People v. Valdez CA5

CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedJanuary 9, 2015
DocketF066139
StatusUnpublished

This text of People v. Valdez CA5 (People v. Valdez CA5) 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. Valdez CA5, (Cal. Ct. App. 2015).

Opinion

Filed 1/9/15 P. v. Valdez CA5

NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN OFFICIAL REPORTS California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for publication or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 This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.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

FIFTH APPELLATE DISTRICT

THE PEOPLE, F066139

Plaintiff and Respondent, (Super. Ct. No. VCF258018)

v. OPINION ROBERT ISRAEL VALDEZ,

Defendant and Appellant.

APPEAL from judgment of the Superior Court of Tulare County. Joseph A. Kalashian, Judge. Peggy A. Headley, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Defendant and Appellant. Kamala D. Harris, Attorney General, Michael P. Farrell, Assistant Attorney General, Robert Gezi and Julie A. Hokans, Deputy Attorneys General, for Plaintiff and Respondent. -ooOoo- Following a jury trial, appellant Robert Israel Valdez was convicted of premeditated attempted murder of Christopher Ince pursuant to Penal Code1 sections 187, subdivision (a), and 664 (count 1); dissuading a witness from reporting a crime pursuant to section 136.1, subdivision (b)(1) (count 2); and dissuading another witness from reporting a crime pursuant to the same section (count 3). The jury also found true three firearm enhancements (§ 12022.53, subds. (b), (c) & (d)) and a great bodily injury enhancement (§ 12022.7, subd. (a)) associated with count 1, and a firearm enhancement associated with counts 2 and 3 (§ 12022.5, subd. (a)). Prior to the commencement of trial, Valdez admitted three prior prison term enhancements associated with all three counts. For count 1, Valdez was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole, plus a consecutive term of 25 years to life for one of the firearm enhancements (§ 12022.53, subd. (d)), plus three consecutive terms of one year each for the prior prison term enhancements (§ 667.5, subd. (b)). The court stayed the remaining enhancements under count 1. For counts 2 and 3, Valdez was sentenced to the middle term of two years, plus a consecutive term of four years for the firearm enhancement (§ 12022.5, subd. (a)), with the sentences on counts 2 and 3 to run concurrently with the sentence on count 1. The court granted Valdez 462 days presentence credit for time actually served (402 days) and local conduct (60 days). On appeal, Valdez raises five contentions. First, he argues he was deprived the effective assistance of counsel because his trial attorney employed an “all or nothing” trial strategy that was not objectively reasonable and his counsel then gave a closing argument that omitted critical points, contained factual errors, and did not reasonably

1 All future references are to the Penal Code unless otherwise noted.

2 deliver upon a promise to identify the inconsistencies within the prosecution witnesses’ testimony. Second, he challenges the sufficiency of the evidence supporting the verdict on count 1. Third, he argues that his admissions to the three prior prison term enhancements were not voluntary and intelligent. We find these three arguments unpersuasive. Valdez also asserts that he is entitled to additional presentence credits for a total of 476 days of credit. Respondent concedes this point and we accept the concession. Finally, Valdez maintains that the abstract of judgment contains clerical errors in that it fails to show the stayed enhancements pursuant to section 12022.53, subdivisions (b) and (c), which must be corrected. Respondent also concedes this point, which we accept. The judgment is modified to award Valdez a total of 476 days of presentence credits and further modified to reflect the stayed enhancements pursuant to section 12022.53, subdivisions (b) and (c). As so modified, the judgment is affirmed. FACTS Valdez does not challenge the sufficiency of the evidence supporting the jury’s verdicts in counts 2 and 3 for dissuading a witness under section 136.1, subdivision (b)(1). As such, set forth below are those facts relevant to count 1. Prosecution Evidence At one time, Valdez and Ince were friends. On the day of the shooting, they had known each other for about four or five years. On occasion, Valdez had stayed at the Ince residence in Porterville. Ince’s wife had a medicinal marijuana card and she was growing seven marijuana plants in the days leading up to the shooting. Multiple times before the shooting she noticed Valdez in their backyard near the marijuana plants where he “shouldn’t have been.” Valdez would come around at nighttime and go straight into Ince’s backyard

3 without knocking on the front door. Ince’s wife told Ince about her concerns regarding Valdez’s behavior. Ince also began to have doubts about Valdez after he showed up early one morning at the Ince residence. The Ince’s were concerned that Valdez intended to steal the marijuana, so Ince began to sleep in a tent in the backyard to protect his wife’s garden. On September 20, 2011, Valdez drove to Ince’s home and spoke with Ince on his front porch. Ince told Valdez that he was not welcome in their home anymore because Valdez had twice tried to steal marijuana plants. Dillon Bowen, Brandon Bowen and Nathan Eastep were sitting outside the neighboring residence and they witnessed part of the interaction. Another witness, Zachary Lonero, was getting dressed inside that neighboring residence, but came outside in time to see part of the confrontation. To some of the witnesses, it appeared that Valdez and Ince were arguing or yelling. The argument appeared to be about marijuana and Dillon Bowen later told a sheriff’s deputy that he heard Valdez claim the crop was his when he confronted Ince. Lonero heard Ince telling Valdez to leave. The exchange between Valdez and Ince did not last very long. Valdez cursed at Ince and walked back towards his truck. The witnesses varied in their testimony regarding where Valdez’s truck was parked. Brandon Bowen testified that the truck was parked in Ince’s driveway. Eastep, however, testified that Valdez initially pulled into Ince’s driveway but pulled away and parked on the street before he began arguing with Ince. Dillon Bowen testified that Valdez parked “with the truck to the curb” near the road before he argued with Ince. Ince could not see the truck from his porch. At his truck, Valdez removed a rifle from behind the seat. Three of the witnesses identified the rifle as a .22-caliber. Valdez walked back towards Ince and aimed the rifle. 4 The witnesses all ran for cover once they realized that Valdez had the rifle and was confronting Ince. The testimony varied regarding how close Valdez was to Ince when he aimed the rifle. Ince testified that Valdez “approached my porch” with the rifle. Eastep saw Valdez walking back towards Ince with the rifle but did not describe how close Valdez came to Ince. Dillon Bowen gave the strongest indication when he testified that Valdez walked back towards Ince and stood with the rifle “by the porch” and “on the concrete that goes ... up to the porch.” A sheriff’s deputy, however, testified that Dillon Bowen had indicated on the day of the shooting that Valdez remained at his truck while he argued with Ince, who remained near the front of his residence. The deputy estimated the distance to be 40 or 50 feet from where Dillon Bowen believed Valdez to be standing from Ince when they argued and then Valdez started firing. When Ince saw Valdez aim the rifle at him, he tried to jump inside his residence, but he realized he did not have enough time. Ince testified that, “I motioned my body to take the shot.” He further said, “I just kind of cringed up, leaned to the right so I could take the shot in my right side, because I knew it was coming.” Valdez shot Ince one time in the right side of his chest at approximately 12:20 p.m.

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People v. Valdez CA5, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-valdez-ca5-calctapp-2015.