Filed 4/7/15 P. v. Morales CA2/3

NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL REPORTS

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IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

SECOND APPELLATE DISTRICT

DIVISION THREE

THE PEOPLE,

Plaintiff and Respondent,

v.

JAIME MORALES et al.,

Defendants and Appellants.

 B250716

 (Los Angeles County

 Super. Ct. No. PA073081)

APPEAL from judgments of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, 

Dalila Corral Lyons, Judge. Affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded. 

Benjamin Owens, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Defendant 

and Appellant Jaime Morales.

Alex Coolman, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Defendant and 

Appellant Teresa Reyes Morales.

Kamala D. Harris, Attorney General, Gerald A. Engler, Chief Assistant Attorney 

General, Lance E. Winters, Assistant Attorney General, James William Bilderback II and 

Tannaz Kouhpainezhad, Deputy Attorneys General, for Plaintiff and Respondent.
2

Defendant and appellant Jaime Morales appeals his convictions for possession for 

sale of cocaine and methamphetamine, possession of a controlled substance with a 

firearm, and misdemeanor possession of a bird for fighting. His wife, appellant Teresa 

Reyes Morales,1 appeals her convictions for possession of a firearm by a felon, 

possession of ammunition, and misdemeanor possession of a bird for fighting. Jaime 

contends the trial court erred by denying a mistrial after the presentation of evidence that 

was ultimately excluded. Both appellants contend the trial court made various 

instructional errors. We agree that the trial court prejudicially erred by failing to instruct 

on the lesser included offense of simple possession of a controlled substance on count 3, 

and accordingly reverse Jaime’s conviction for possession of a controlled substance with 

a firearm. In all other respects, we affirm. 

FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

1. Facts

a. People’s evidence

The evidence relevant to the issues presented on appeal was as follows.

(i) The search of appellants’ property

A. The narcotics and the firearm

In 2012, Officer Ruben Jimenez of the Los Angeles Police Department (L.A.P.D.) 

Mission Area Narcotics Enforcement Detail, along with other officers, monitored 

appellants’ property to determine whether narcotics activity was occurring there. During 

surveillance, Jiminez observed an individual arrive at the residence, go inside for five 

minutes, get back in his vehicle, and drive away. Officers followed and stopped the 

individual (identified in the parties’ pretrial motions as a Mr. Mora) and found 

methamphetamine and marijuana in the vehicle. Officer Jimenez obtained a search 

warrant for the Morales property. 

 

1 For ease of reference, we sometimes hereinafter refer to appellants and other 

members of the Morales family by their first names.
3

On the afternoon of March 1, 2012, at approximately 2:00 p.m., Officer Jimenez, 

along with several other L.A.P.D. detectives and officers, executed the warrant. Only 

Teresa and Jaime were present at the home at the time; their two sons, aged 18 and 10 

years old, were not present.

The Morales property included a sizeable backyard that extended over 50 feet 

from the house. In the backyard were a shed and one or more open outbuildings. There 

was also a detached garage, separated from the house by a walkway. Officers searched 

the house, garage, and backyard shed. In the shed, they discovered a baggie containing 

2.02 net grams of cocaine, in a yellow sandwich bag box (item 1); a baggie containing 

2.33 net grams of methamphetamine, in the same yellow sandwich bag box (item 3); a 

baggie containing 5.70 net grams of methamphetamine on top of a work bench (item 2); a 

digital scale; and, on top of a table, mail bearing Jaime’s name and address. In an 

enclosed garden area behind the shed, officers found six immature marijuana plants.

In the house, officers discovered $700 in cash on a living room bookshelf; $7,442 

in cash in a drawer in appellants’ bedroom dresser; and an operable .357 caliber revolver, 

loaded with seven live rounds, and a government-issued benefits card in Teresa’s name, 

in a different drawer in the same bedroom dresser. In Jaime’s right pants pocket was a 

wallet containing $1,910 in cash. The search lasted between three and four hours. A 

drug detection canine, “Coda,” assisted in the search, but the dog handler declined to 

have Coda enter the garage due to the large amount of glassware on shelves and on the 

floor.

Appellants were transported to the police station. Officer Jimenez told Jaime the 

officers had discovered narcotics in unspecified locations on the property. Jaime 

responded that “ ‘all the narcotics’ ” were his, including those in the shed and in a coffee 

cup in the garage. Based upon these statements, Jimenez obtained a second warrant, and 

officers returned to the property and conducted a second search of the garage. During the 

second search, they discovered a baggie containing 31.17 net grams of cocaine, in a silver 

thermal coffee mug in the garage (item 6). Officer Jimenez also discovered a baggie 

containing 40.18 net grams of a crystalline substance that he believed was 
4

methamphetamine, from a cabinet shelf in the garage (item 4). Testing, however, 

revealed the substance in item 4 was not methamphetamine or contraband. 

Testifying as an expert, Officer Jimenez explained that a usable dose of cocaine or 

methamphetamine may be as small as .02 grams. Assuming a usable dose was .02 grams, 

the baggie of cocaine found in the shed contained enough for 101 individual doses; the 

baggies of methamphetamine found in the shed contained enough for 115 and 285 

individual doses; and the baggie of cocaine found in the coffee mug contained enough for 

over 1,500 doses. In Jimenez’s experience users, as opposed to sellers, typically possess

less than a gram of narcotics. Based on the quantities of narcotics, the fact both cocaine 

and methamphetamine were found, the large sum of cash, and the presence of a loaded 

gun, a scale, and baggies, Officer Jimenez opined that appellants possessed the narcotics 

for sale.

Teresa told Officer Jimenez that the gun found in the dresser was hers. A records 

check revealed that the gun was legally registered to her, and she had purchased it on 

December 16, 2005. When purchasing the gun, Teresa had filled out paperwork in which 

she stated under penalty of perjury that she had not been convicted of a felony. The 

parties stipulated that Teresa had been convicted of a felony in 1992. Officers did not 

find a gun safe on the property. 

B. Cockfighting

After discovering numerous game fowl in coops in the back portion of the 

property, near the shed, the narcotics officers contacted the animal cruelty task force. 

Officer James Cherrette inspected the property and discovered over 200 game fowl, a 

particular type of fowl bred to be aggressive and used for cockfighting. Approximately 

128 were roosters. The roosters’ ear lobes, combs, and wattles had been removed, a 

practice designed to prevent bleeding during cockfights. Their spurs had been chopped 

off or filed down to facilitate the attachment of “slasher” knives during cockfights. The 

roosters were housed in individual coops, primarily large “free-flight” pens that allowed 

them to fly to a perch, thereby increasing their wing strength. Syringes, vitamins, 

supplements, antibiotics, and a second scale were found in the shed or the area near the 
5

coops. One of the narcotics officers found a pair of small leather boxing mitts in the 

chicken coop area. Such mitts, or “sparring muffs,” are typically placed over a rooster’s 

spur to protect the bird during training or demonstrations of its fighting ability. Officer 

Cherrette conducted a “temperament test” on one of the birds and determined it was 

aggressive. Based on the totality of the circumstances, Cherrette opined that the birds 

were being raised for cockfighting.

