defendant accepted placement in Impact House, she was there pursuant to a court order stemming directly from the criminal proceedings.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
112 Cal. App. Supp. 3d 1, 169 Cal. Rptr. 575, 1980 Cal. App. LEXIS 2469, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-sylvestry-calctapp-1980.