People v. Brown

FACTS AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

The People charged defendant by felony complaint with three counts of receiving stolen property (§ 496, subd. (a), counts 1-3), and three counts of identity theft (§ 530.5, subd. (a), counts 4-6). At her arraignment, defendant agreed to plead guilty to count 1 in exchange for the dismissal of counts 2 through 6 and a sentencing recommendation from the People of two years in county jail. Defendant pleaded guilty to count 1 and admitted to receiving stolen mail. The trial court found a factual basis for defendant's guilty plea and subsequently sentenced defendant to two years in county jail with 80 days of pretrial and good conduct credit.

One month after her sentencing, defendant filed a petition in the superior court requesting that she be resentenced to misdemeanor receipt of stolen property pursuant to Proposition 47. In response, the People requested a hearing to determine whether they could withdraw from the plea agreement with defendant. The People argued defendant was not entitled to resentencing under Proposition 47 because she agreed as part of her plea bargain to serve two years in county jail. Defendant, through her attorney, the public defender, replied the People could not withdraw from the plea agreement and reinstate the dismissed counts because a plea agreement incorporates and contemplates changes in the law, such as Proposition 47.

A.

The voters adopted Proposition 47 on November 4, 2014, and it went into effect the next day. (Cal. Const., art. II, § 10, subd. (a).) "Proposition 47 makes certain drug- and theft-related offenses misdemeanors, unless the offenses were committed by certain ineligible defendants. These offenses had previously been designated as either felonies or wobblers (crimes that can be punished as either felonies or misdemeanors)." ( People v. Rivera, supra, 233 Cal.App.4th at p. 1091, 183 Cal.Rptr.3d 362 .) "Proposition 47 also created a new resentencing provision: section 1170.18. Under section 1170.18, a person 'currently serving' a felony sentence for an offense that is now a misdemeanor under Proposition 47, may petition for a recall of that sentence and request resentencing in accordance with the statutes that were added or amended by Proposition 47." ( Id. at p. 1092, 183 Cal.Rptr.3d 362 .)

There is no dispute that a conviction for receiving stolen property with a value of $950 or less is now a misdemeanor, and that, unless otherwise disqualified, a defendant currently serving a sentence for such a conviction is eligible for resentencing under Proposition 47. (§§ 496, subd. (a),

The appellate court concluded Proposition 47 "clearly and unambiguously" applies to convictions obtained by guilty plea. ( T. W., supra, 236 Cal.App.4th at p. 652, 186 Cal.Rptr.3d 620 .) The court stated the only categorical disqualifications found in the statute are for defendants convicted of serious or violent felonies, defendants required to register as sex offenders, and defendants who are found to pose an unreasonable risk of committing a new violent crime. ( Ibid. ) "The statute

A defendant who files a petition under Proposition 47 bears the burden of establishing they are eligible for misdemeanor resentencing. ( People v. Sherow (2015) 239 Cal.App.4th 875 , 878-880, 191 Cal.Rptr.3d 295 .) In a run-of-the-mill theft or receiving stolen property case, the defendant's burden will be to demonstrate the value of the property at issue did not exceed $950. ( Id. at pp. 879-880, 191 Cal.Rptr.3d 295 .) Nothing in the text, legislative history, or spirit of Proposition 47 suggests a defendant convicted by guilty plea must also demonstrate she would have received the same plea offer had she committed her crime after passage of Proposition 47, and we decline to impose such a requirement.

Nor do we agree with the People that, when determining eligibility for resentencing under Proposition 47, the trial court must look to charges that were dismissed as part of the underlying plea agreement. Section 1170.18 addresses convictions for reclassified offenses that, had they been committed after Proposition 47 went into effect, would be punished as misdemeanors. (§ 1170.18, subd. (a).) "Upon receiving a petition under subdivision (a), the court shall determine whether the petitioner satisfies the criteria in subdivision (a)," to wit, whether the defendant was convicted of a reclassified crime. (§ 1170.18, subd. (b).) The trial court has discretion to consider the defendant's criminal history and the underlying facts of the case for the purpose of determining whether resentencing the defendant "would pose an unreasonable risk of danger to public safety." (§ 1170.18, subd. (b); see id. subd. (b)(3) [trial court may consider "[a]ny other evidence the court, within its discretion, determines to be relevant in deciding whether a new sentence would result in an unreasonable risk of danger to public safety."].) But the trial court may not consider charges that were dismissed as part of a plea agreement to conclude a defendant with an otherwise eligible conviction is not, in fact, eligible for