Teresa signed a form acknowledging ownership of the birds and relinquishing 

them to animal services.

In 2007, police had been called to the Morales residence to investigate a cockfight. 

They found living, dead, and injured roosters. Both appellants were present at the time. 

Jaime told authorities that his cousin Pepe wanted to hold a cockfight at the Morales 

residence, but Jaime did not give him permission to do so. At that time, Jaime admitted 

owning some of the roosters.

b. Defense evidence

Jaime presented the following evidence in his defense. Crystal Lopez testified that 

she had stayed with the Moraleses at their home a few days a week since 2008; they were 

loving people who helped her and treated her like a daughter. She had not observed any 

activity that led her to believe they were involved in narcotics sales or cockfighting. The 

back portion of the property, which was fenced, was leased to a tenant, Jesus Ochoa. 

Lopez never saw appellants go to that portion of the property. However, Ochoa visited 

the rented portion of the property on a daily basis; sometimes he was accompanied by 

other persons. The Moraleses did not drink coffee, and she had never seen either 

appellant with a Thermos-type coffee cup like that found in the garage. Lopez had 

observed a black safe in the bedroom closet. In March 2012, neither appellant was 

working.

Appellants’ 19-year-old son, Jose Morales, testified that he had never seen his 

parents use a coffee thermos, had never seen narcotics at the home, and had never seen 

his parents engage in a drug transaction. Both his parents were unemployed in March 

2012. Approximately two months before the search, Teresa was happy because she 
6

received a large sum of money related to an accident she had suffered. Ochoa had rented 

the back portion of the property for approximately seven years. Ochoa kept his roosters 

there, and used the shed to store items. When Ochoa visited the property, he was 

sometimes accompanied by four or five other persons. The shed was sometimes locked, 

and Ochoa had a key; Jose had seen him use the key to enter the shed. As of March 

2012, Jaime and Teresa also owned between four and ten roosters. Their roosters had not 

had their wattles, combs, or spurs cut. In 2007 Jose and Teresa arrived home to find 

police at the residence. The officers asked if Jose had seen “rooster fights.” Jose had not 

observed any cockfights at his parents’ property. Jose was present when his mother 

purchased the gun. She bought a gun safe at the same time. Jose never saw the safe in 

the house until the night his parents were arrested; that night, he observed the gun safe, 

open on their bed.

Jesus Ochoa briefly testified that he rented the back portion of the property and 

visited every day after work. Outside the jury’s presence Ochoa invoked his Fifth 

Amendment right to remain silent when asked whether the birds belonged to him. 

Consequently, the trial court struck Ochoa’s testimony.

c. People’s rebuttal evidence

When officers conducted the search on March 1, 2012, Tamarlyn Shepphird, an 

animal control officer for the City of Los Angeles, was called to the Morales property 

regarding the game fowl. Teresa signed an animal release form under penalty of perjury, 

stating that she was the lawful owner or custodian of the birds and relinquishing them to 

animal services. Teresa did not check the boxes on the form stating that she was either 

the legal owner or authorized to act for the owner. Teresa did not state that someone else 

owned the birds.

2. Procedure

Trial was by jury. Jaime was convicted of possession for sale of cocaine (Health 

& Saf. Code, § 11351) and methamphetamine (Health & Saf. Code, § 11378), and 

possession of a controlled substance with a firearm (Health & Saf. Code, § 11370.1, 

subd. (a)). Teresa was convicted of possession of a firearm by a felon (Pen. Code, 
7

§ 29800, subd. (a)(1)),2 and possession of ammunition (§ 30305, subd. (a)(1)). Both 

appellants were convicted of misdemeanor possession of a bird or animal for fighting 

(§ 597j, subd. (a)).3 Teresa stipulated that she had suffered two prior narcotics-related 

convictions.

The trial court sentenced Jaime and Teresa to terms of 4 and 2 years in prison, 

respectively. It imposed a restitution fine, a suspended parole restitution fine, a criminal 

conviction assessment, and a court operations assessment on each appellant. Jaime and 

Teresa appeal. 

DISCUSSION

1. Denial of mistrial motion

a. Additional facts

(i) The pretrial motion to disclose the confidential informant’s identity

Prior to trial, appellants moved for disclosure of the identity of a confidential 

informant.4Jaime’s motion averred that an affidavit in support of the search warrant 

stated the following: A “ ‘Source of Information (SOI) . . . stated that a male [H]ispanic 

. . . approximately 50 years old and a male [H]ispanic . . . approximately 25 years old, are 

dealing cocaine and methamphetamine out of the residence at 11501 Sproule Avenue.’ ” 

On January 20, 2012, officers “observed a Mr. Mora exit this residence and conducted a 

traffic stop on his vehicle. A search of this vehicle yielded ‘a crystal like . . . substance

resembling methamphetamine and a plastic baggy containing a green leafy . . . substance 

resembling marijuana.’ ” Jaime argued, in his motion and at the hearing on the motion, 

that the “SOI” did not know the identity of the two men who were allegedly selling the 

 

2 All further undesignated statutory references are to the Penal Code.

3 The jury acquitted both appellants of child endangerment. It also acquitted Teresa 

of possession of cocaine and methamphetamine for sale, and possession of a controlled 

substance with a firearm.

4 Teresa’s motion was heard and denied after Jaime’s. Because Teresa was 

acquitted of all narcotics charges, we limit our discussion to Jaime’s motion. 
8

methamphetamine, and Mora had not stated who provided him with the drugs. 

Therefore, the SOI would be able to testify that someone other than Jaime sold the drugs, 

leading to the inference that someone other than Jaime was the sole possessor of the 

drugs.

In response, the People argued that the SOI was not present when officers 

executed the warrant on March 1. Given that appellants were charged with possession 

for sale, not sales, the SOI was not a material witness. Disclosing the informant’s 

identity would place the informant in danger. 

The trial court denied the motion. It reasoned that “this is not a sales case, this is a 

possession for sale,” so the issue of who sold the narcotics was not germane. Moreover, 

Jaime’s defense motion was unsupported by a declaration signed under penalty of 

perjury.

