State v. Saenz

156 Wash. App. 866
CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedJuly 13, 2010
DocketNo. 27683-0-III
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 156 Wash. App. 866 (State v. Saenz) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Saenz, 156 Wash. App. 866 (Wash. Ct. App. 2010).

Opinion

Kttt.tk, C.J.

¶1 A jury found Jorge Saenz guilty of two counts of first degree assault and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm. Mr. Saenz appeals, asserting that evidence of gang affiliation and witness intimidation should not have been allowed under ER 404(b). He also asserts the State presented insufficient evidence to support his convictions. The State cross appeals, contending the trial court erred by not sentencing Mr. Saenz under the Persistent Offender Accountability Act (POAA), ROW 9.94A.555. We conclude sufficient evidence supports the convictions, and we affirm the convictions. We reverse the trial court’s conclusion that the POAA did not apply. Here, unlike State v. Knippling, 166 Wn.2d 93, 206 P.3d 332 (2009), Mr. Saenz agreed to declination and waived in writing his right to a hearing. We, thus, accord his prior conviction the same status as any other prior conviction for a most serious offense.

FACTS

¶2 During the evening of January 10, 2008, Jorge Saenz and Pedro Godinez began arguing in the Walmart in Sunnyside, Washington. Brandon Gonyier observed the interaction. Mr. Godinez is Mr. Gonyier’s uncle. Both were 15 years old at the time of the altercation. Mr. Godinez and Mr. Gonyier belonged to a gang known as the Lower Valley Locos. Mr. Saenz was a known member of the rival gang, the Bell Garden Locos (BGLs). Mr. Gonyier testified that Mr. [870]*870Saenz threatened Mr. Gonyier and Mr. Godinez and told them they better watch their backs.

¶3 Mr. Godinez and Mr. Gonyier left Walmart and headed toward Mr. Gonyier’s house. They walked through a parking lot. When Mr. Godinez and Mr. Gonyier were in front of Ace Hardware, a Dodge Dakota pickup truck pulled into the parking lot. A man, later identified as Mr. Saenz, got out of the front passenger side of the pickup. Mr. Gonyier testified that he heard a voice yell “BGL,” and that he recognized the voice as Mr. Saenz’s voice. Report of Proceedings (RP) at 86. Mr. Saenz started firing a gun at Mr. Godinez and Mr. Gonyier. Mr. Saenz shot Mr. Godinez in the back. Mr. Gonyier tried to enter the Ace Hardware store, but he fell and hit his head on the glass door, shattering the glass. Mr. Gonyier and Mr. Godinez entered the Ace Hardware to avoid the gunfire. Mr. Gonyier identified Mr. Saenz as the man from the Walmart altercation as well as the shooter in the Ace Hardware parking lot.

¶4 A few days later, a Sunnyside police officer received a telephone call from a woman who stated that when she went to visit her son at her sister’s house, she overheard David Guillen bragging about the shooting. This caller stated that she had the gun used in the shooting. She delivered the gun to the police.

¶5 Mr. Guillen accepted a deal in exchange for his testimony against Mr. Saenz. Mr. Guillen testified that Mr. Saenz called him for a ride. Mr. Guillen picked up Mr. Saenz in the Walmart parking lot in his Dodge Dakota pickup truck. Mr. Guillen stated that Mr. Saenz saw two people walking, and he told Mr. Guillen to go toward them so Mr. Saenz could “hit them up.”1 Mr. Guillen drove into the parking lot by Ace Hardware, and Mr. Saenz got out of the vehicle and started shooting at the two people — Mr. Godinez and Mr. Gonyier.

¶6 The State charged Mr. Saenz with two counts of first degree assault and one count of unlawful possession of a [871]*871firearm. During pretrial motions, the State sought the admission of evidence of Mr. Saenz’s gang affiliation under ER 404(b). The court found that three detectives had specific knowledge of language, formation, affiliation, and overall gang structure. The trial court allowed the detectives to testify regarding gangs and gang activity to show proof of motive, opportunity, intent, preparation, plan, knowledge, identity, and absence of mistake or accident.

¶7 The State also sought the admission of evidence of witness intimidation within the jail under ER 404(b). The trial court found that both Mr. Saenz and Mr. Guillen were arrested and placed in the Yakima County jail. Sometime between January 2008 and July 2008, Mr. Saenz sent messages to Mr. Guillen telling Mr. Guillen to take the blame for the alleged crimes because he would serve less time than Mr. Saenz. Mr. Saenz also indicated that Mr. Guillen and his family would be harmed if Mr. Guillen did not take the blame for the alleged crimes.

¶8 In June 2008, Mr. Guillen was assaulted by a group of inmates who indicated they were sending a message to him. Mr. Saenz did not directly participate in the assault, and his name was not mentioned in connection with the message. Mr. Guillen testified that he assumed Mr. Saenz sent the message. The trial court allowed the evidence regarding witness intimidation to show guilty knowledge by Mr. Saenz of the alleged crimes and participation in those crimes.

¶9 A jury convicted Mr. Saenz of two counts of first degree assault and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm. The State asserted that Mr. Saenz was a persistent offender and should be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The trial court disagreed, entering the following findings of fact: Mr. Saenz was convicted of two counts of second degree assault with a deadly weapon on December 3,2003. Mr. Saenz was 18 years old at the time he committed the assaults. Mr. Saenz was charged with multiple crimes, including three counts of second degree [872]*872assault in the Lewis County Juvenile Court on February 3, 2001, when Mr. Saenz was 15 years old.

¶10 Mr. Saenz signed an agreed stipulation declining juvenile jurisdiction and specifically waived the requirement of a declination hearing. He also expressly waived his right to a hearing within 14 days in a colloquy with the court. Mr. Saenz was represented by counsel at all times and discussed declination with his counsel. A Lewis County commissioner approved the stipulation but did not make any findings regarding declination of juvenile court jurisdiction or the waiver of juvenile jurisdiction signed by Mr. Saenz. Mr. Saenz pleaded guilty to second degree assault and custodial assault in Lewis County Superior Court.

¶11 The trial court concluded that Mr. Saenz’s Lewis County conviction did not qualify as a most serious offense for purposes of the POAA because there was no express waiver of juvenile court jurisdiction by Mr. Saenz and there were no express findings by the juvenile court regarding waiver of the juvenile court’s jurisdiction. Because the trial court concluded that the Lewis County conviction did not qualify under the POAA, Mr. Saenz was sentenced to a total of 441 months’ confinement.

¶12 Mr. Saenz appeals, asserting the trial court erred by allowing the State to present evidence of gang affiliation and witness intimidation. The State cross appeals, asserting the trial court erred by denying its motion to sentence Mr. Saenz as a persistent offender.

ANALYSIS

¶13 ER 404(b). Mr. Saenz asserts that the trial court erred by admitting evidence of gang affiliation and witness intimidation. Washington courts have repeatedly held that gang affiliation evidence is admissible as proof of motive, opportunity, intent, preparation, plan, knowledge, identity, or absence of mistake or accident. See State v. Yarbrough, 151 Wn. App. 66, 210 P.3d 1029 (2009); State v. Boot, 89 Wn. App.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

State Of Washington v. Karl Emerson Pierce
Court of Appeals of Washington, 2018
State v. Bailey
335 P.3d 942 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 2014)
State of Washington v. Stephen Anthony Bailey
Court of Appeals of Washington, 2013
State v. Saenz
283 P.3d 1094 (Washington Supreme Court, 2012)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
156 Wash. App. 866, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-saenz-washctapp-2010.