Last, we are not persuaded the People should be permitted on remand to withdraw from the plea bargain and reinstate the dismissed felony identity theft counts because defendant breached her side of the bargain. The decision in People v. Collins (1978) 21 Cal.3d 208 , 145 Cal.Rptr. 686 , 577 P.2d 1026 ( Collins ) does not support the People's request. The defendant there pleaded guilty to one count of oral copulation in violation of former section 288a, in exchange for dismissal of multiple charges and dismissal of the allegation the defendant committed the oral copulation by means of force. ( Id. at p. 211, 145 Cal.Rptr. 686 , 577 P.2d 1026 .) Before sentencing, the Legislature repealed former section 288a and enacted a new version of the statute that did not proscribe oral copulation between consenting adults. ( Ibid. ) The defendant objected to the trial court's jurisdiction to impose sentence because the crime to which he pleaded guilty had been repealed. The trial court overruled the objection and sentenced the defendant to one to 15 years in state prison. ( Id. at pp. 211-212, 145 Cal.Rptr. 686 , 577 P.2d 1026 .)

The Supreme Court held the trial court erred by imposing a sentence because the conduct for which the defendant was convicted was no longer punishable. ( Collins, supra, 21 Cal.3d at pp. 212-213, 145 Cal.Rptr. 686 , 577 P.2d 1026 .) With respect to a proper disposition, the defendant stated he had no intention of withdrawing from the plea, which might trigger the People's right to reinstate the

Whether Proposition 47 applies to defendants convicted by guilty plea is a question of statutory interpretation that we review de novo. ( People v. Prunty (2015) 62 Cal.4th 59 , 71, 192 Cal.Rptr.3d 309 , 355 P.3d 480 .) "When we interpret an initiative, we apply the same principles governing statutory construction. We first consider the initiative's language, giving the words their ordinary meaning and construing this language in the context of the statute and initiative as a whole. If the language is not ambiguous, we presume the voters intended the meaning apparent from that language, and we may not add to the statute or rewrite it to conform to some assumed intent not apparent from that language. If the language is ambiguous, courts may consider ballot summaries and arguments in determining the voters' intent and understanding of a ballot measure." ( People v. Superior Court ( Pearson ) (2010) 48 Cal.4th 564 , 571, 107 Cal.Rptr.3d 265 , 227 P.3d 858 .)

Section 1170.18 unambiguously applies to a defendant "currently serving a sentence for a conviction, whether by trial or plea ...." (§ 1170.18, subd. (a), italics added.) We are not the first court to address whether Proposition 47 applies to defendants convicted by guilty plea. The minor in T.W. v. Superior Court (2015) 236 Cal.App.4th 646 , 186 Cal.Rptr.3d 620 ( T.W. ) was adjudged a ward of the juvenile court after admitting he received stolen property in violation of section 496. ( Id. at p. 649, 186 Cal.Rptr.3d 620 .) When the minor petitioned for modification of his disposition, the prosecution argued Proposition 47

The People urge us to disagree with T.W. , stating that decision focused solely on the text of section 1170.18 and failed to "address, or even acknowledge, the pre-existing, well-established law ... that prohibits a court from altering the express terms of a plea agreement." The People also contend the voters who adopted Proposition 47 are presumed to be aware of the existing law on plea agreements, and nothing in the text or legislative history of Proposition 47 indicates the voters intended to amend the general law on plea bargaining. We are not convinced.

As the People contend, a negotiated plea bargain is a contract between a defendant and the prosecutor and, if accepted, its terms bind the parties and the trial court. ( People v. Segura (2008) 44 Cal.4th 921 , 930-931, 80 Cal.Rptr.3d 715 , 188 P.3d 649 .) Although the trial court retains inherent sentencing discretion, it must impose a sentence within the bounds of the plea agreement. ( Id. at p. 931, 80 Cal.Rptr.3d 715 , 188 P.3d 649 .) If the trial court disagrees with the terms of the plea agreement, it may reject it. ( Id. at pp. 931-932, 80 Cal.Rptr.3d 715 , 188 P.3d 649 .) However, once the trial court has accepted a plea and entered sentence, the material terms of a plea bargain may not be modified without both parties' consent. ( People v. Martin (2010) 51 Cal.4th 75 , 80, 119 Cal.Rptr.3d 99 , 244 P.3d 496 .)