(ii) Officer Jimenez’s trial testimony regarding the controlled drug buy

During direct examination, Officer Jimenez testified that before he prepared the 

search warrant, a confidential informant conducted a controlled drug buy at the Morales 

residence. Jimenez testified that officers sent a “confidential, reliable informant” to the 

Morales home, and the informant “successfully purchased narcotics from the location, 

which we recovered from the informant and booked it as evidence.” Teresa’s counsel 

objected that there was no foundation for the fact the informant was confidential or 

reliable. The trial court overruled the objection. The prosecutor then established that the 

informant was searched for narcotics prior to the controlled buy. Teresa’s counsel 

objected “based on an earlier motion heard by the court.” The court and parties 

conducted an unreported sidebar conference.

After jurors were dismissed for the day, Jaime, joined by Teresa, moved for a 

mistrial based on Jimenez’s testimony. Counsel averred that the defense had not been 

provided with any discovery regarding the controlled buy. The trial court denied the 

mistrial motion but ordered the prosecutor to provide “any information that [she] can 

provide” to the defendants to allow for sufficient cross-examination of Jimenez regarding 

the issue.
9

The next day the prosecutor represented she had informed defense counsel that the 

informant had met with Officer Jimenez at a prearranged location; the informant and the 

informant’s vehicle were searched; officers followed the informant to the Morales 

residence, watched the informant walk into the residence, and waited while the informant 

remained inside for one to two minutes; the informant then exited the Morales house and 

drove back to the prearranged location while officers followed. Officers searched the 

informant and discovered narcotics. The informant did not identify either appellant as the 

seller. The prosecutor stated she was unable to provide further information without 

divulging the informant’s identity or otherwise putting his or her safety at risk.5 The 

defense contended this information was inadequate. 

The prosecutor proposed two remedies for the improper admission of the 

evidence: the challenged testimony could be stricken from the record, or Jimenez could 

testify that the informant did not identify either appellant as the person or persons who 

sold the informant the drugs. Teresa’s counsel requested that the trial court strike the

testimony. Jaime’s counsel objected that the remedy of striking the testimony was 

insufficient to cure the prejudicial effect of the evidence; it was tantamount to “unringing 

a bell that can’t be unrung.” He demanded that either (1) the trial court grant a mistrial, 

or (2) further discovery be provided regarding the informant. 

The trial court declined to reconsider its denial of the mistrial motion. It ordered 

Jimenez’s testimony regarding the controlled buy stricken. Before further presentation of 

evidence the trial court admonished the jury that the evidence had been stricken and 

could not be considered.6

 

5 While the record is not entirely clear, it appears the “SOI” discussed in the pretrial 

motion was the same person as the confidential informant who conducted the controlled 

buy. 

6 The trial court stated: “Yesterday Detective Jimenez testified about a controlled 

buy of what appeared to be narcotics by an informant at the defendant’s residence. That 

testimony is stricken from the record. So you must disregard it and must not consider 

that testimony for any purpose. This applies only to that very specific testimony.”
10

b. Discussion

Jaime contends that the trial court erred by denying his motion for a mistrial. He 

urges that because the evidence was circumstantial and not overwhelming, striking the 

testimony was insufficient and the denial of the mistrial motion was an abuse of 

discretion.7

“ ‘ “A mistrial should be granted if the court is apprised of prejudice that it judges 

incurable by admonition or instruction. [Citation.] Whether a particular incident is 

incurably prejudicial is by its nature a speculative matter, and the trial court is vested with 

considerable discretion in ruling on mistrial motions. [Citation.]” [Citation.]’ ”

(People v. Edwards (2013) 57 Cal.4th 658, 703; People v. Lightsey (2012) 54 Cal.4th 

668, 718; People v. Dement (2011) 53 Cal.4th 1, 39-40.) A motion for a mistrial should 

be granted only when a defendant’s chances of receiving a fair trial have been irreparably 

damaged. (People v. Edwards, supra, at p. 703; People v. Jablonski (2006) 37 Cal.4th 

774, 828; People v. Bolden (2002) 29 Cal.4th 515, 555.) “Whether a particular incident 

is so prejudicial that it warrants a mistrial ‘requires a nuanced, fact-based analysis,’ 

which is best performed by the trial court.” (People v. Dunn (2012) 205 Cal.App.4th 

1086, 1094.) Accordingly, we review the trial court’s ruling denying a mistrial motion, 

and its reliance on a curative instruction in place of a mistrial, for abuse of discretion. 

(People v. Lightsey, supra, at p. 718; People v. Elliott (2012) 53 Cal.4th 535, 575;

People v. Navarrete (2010) 181 Cal.App.4th 828, 834.)

There was no dispute that the evidence regarding the controlled buy by the 

confidential informant was inadmissible; thus, the only issue before us is whether the 

remedy selected by the trial court, striking the testimony, was adequate. “Ordinarily, a 

curative instruction to disregard improper testimony is sufficient to protect a defendant 

 

7

Jaime also argues that, had he known of the controlled buy before trial, he “would 

have had a better chance of obtaining the informant’s identity in a pretrial motion.” We 

do not understand Jaime to challenge the trial court’s denial of the motion to disclose the 

informant’s identity on appeal. Therefore, we do not address this point. 
11

from the injury of such testimony, and, ordinarily, we presume a jury is capable of 

following such an instruction.” (People v. Navarrete, supra, 181 Cal.App.4th at p. 834; 

People v. Allen (1978) 77 Cal.App.3d 924, 934-935; People v. Sims (1976) 64 

Cal.App.3d 544, 554-555 [jury is presumed to follow an admonition to disregard 

evidence].) “It is only in the exceptional case that ‘the improper subject matter is of such 

a character that its effect . . . cannot be removed by the court’s admonitions.’ ” (People v. 

Allen, supra, at p. 935.) 

Courts have found such exceptional cases in a variety of circumstances. In 

People v. Navarrete, supra, 181 Cal.App.4th 834, a detective willfully and in bad faith 

volunteered that the defendant had confessed to the charged crime, committing a lewd act 

upon a child. The appellate court found striking the testimony and admonishing the jury 

to disregard it was an inadequate remedy, because a jury’s belief that a defendant may 

have confessed eviscerates the presumption of innocence and “even a single reference to 

an inadmissible confession can be the sort of ‘exceptional circumstance’ that supports 

granting a mistrial because a curative instruction cannot undo the prejudice to the 

defendant.” (Id. at p. 836.) In People v. McKelvey (1927) 85 Cal.App. 769, 770-771, 

five credible witnesses testified for the prosecution that the defendant’s reputation for 

morality and virtue was bad. This error was not cured by the fact the trial court later 

struck the testimony and instructed the jury to disregard it: “It was an intellectual 

impossibility for the jury to wholly erase such testimony from their memory . . . .” (Id. at 

p. 771.) In People v. Brophy (1954) 122 Cal.App.2d 638, 652, defense counsel argued 

during closing that the fact a bullet was missing supported the defense case. The 

prosecutor, in closing, displayed the missing bullet, which had not been introduced into 

evidence. This misconduct was “so highly prejudicial that no admonition of the trial 

judge to disregard it could erase from the minds of the jurors the undoubted electric effect 

of the production of the bullet and the remarks of the prosecutor in response to the 

argument of appellant’s counsel.” (Id. at p. 652.) 

