People v. Velasquez CA5

California Court of Appeal·Decided August 3, 2022·No. F080270·Unpublished

Opinion

Filed 8/3/22 P. v. Velasquez CA5

NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL REPORTS California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for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 This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.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, F080270 Plaintiff and Respondent, (Super. Ct. No. 19CMS1941) v.

ANGEL VELASQUEZ, OPINION Defendant and Appellant.

APPEAL from a judgment of the Superior Court of Kings County. Randy L. Edwards, Judge.

Karriem Baker, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Defendant and Appellant. Xavier Becerra, Attorney General, Lance E. Winters, Chief Assistant Attorney General, Michael P. Farrell, Assistant Attorney General, Catherine Chatman and Michael Dolida, Deputy Attorneys General, for Plaintiff and Respondent. -ooOoo- INTRODUCTION Defendant Angel Velasquez was charged by information with inflicting corporal injury on a spouse (Pen. Code, § 273.5, subd. (a); count 1); attempting to dissuade the complaining witness (§ 136.1, subd. (b)(1); count 2); misdemeanor vandalism (§ 594, subd. (a); count 3); and interfering with the use of a wireless communication device to prevent law enforcement from being notified of a crime (§ 591.5; count 4). (Undesignated statutory references are to the Penal Code.) As to count 1, it was alleged defendant had two domestic violence convictions within the purview of section 273.5, subdivision (f)(1): a section 243, subdivision (e)(1) conviction in Kings County and a section 243, subdivision (e)(1) conviction in Yolo County. Defendant admitted he suffered the prior convictions after trial commenced, and the jury convicted him of all the charges. The court sentenced defendant to the middle term of four years on count 1, the upper term of three years on count 2 to be served concurrently with the sentence on count 1, 187 days on count 3 to be served concurrently, and 180 days on count 4, stayed under section 654. On appeal, defendant asserts his conviction for attempting to dissuade a witness must be reversed because it violates the rule stated in In re Williamson (1954) 43 Cal.2d 651 (Williamson) that, when a general statute prohibits the same conduct as a more specific statute, a defendant cannot be prosecuted under the general statute. He also contends his enhanced sentence on count 1 under section 273.5, subdivision (f)(1) must be reversed because it is not supported by sufficient evidence. In support, he argues his prior section 243, subdivision (e)(1) convictions are not listed as qualifying domestic violence convictions under section 273.5, subdivision (f)(1) and, thus, could not support an enhancement pursuant to that section. Alternatively, defendant contends his admissions to the alleged prior convictions were invalid because the court did not advise him of his rights under Boykin v. Alabama (1969) 395 U.S. 238 and In re Tahl (1969) 1 Cal.3d 122 (Boykin-Tahl) before accepting his admissions. Finally, the parties agree the court erred in computing defendant’s presentence conduct and custody credit at the time of sentencing.

2. We affirm defendant’s domestic violence conviction in violation of section 273.5, subdivision (a) (count 1) but reverse the true findings regarding the related prior convictions allegation and vacate defendant’s enhanced sentence under section 273.5, subdivision (f)(1) as to that count. We also reverse defendant’s conviction for dissuading a witness (§ 136.1, subd. (b)(1); count 2). We remand for further proceedings consistent with this opinion. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND Defendant and D.V. had been married for two years at the time of trial and they had a child together. On April 20, 2019, D.V. was at her mother-in-law Ruth’s house when defendant walked in the door; he appeared to be high. Ruth had a restraining order against defendant that restricted him from coming to her house. D.V. had a fight with defendant and called the police. Around 3:00 a.m., Officer Jonathan Farr contacted D.V., who appeared distraught; defendant had left. D.V. provided a statement in which she said defendant pushed her. She showed Officer Farr an abrasion on her finger and told him she was missing her glasses. D.V.’s statement was captured on Officer Farr’s body camera; the recording was played for the jury. After Officer Farr left, defendant returned through a window and asked D.V. why she called the police. He then took away Ruth’s cordless house phone and D.V.’s cellular phone after D.V. told him she was going to call the police. Defendant told Ruth and D.V. not to call the police, and he left with both of the phones.1 When Officer Farr returned an hour later, D.V. again sounded distraught, and Officer Farr immediately noticed abrasions on D.V.’s left arm as he approached. D.V. had the frame to her glasses but the lenses had fallen on the ground somewhere. D.V. and Ruth reported defendant took D.V’s cellular phone and Ruth’s house telephone. That

1Ruth clarified on cross-examination defendant said, “Don’t call the police just to keep me here,” because D.V. wanted him to be there with her.

3. encounter was also captured on Officer Farr’s body camera, and the recording was played for the jury. At trial, D.V. stated she did not remember that night because she had been drinking. She denied defendant did anything physical to her. She just recalled waking up the next day and her glasses were broken. Prior incidents On October 23, 2017, Officer Patrick Jurdon encountered D.V. after being dispatched on a call; D.V. looked “[v]isibly shaken.” D.V. reported she and defendant argued and he slapped her on the back of the head, causing slight swelling. On January 2, 2019, Officer Alan Lara was dispatched to a motel where he met with D.V. outside of her room. D.V. seemed scared and her eyes looked watery, like she had been crying. She had a “pretty big golf ball-size knot on her [fore]head.” She said her husband, defendant, had caused the injury. He hit her with closed fists approximately two times. She ran into the bathroom with her phone and locked the door; defendant told her not to call the police. But D.V. called the police, and defendant left. An emergency protective order was issued following the incident. Defense Case Defendant testified on his own behalf. He admitted going with D.V. to Ruth’s house the morning of the charged incident. He testified he left and then came back through the window because the door was locked. He denied ever hitting D.V. He conceded he took D.V.’s phone and the cordless house phone and stated he accidentally left with them. Verdict and Sentence A jury convicted defendant of inflicting a corporal injury on a spouse (§ 273.5, subd. (a); count 1); attempting to dissuade the complaining witness (§ 136.1, subd. (b)(1); count 2); misdemeanor vandalism (§ 594, subd. (a); count 3); and interfering with the use of a wireless communication device to prevent law enforcement from being notified of a

4. crime (§ 591.5; count 4). As to count 1, it was alleged defendant had two domestic violence convictions within the purview of section 273.5, subdivision (f)(1): a section 243, subdivision (e)(1) conviction in Kings County and a section 243, subdivision (e)(1) conviction in Yolo County. Defendant admitted he suffered the two section 243, subdivision (e)(1) convictions after trial commenced.

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