Although the parties and the trial court may not unilaterally alter the terms of a plea bargain, subsequent statutory enactments or amendments adopted by the Legislature or the voters exercising the initiative power may have the effect of altering the terms of the plea bargain. "[T]he general rule in California is that the plea agreement will be ' "deemed to incorporate and contemplate not only the existing law but the reserve power of the state to amend the law or enact additional laws for the public good and in pursuance of public policy...." ' [Citation.] That the parties enter into a plea agreement thus does not have the effect of insulating them from changes in the law that the Legislature has intended to apply to them." ( Doe v. Harris (2013) 57 Cal.4th 64 , 66, 158 Cal.Rptr.3d 290 , 302 P.3d 598 .) "[I]t is not impossible the parties to a particular plea bargain might affirmatively agree or implicitly understand the consequences of a

The People contend Doe v. Harris "explicitly does not apply to express, bargained-for terms of the plea agreement." After the briefing was completed in this case, the Second Appellate District, Division Five, issued its decision in Harris v. Superior Court (2015) 242 Cal.App.4th 244 , 195 Cal.Rptr.3d 3 (petn. for review pending, petn. filed Dec. 28, 2015, S231489). There, a majority held Proposition 47 gives a defendant who pleaded down to a lesser charge the option to seek resentencing, but if resentencing has the practical effect of fundamentally altering the character of the plea bargain, the People may reinstate the dismissed charges. ( Harris v. Superior Court, at pp. 251, 255-256, 195 Cal.Rptr.3d 3 .) In reaching that holding, the majority concluded Doe v. Harris only applies to implied collateral consequences of a plea bargain and does not apply to integral, bargained-for terms of a plea bargain. ( Harris v. Superior Court, at pp. 252-254, 195 Cal.Rptr.3d 3 .)

We respectfully disagree with our colleagues that Doe v. Harris is limited to collateral consequences of a plea bargain. The principle articulated in Doe v. Harris is that, unless the parties explicitly or implicitly agree otherwise, a plea bargain is vulnerable to future legislative amendment. ( Doe v. Harris, supra, 57 Cal.4th at pp. 66, 71, 73-74, 158 Cal.Rptr.3d 290 , 302 P.3d 598 .) The Supreme Court did not limit the rule to implied terms of a plea bargain, and we conclude it applies equally to bargained-for terms such as the two-year county jail term in this case. We agree with the dissent in Harris v. Superior Court: "There is no meaningful distinction in the context of this case between the 'statutory consequences' of a plea-agreed conviction as in Doe [ v. Harris ] and a negotiated term of a plea agreement. Both involve the consequences of the plea agreement and the conviction resulting from it." ( Harris v. Superior Court, supra, 242 Cal.App.4th at p. 260, 195 Cal.Rptr.3d 3 (dis. opn. of Mosk, J.).)

The People do not contend the plea bargain in this case included an express or implied provision that defendant's two-year sentence would be insulated from future legislative action, and we find no evidence to suggest otherwise. The mere fact defendant agreed to serve two years in county jail in exchange for the dismissal of more serious charges is insufficient evidence that she expressly or implicitly agreed her term of incarceration would be insulated from legislative amendment. Therefore, we conclude Proposition 47 applies to defendant's conviction by guilty plea.

The People also contend the trial court erred by granting defendant's petition because she did not meet her burden of establishing she was eligible for resentencing under Proposition 47. Section 1170.18 applies to defendants currently serving felony sentences "who would have been guilty of a misdemeanor ... had [Proposition 47] been in effect at the time of the offense...." (§ 1170.18, subd. (a).) According to the People, had defendant

Next, the Supreme Court addressed whether the People could reinstate the dismissed counts on remand. "Critical to plea bargaining is the concept of reciprocal benefits. When either the prosecution or the defendant is deprived of benefits for which it has bargained, corresponding relief will lie from concessions made." ( Collins, supra, 21 Cal.3d at p. 214, 145 Cal.Rptr. 686 , 577 P.2d 1026 .) "The state, in entering a plea bargain, generally contemplates a certain ultimate result; integral to its bargain is the defendant's vulnerability to a term of punishment.... When a defendant gains total relief from his vulnerability to sentence, the state is substantially deprived of the benefits for which it agreed to enter the bargain. Whether the defendant formally seeks to withdraw his guilty plea or not is immaterial; it is his escape from vulnerability to sentence that fundamentally alters the character of the bargain." ( Id. at p. 215, 145 Cal.Rptr. 686 , 577 P.2d 1026 , italics added.) The defendant in Collins sought relief from the unlawful conviction "but [to] otherwise leave the plea bargain intact. This is bounty in excess of that to which he is entitled." ( Id. at p. 215, 145 Cal.Rptr. 686 , 577 P.2d 1026 .) Because the legislative amendment to former section 288a "destroy[ed] a fundamental assumption underlying the plea bargain-that defendant would be vulnerable to a term of imprisonment," the court held "[t]he state may therefore seek to