Courts have also held improperly admitted evidence necessitates a mistrial where 

the evidence in the case is close, or where the improper evidence was admitted as the 
12

result of misconduct. (See, e.g., People v. Ozuna (1963) 213 Cal.App.2d 338, 339-342 

[statement that defendant was an ex-convict was incurable by admonition where it 

resulted from calculated misconduct, the evidence was close, and defendant’s first jury 

deadlocked]; People v. Figuieredo (1955) 130 Cal.App.2d 498, 505-506 [prosecutor 

intentionally elicited testimony that defendant had “done time” in San Quentin, after 

assuring defendant that if he admitted his prior convictions they would not be disclosed to 

the jury]; People v. Allen, supra, 77 Cal.App.3d at p. 935 [reference to defendant’s parole 

status incurable where the case was “extremely close” and turned on witness credibility].) 

On the other hand, courts have found curative instructions sufficient to dispel 

prejudice when the evidence in question was brief and isolated, or trivial in comparison 

with the other evidence in the case (People v. Edwards, supra, 57 Cal.4th at pp. 702-704;

People v. Carter (2005) 36 Cal.4th 1114, 1180-1182 [stricken evidence showing 

defendant visited casino after murders was trivial relative to other evidence, and curative 

instruction was adequate]); was oblique or ambiguous (People v. Lightsey, supra, 

54 Cal.4th at pp. 717-719 [jurors would not have inferred from vague references to 

“Wasco” that defendant was imprisoned]; People v. Elliott, supra, 53 Cal.4th at pp. 574-

576; People v. Bolden, supra, 29 Cal.4th at pp. 554-555 [jurors were unlikely to infer, 

from a fleeting reference to a parole office, that the defendant had a prior felony]; People 

v. Collins (2010) 49 Cal.4th 175, 196-199 [prejudice curable where witness’s statements 

about defendant’s phone calls from prison were brief and ambiguous]; People v. Garcia 

(2014) 229 Cal.App.4th 302, 311-312 [where, at the time mistrial motion was made, 

prosecutor’s questions amounted to innuendo that the defendant was a lesbian, denial was 

not an abuse of discretion]); did not go to the central issue at trial (People v. Cox (2003) 

30 Cal.4th 916, 960-961, disapproved on other grounds in People v. Doolin (2009) 

45 Cal.4th 390, 421, fn. 22); or was duplicative of other, properly admitted evidence 

(People v. Edwards, supra, at p. 703 [prosecutor’s brief reference to defendant’s arrest 

was cured by admonition because the jury would already surmise he had been arrested for 

the offense in question]; People v. Dement, supra, 53 Cal.4th at p. 40 [witness’s improper 
13

comment that defendant had bragged about the uncharged killing of his brother was 

largely duplicative of evidence the jury properly received]).

Whether the curative instruction was sufficient to dispel any prejudice here 

presents a close question. The officer’s testimony was neither vague nor ambiguous. 

The testimony was not inadvertently elicited. The prosecutor directly asked whether the 

officers “work[ed] with any informant,” and then queried, “How did that work? What 

did you do with the informant?” Thus, the prosecutor appears to have elicited the 

testimony knowing that the People had not provided discovery about the controlled buy. 

Her only attempt to justify this course of action was to observe that the defendants were 

aware there was an informant, as demonstrated by their motions to disclose the 

informant’s identity. But the prosecutor did not disagree when defense counsel pointed 

out that the warrant affidavit did not suggest a controlled buy had occurred. Moreover, 

the People averred, in connection with the motion to disclose the “SOI’s” identity, that 

the witness was not material, and did not alert the court or parties to the fact the People 

intended to elicit evidence of the controlled buy at trial.8 And, unlike cases in which the 

challenged evidence was tangential or trivial, here the evidence went to a central issue at 

trial: whether the drugs were possessed for sale. From the fact a sale occurred, the jury 

could infer the drugs were possessed for the purpose of sale. 

Despite the foregoing, in our view this was not the sort of exceptional case in 

which jurors would be unable to abide by the court’s instruction to disregard the 

evidence. Testimony regarding the drug buy did not pose the same danger of incurable 

prejudice present when, for example, evidence of a confession, or extensive character 

evidence, is improperly admitted. (Cf. People v. Navarrete, supra, 181 Cal.App.4th at 

p. 836; People v. McKelvey, supra, 85 Cal.App. at p. 771.) The controlled buy evidence, 

while not precisely duplicative, was echoed by evidence that Mora briefly visited the 

Morales home and was found immediately thereafter with methamphetamine. While 

 

8 A different prosecutor appeared at the hearing on the motion to disclose the 

informant’s identity.
14

Mora was not asked, and did not state, where he obtained the contraband, it was a 

reasonable inference that it was from the Morales home. 

Jaime cites People v. Johnson (1964) 229 Cal.App.2d 162, for the proposition that 

“ ‘Ordinarily the admission of incompetent evidence cannot be cured by striking it and 

instructing the jury to disregard it when it goes to a main issue of the case and when other 

evidence of guilt is not clear and convincing. [Citations.]’ ” (Id. at p. 170.) But here, the 

evidence of guilt was clear and convincing. There was strong evidence the drugs were 

possessed for sale. Over 33 net grams of cocaine were found in the shed and the garage. 

Approximately 8 net grams of methamphetamine were found in the shed. According to 

Officer Jimenez, who testified as an expert, as little as .02 grams of these substances is a 

usable quantity. Using that baseline, the cocaine found on the property was equal to over 

1,500 uses, and the methamphetamine was equal to approximately 400 uses. Even 

assuming the .02 gram figure was unrealistically low, as the defense contended at trial, 

the quantities found were obviously far more than those needed for an individual’s own 

use.9 Jaime is correct that Officer Jiminez testified that the amounts in two of the baggies 

found in the shed (2.02 net grams of cocaine, and 2.33 net grams of methamphetamine) 

were possibly consistent with personal use. However, Jimenez did not testify that the 

baggie of 31.17 net grams of cocaine found in the coffee mug in the garage was 

consistent with personal use. To the contrary, Jimenez opined that the drugs were 

possessed for sale in part due to the quantities present. Moreover, the large amount of 

cash found in the dresser and on Jaime’s person, the presence of the scale, and the fact 

both cocaine and methamphetamine were found, all pointed to possession for sale. No 

evidence suggested Jaime (or anyone else) possessed the drugs for personal use only. 

 

9 The People argue that item 4, the baggie containing over 40 net grams of a 

crystalline substance, also showed possession for sale given that it would have supplied 

“over 2,000 uses of methamphetamine.” However, the People are mistaken. Item 4 was 

tested and found not to contain methamphetamine; there was no evidence it contained 

any controlled substance.
15

There was also compelling evidence that Jaime, rather than some other person 

who had access to the shed and the garage, was the possessor of the cocaine and 

methamphetamine. Officer Jiminez testified that Jaime admitted all the drugs were his, 

and told him about the cocaine in the coffee mug, which officers had not yet found. No 

evidence directly rebutted this testimony. Moreover, Jaime had over $1,900 in his wallet 

when officers served the warrant. An additional $7,442 was found in the bedroom 

dresser, and $700 more was on a living room shelf. The unexplained presence of over 

$10,000 in cash strongly suggested Jaime was involved in a drug sale operation. Given 

these circumstances, the trial court did not abuse its discretion by denying the motion for 

a mistrial. (See generally People v. Harris (1994) 22 Cal.App.4th 1575, 1580-1581

[evidence of parole status harmless in light of overwhelming evidence of guilt]; People v. 

Clark (2011) 52 Cal.4th 856, 958-960 [officer’s testimony that defendant failed to react 

to accusations of murder was an improper reference to his invocation of right to silence; 

however, any potential prejudice from the testimony could be cured by prompt 

admonition to jury to disregard the stricken evidence].) 

For the same reasons, even if the trial court erred by denying the mistrial motion, 

admission of the evidence was harmless because it was not reasonably probable Jaime 

would have obtained a more favorable result had it been excluded. (See Evid. Code, 

§ 353; People v. Richardson (2008) 43 Cal.4th 959, 1001 [the erroneous admission of 

evidence requires reversal only where it is reasonably probable the defendant would have 

received a more favorable result in the absence of the error]; People v. Earp (1999) 

20 Cal.4th 826, 878; People v. Watson (1956) 46 Cal.2d 818, 836.) 

2. Jury instructions

a. Failure to instruct on simple possession of methamphetamine and cocaine

The defense did not request instructions on the lesser included offenses of simple 

possession of methamphetamine or cocaine, and the trial court did not give them. Jaime 

contends this was prejudicial error. 

A trial court must instruct the jury on all general principles of law relevant to the 

issues raised by the evidence, including lesser included offenses, whether or not the 
16

defendant makes a formal request. Instruction on a lesser included offense is required 

when there is evidence that indicates the defendant is guilty of the lesser offense but not 

of the greater. (People v. Banks (2014) 59 Cal.4th 1113, 1159; People v. Whalen (2013) 

56 Cal.4th 1, 68-69; People v. Thomas (2012) 53 Cal.4th 771, 813.) Substantial evidence 

is evidence that a reasonable jury could find persuasive. (People v. Benavides (2005) 

35 Cal.4th 69, 102.) The existence of any evidence, no matter how weak, will not justify 

instructions on a lesser included offense. (People v. Whalen, supra, at p. 68; People v. 

Wyatt (2012) 55 Cal.4th 694, 698.) In deciding whether there is substantial evidence we 

do not evaluate the credibility of the witnesses, a task for the jury. (People v. Wyatt, 

supra, at p. 698.) We independently review the question of whether the trial court erred 

by failing to instruct on a lesser included offense. (People v. Banks, supra, at p. 1160; 

People v. Booker (2011) 51 Cal.4th 141, 181.)

Simple possession of a controlled substance is a lesser included offense of 

possession of the same substance for sale. (See People v. Becker (2010) 183 Cal.App.4th 

1151, 1157; People v. Oldham (2000) 81 Cal.App.4th 1, 16; People v. Magana (1990) 

218 Cal.App.3d 951, 954.) Therefore, if there was substantial evidence to show Jaime 

was guilty of possession of methamphetamine or cocaine, but not possession for sale, the 

trial court should have sua sponte instructed on the lesser offenses. 

Jaime asserts that the following evidence was sufficient to require instructions on 

simple possession. (1) Jose testified that he never saw his parents, or anyone else on the 

property, engage in drug sales. Lopez testified that she had never observed any activity 

suggesting appellants were selling narcotics and never observed unusual traffic in and out 

of the home. (2) The gun was not kept with the narcotics, but was in the bedroom. Jose’s 

testimony that after his parents were arrested, he saw the gun safe lying open in his 

parents’ bedroom, suggested the gun was kept in the safe, rather than “at the ready” for 

use in a drug deal. (3) The 31.17 grams of cocaine in the coffee cup in the garage––the 

largest quantity found––was planted by police, because Lopez had never seen the cup 

before, and the dog did not alert to it during the first search. (4) There was a legitimate 

source for the cash found in the search, namely, Teresa’s recovery for her accident. 
17

(5) Officer Jimenez testified that he did not have knowledge of the “physiological 

properties” of cocaine and did not know how much cocaine or methamphetamine was 

required for a user to get “high.”

We are not convinced that the foregoing amounted to substantial evidence of 

simple possession. First, there was no evidence that appellants, or anyone else on the 

property, were drug users. There was, for example, no drug paraphernalia found in the 

searches. Contrary to Jaime’s argument, there was no substantial evidence the 31.17 

grams of cocaine in the coffee cup in the garage was planted. Jaime’s argument is based 

on his theory that after finding drugs in a quantity insufficient to support a possession for 

sale charge in the first search, officers returned and planted the larger quantity of cocaine 

in the coffee cup in the garage during the second search. Appellants theorized in 

argument below that Coda, the drug detection canine, would have alerted to the drugs in 

the garage during the initial search, and Officer Jimenez’s explanation of why Coda did 

not enter the garage was incredible. These arguments are highly speculative and do not 

amount to substantial evidence that the larger quantity of cocaine was planted. Officer 

Jimenez testified that there were numerous candles in glass containers and other 

glassware on shelves on three sides of the garage, as well as additional glass candles on 

the garage floor. Drug detection dogs tend to get “hyper” when working and may knock 

things over, and the dog handler did not allow Coda into the garage because he could 

have been injured by broken glass. In our view, the record did not contain substantial 

evidence from which a reasonable jury could find Jaime possessed only the smaller 

amounts of contraband, and the baggie containing the larger amount was planted.

People v. Saldana (1984) 157 Cal.App.3d 443 and People v. Tinajero (1993) 

19 Cal.App.4th 1541, cited by Jaime, do not persuade us that instructions on simple 

possession were required. In Saldana, officers found the defendant, a nonuser of heroin, 

lying on his mother’s bed, in a room he shared with her. He reached inside the headboard 

as officers arrived, and officers found 18 balloons of heroin therein. Two of defendant’s 

brothers were found in the basement; one was a known user and seller of heroin, and was 

under the influence of heroin when officers arrived. Officers found materials related to 
18

both sales and use in the basement. (Saldana, at pp. 450-452, 455.) The jury was 

instructed that joint or constructive possession was sufficient to prove the possession 

element of possession for sale. (Id. at p. 453.) Saldana held the trial court’s failure to 

sua sponte instruct on the lesser included offense of simple possession was reversible 

error. (Id. at p. 453.) The court held that where there is direct evidence of simple 

possession, but only circumstantial evidence of intent to sell, a jury must be instructed on 

both simple possession and possession for sale. (Id. at p. 456.) Saldana’s jury could have 

inferred that the brother stashed the heroin in the headboard, and the defendant, who had 

constructive possession, attempted to hide it when police arrived; or, the defendant might 

have possessed the heroin for the brother, a known user. (Id. at pp. 457-458.) But no 

similar evidence was present here. There was no evidence anyone on the property was a 

drug user, and no showing that another person was engaged in selling drugs on the 

property.

In Tinajero, the evidence showed the defendant discussed selling several kilos of 

cocaine with an undercover police officer. Defendant arrived at the prearranged sale 

location with a kilo of cocaine. The undercover officer took the package, but backup 

officers arrested defendant before he had actually taken possession of the $15,000 

payment. (People v. Tinajero, supra, 19 Cal.App.4th at pp. 1544-1545.) There was 

conflicting evidence whether the parties had discussed the sales price beforehand. 

Defendant was convicted of the sale or transport of cocaine. (Id. at pp. 1545-1546.) 

Tinajero held that the trial court should have sua sponte instructed on the lesser included 

offenses of possession for sale and simple possession in light of evidence the sale was 

never completed and the conflict regarding the discussions about the sales price; 

however, the error was harmless given the overwhelming evidence of transportation. 

(Id. at pp. 1547, 1551-1552.) Unlike in Tinajero, in the instant case there was no 

evidence suggesting an uncompleted sale, and Jaime was not charged with sales. To the 

extent Tinajero concluded that an instruction on simple possession was required, we 

disagree. Tinajero offered no meaningful analysis on the point, and we fail to see how a 
19

jury could reasonably convict a defendant, who brings a kilo of cocaine to a planned drug 

sale, of only simple possession. 

In any event, assuming arguendo that there was substantial evidence requiring the 

trial court to instruct on simple possession sua sponte, we discern no prejudicial error. 

“The failure to instruct on a lesser included offense in a noncapital case does not require 

reversal ‘unless an examination of the entire record establishes a reasonable probability 

that the error affected the outcome.’ ” (People v. Wyatt, supra, 55 Cal.4th at p. 698; 

People v. Beltran (2013) 56 Cal.4th 935, 955; People v. Breverman (1998) 19 Cal.4th 

142, 165.) There is no such reasonable probability here. As noted, there was no evidence 

whatsoever suggesting appellants were drug users. Jaime’s defense was not based on the 

theory that the drugs were possessed only for personal use; his counsel did not make such 

an argument to the jury. The theory that police planted the larger quantity of cocaine was 

speculative. Even assuming arguendo that .02 grams is an underestimate of a useable

amount of narcotics, the quantities found still provided many more doses than that 

necessary for personal use. And, if the jury credited Jose’s testimony that Teresa 

obtained a substantial sum of money as compensation for her accident, it would likely 

have nonetheless questioned why such a large sum was sitting around the house. The 

presence of more than one type of drug, the discovery that Mora was in possession of 

methamphetamine after leaving the Morales residence, and Jimenez’s expert opinion all 

provided further proof of possession for sale. In sum, even if the instruction should have 

been given, its omission was harmless error.

b. Failure to instruct on simple possession on count 3

Jaime also contends the trial court erred by failing to instruct on simple possession 

on count 3, possession of a controlled substance with a firearm. “ ‘For purposes of 

determining a trial court’s instructional duties,’ ” our Supreme Court has said “ ‘that “a 

lesser offense is necessarily included in a greater offense if either the statutory elements 

of the greater offense, or the facts actually alleged in the accusatory pleading, include all 

the elements of the lesser offense, such that the greater cannot be committed without also 

committing the lesser.” ’ [Citation.] When applying the accusatory pleading test, ‘[t]he 
20

trial court need only examine the accusatory pleading.’ [Citation.] ‘[S]o long as the 

prosecution has chosen to allege a way of committing the greater offense that necessarily 

subsumes a lesser offense, and so long as there is substantial evidence that the defendant 

committed the lesser offense without also committing the greater, the trial court must 

instruct on the lesser included offense.’ [Citation.]” (People v. Banks, supra, 59 Cal.4th 

at p. 1160; People v. James (2014) 230 Cal.App.4th 1256, 1260-1262.) 

Jaime acknowledges that possession of methamphetamine or cocaine is not a 

lesser included offense of possession of those substances while armed under the elements 

test. (See People v. Williams (2009) 170 Cal.App.4th 587, 644-645 [applying the 

“elements” test, possession of methamphetamine under Health & Saf. Code, § 11377, 

subd. (a) is not a lesser offense of possession of a controlled substance while armed under 

Health & Saf. Code, § 11370.1, subd. (a), because a violation of § 11370.1 may be based 

on possession of heroin or cocaine, among other substances, that are not included in

§ 11377, subd. (a); therefore, § 11370.1 may be violated without necessarily violating

§ 11377, subd. (a)]; People v. Sosa (2012) 210 Cal.App.4th 946, 949 [it is possible to 

violate Health & Saf. Code, § 11370.1, subd. (a) without violating Health & Saf. Code, 

§ 11350, subd. (a), because the lists of controlled substances in the two statutes differ].)

However, Jaime argues that the offenses are lesser included under the accusatory 

pleading test. The People do not dispute the point. We agree. The information here 

specified the particular substances in question. It alleged, as to Count 3: “On or about 

March 1, 2012, in the County of Los Angeles, the crime of possession of a controlled 

substance with firearm, in violation of Health & Safety Code section 11370.1(a), a 

[f]elony, was committed by Jaime Morales and Teresa Reyes Morales, who did 

unlawfully possess cocaine and methamphetamine while armed with a loaded, operable 

firearm, to wit: a .357 cal. handgun.” Therefore, based on the language of the pleading, 

if Jaime committed the offenses of possession of methamphetamine or cocaine while 

armed, he necessarily committed the lesser offenses of possession of methamphetamine 

or cocaine.
21

We turn, then, to consideration of whether the omission was prejudicial. As noted, 

the failure to instruct on a lesser included offense requires reversal if an examination of 

the entire record establishes a reasonable probability that the error affected the outcome. 

(People v. Wyatt, supra, 55 Cal.4th at p. 698; People v. Beltran, supra, 56 Cal.4th at 

p. 955.) Such a reasonable probability exists here. To prove count 3, the People were 

required to show, in addition to Jaime’s possession of the methamphetamine or cocaine, 

that while possessing the contraband, he (1) had a loaded, operable firearm available for 

immediate offensive or defensive use; and (2) he knew that he had the firearm available 

for immediate offensive or defensive use. (CALCRIM No. 2303.) It was uncontroverted 

the gun was loaded and operable. However, the evidence that Jaime knew of its presence 

was weak at best. There was no direct evidence Jaime knew of the gun’s presence. 

While he told police the drugs were his, he never mentioned the gun. It was undisputed

that Teresa, not Jaime, owned the gun and had purchased it years before. The gun was 

registered to her, not to Jaime. It was found in a drawer containing Teresa’s benefits 

card. In contrast, nothing linked Jaime to the gun. While there was evidence both Jaime 

and Teresa used the dresser, there was no evidence Jaime’s possessions were in the 

drawer where the gun was found. There was no evidence Jaime used, or ever looked in, 

that particular drawer. No drugs were found in the dresser or the bedroom. The jury 

rejected the theory that Jaime and Teresa jointly possessed the drugs, as demonstrated by 

its acquittal of Teresa on the charges of possession of cocaine and methamphetamine for 

sale, and possession of a controlled substance with a firearm. Given the evidence, it is 

reasonably probable that a properly instructed jury would have convicted Jaime, on count 

3, of only the lesser offense of simple possession of the drugs rather than possession of a 

controlled substance with a firearm. Accordingly, we reverse Jaime’s conviction on 

count 3, possession of a controlled substance with a firearm in violation of Health and 

Safety Code section 11370.1, subdivision (a).

c. Failure to instruct on the meaning of “keeping fighting birds”

Teresa, joined by Jaime, argues that the trial court’s instructions on count 5, 

possession of a bird for fighting, were inadequate. We disagree.
22

Whether a jury instruction is correct and adequate is a question of law, which we 

review de novo. (People v. Jandres (2014) 226 Cal.App.4th 340, 358.)

Section 597j, subdivision (a), provides in pertinent part: “Any person who owns, 

possesses, keeps, or trains any bird or other animal with the intent that it be used or 

engaged by himself or herself, by his or her vendee, or by any other person in an 

exhibition of fighting as described in Section 597b is guilty of a misdemeanor . . . .”

The trial court’s special instruction on count 5 tracked the language of the statute. 

It stated: “Defendants are charged in Count FIVE with possession of fighting birds in 

violation of Penal Code [section] 597j(a), a misdemeanor. [¶] To prove that a defendant 

is guilty of this crime, the People must prove that: [¶] The defendant owned, possessed, 

kept, or trained any bird or other animal with the intent that it be used or engaged by 

himself or herself, by his or her vendee, or by any other person in an exhibition of 

fighting.”

Appellants urge this instruction was inadequate because it did not further define 

the word “kept.” They contend that this omission “would have encouraged the jury to 

convict appellant[s] on the basis of the fact that a tenant, Jesus Ochoa, rented space in 

which he possessed the birds, even if the jury did not believe that appellant[s] possessed 

the birds or did anything to care for them.” In appellants’ view, the instruction suggested 

a “person who merely allowed a tenant to raise roosters on her property, but never 

provided any care for the roosters and did not legally possess them,” could nonetheless be 

found guilty.

10

The People counter that appellants have forfeited this claim because they failed to 

request amplifying or clarifying language in the trial court, and in any event the word 

“keeping” is commonly understood. 

 

10 Appellants note in passing that the trial court did not instruct that a landlord does 

not possess the property of a tenant. We do not understand appellants to claim this 

omission was error, and therefore do not consider the point.
23

We agree with the People on both points. In the absence of a request for 

amplification, the language of a statute defining a crime is usually an appropriate and 

desirable basis for an instruction, as long as the jury would not have difficulty 

understanding the statute. (People v. Palmer (2005) 133 Cal.App.4th 1141, 1156; People 

v. Santana (2013) 56 Cal.4th 999, 1007 [“a jury instruction should typically track the 

language of a statute when feasible under the circumstances”]; People v. Roldan (2005) 

35 Cal.4th 646, 740, disapproved on another ground in People v. Doolin, supra, 45 

Cal.4th at p. 421, fn. 22.) “ ‘If a statutory word or phrase is commonly understood and is 

not used in a technical sense, the court need not give any sua sponte instruction as to its 

meaning.’ ” (People v. Lucas (2014) 60 Cal.4th 153, 296; People v. Griffin (2004) 

33 Cal.4th 1015, 1022-1023; People v. Rodriguez (2002) 28 Cal.4th 543, 546-547.) A 

court does have a duty to define terms that have a technical meaning peculiar to the law. 

(People v. Hoyos (2007) 41 Cal.4th 872, 915, disapproved on other grounds in People v. 

Black (2014) 58 Cal.4th 912, 919-920.) A word has a technical legal meaning requiring 

clarification by the court when its definition differs from its nonlegal meaning. 

(People v. Cross (2008) 45 Cal.4th 58, 68.)

Appellants contend that “keep,” as used in section 597j, means caring for an 

animal. They rely on section 597.1, subdivision (a)(1). That statute states, in pertinent 

part: “Every owner, driver, or keeper of any animal who permits the animal to be in any 

building, enclosure, lane, street, square, or lot of any city, county, city and county, or 

judicial district without proper care and attention is guilty of a misdemeanor. Any peace 

officer, humane society officer, or animal control officer shall take possession of the stray 

or abandoned animal and shall provide care and treatment for the animal until the animal 

is deemed to be in suitable condition to be returned to the owner.” (Italics added.) From 

section 597.1’s use of the word “keeper,” appellants extrapolate that “keep” must mean to 

provide some degree of care for an animal.

We do not necessarily agree that section 597.1 sets forth the proper definition of 

“keep” as that term is used in section 597j. However, we do not disagree that “keep” 

includes the concept of caring for or maintaining an animal. Section 597j appears to use 
24

the word in that commonly understood sense. The dictionary definition of “keep” 

includes “preserve, maintain,” “watch over,” “take care of,” and “support.” (Merriam 

Webster Online Dict. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/keep> [as of April 2, 

2015].) “Keeping” includes “the act of one that keeps,” and “custody, maintenance.” 

(Merriam Webster Online Dict., supra, http://www.merriamwebster.com/dictionary/keeping> [as of April 2, 2015].) The jury was instructed to use 

the ordinary, everyday meanings of words not specifically defined in the instructions. 

(CALCRIM No. 200.) While the dictionary lists a wide variety of meanings and usages 

for the word “keep,”

11 on the facts of this case the jury would naturally have understood 

“keep” to mean the foregoing.

Appellants contend that “ “keep’ ” is often colloquially used to mean “ ‘allowing 

to remain.’ ” They point out that the dictionary definitions of “keep” include “to continue 

having or holding (something),” to not return, lose, sell, give away, or throw away; or to 

cause something to continue in a specified state, condition or position. Therefore, they 

urge, jurors likely concluded appellants “kept” a tenant and his roosters on the property, 

and were guilty because they allowed the tenant and roosters to remain.

We do not think reasonable jurors would have applied the instruction as suggested. 

First, the dictionary definitions cited by appellants do not suggest that “keep” means 

 

11 Other uses of the word listed in the dictionary include, for example: to be faithful 

to (keep a promise); to act fittingly in relation to (keep the Sabbath); to conform to in 

habits or conduct (keep late hours); to stay in accord with (keep time); to cause to remain 

in a given place, situation, or condition (keep him waiting); to preserve (food) in an 

unspoiled condition; to maintain a record (keep a diary); to have or maintain in an 

established position or relationship (keep a mistress); to detain (keep children after 

school); to reserve (keep some for later); to refrain from revealing (keep a secret); to 

retain in one’s possession or power (kept the money); to stay or continue in (keep your 

seat); to stay against opposition (kept her ground); to have in control (keep your tempter); 

to confine oneself (keep my room); and to continue without interruption (keep talking). 

(Merriam Webster Online Dict., supra, <http://www.merriamwebster.com/dictionary/keep.) As a matter of common sense, reasonable jurors would 

have understood that none of these uses of the word applied. 
25

passively “allowing to remain.” While Webster’s includes “cause to remain” and 

“restrain from departure” as possible definitions, these are simply not synonymous with 

the type of passive conduct appellants suggest. Second, to determine whether a jury 

instruction is ambiguous, we inquire whether there is a reasonable likelihood jurors 

misunderstood and misapplied it. We consider the instructions as a whole, as well as the 

entire record of trial, including the arguments of counsel. (People v. Cross, supra, 

45 Cal.4th at pp. 67-68; People v. Young (2005) 34 Cal.4th 1149, 1202; People v. 

McPheeters (2013) 218 Cal.App.4th 124, 132.) Here, the prosecutor did not argue, 

implicitly or explicitly, that appellants were guilty simply because they failed to evict a 

tenant who possessed the birds. Jaime’s counsel pointed out that “somebody else came 

and took care of those roosters,” and Teresa’s counsel urged that once the property was 

rented, the back area leased to Ochoa would have been “off limits” to Teresa. Nothing in 

the parties’ arguments would have created the impression that the jury could return a 

guilty verdict if appellants had no involvement with the roosters, except to allow Ochoa 

to keep them. (See generally People v. Rogers (2006) 39 Cal.4th 826, 869-870.) 

In sum, because the instruction was adequate, the trial court had no sua sponte 

obligation to further define “keep.” (People v. Palmer, supra, 133 Cal.App.4th at 

p. 1156.) Because the instruction was adequate as given, the instruction did not affect 

appellants’ substantial rights (§ 1259), and their contentions have been forfeited. 

(People v. Castaneda (2011) 51 Cal.4th 1292, 1347-1348; People v. Palmer, supra, at 

p. 1156.)

d. Failure to instruct on the statute of limitations

As originally prepared by the trial court or parties, CALCRIM Nos. 2511, relating 

to possession of a firearm by a felon, and 2591, relating to possession of ammunition, 

stated the first element as “the defendant possessed a firearm” and “the defendant 

possessed . . . ammunition.” Just prior to the People’s closing argument, the prosecutor 

requested that the trial court change the language in each instruction to “owned, 

purchased, received or possessed” the firearm or ammunition, and the court did so. The 
26

court allowed counsel for Teresa to reopen her closing argument to address the 

modifications.

Teresa argues that given the amendment, the trial court was obliged to sua sponte 

instruct that the statute of limitations on count 6, possession of a firearm by a felon, was 

three years. (See § 801 [prosecution for an offense punishable by imprisonment in the 

state prison or pursuant to subdivision (h) of [s]ection 1170 shall be commenced within 

three years after commission of the offense].) She argues that absent an instruction on 

the limitations period, the jury was improperly allowed to convict her of possession of a 

firearm by a felon based on the 2005 purchase, in derogation of her jury trial and due 

process rights.12

We agree there was instructional error, but we reach that conclusion via a 

somewhat different analytical path than that Teresa suggests. It was undisputed Teresa 

purchased the gun in 2005. There was no evidence that she purchased any other firearm 

at another time. She was not charged with possession of a firearm by a felon until 2012. 

Thus, prosecution based on the purchase would have been time-barred as a matter of law. 

Moreover, the information charged Teresa with possession of a firearm by a felon 

occurring in 2012, not 2005. Therefore, the “purchased” language was unsupported by 

any evidence and was erroneously added. 

However, on the facts of this case, the error was manifestly harmless. At trial, the 

prosecutor elicited evidence about the 2005 purchase not as the substantive basis for the 

 

12 The People contend Teresa’s contention has been forfeited because she failed to 

request an instruction on the statute of limitations below. However, a trial court has a sua 

sponte duty to properly instruct the jury on the general principles of law relevant to the 

evidence. (People v. Moye (2009) 47 Cal.4th 537, 548; People v. Haraszewski (2012) 

203 Cal.App.4th 924, 936.) Accordingly, there is no forfeiture. To the extent Teresa 

argues a further instruction was required, affirmatively advising the jury that the 2005 

purchase could not support a finding of guilt, such an instruction was a “pinpoint” 

instruction that the trial court was under no duty to give sua sponte. (See generally 

People v. Gutierrez (2009) 45 Cal.4th 789, 824.) Because we conclude that the 

instructions given were harmless error, we do not reach Teresa’s contention that her 

counsel provided ineffective assistance by failing to request such an instruction. 
27

conviction, but to prove that the gun found in Teresa’s dresser in 2012 was hers. The 

parties’ arguments made this clear. Even before the jury instructions were modified, 

defense counsel argued in closing, “remember, you’re not being asked whether [Teresa 

is] guilty of possessing a firearm in 1995 [sic] while having a felony conviction. You are 

being asked if on or about March 1, 2012, did Mrs. Morales possess this firearm.” After 

the instruction was amended, defense counsel reiterated that Teresa had been charged 

with possession of a firearm occurring on March 1, 2012, and “the question for you now 

is at the time of this occurrence . . . did Mrs. Morales own, possess, purchase, have the 

firearm and ammunition?” During the People’s closing argument, after the instruction 

had been modified, the prosecutor argued: “Teresa Morales purchased a gun back in 

2005. She was the registered owner of the gun. The registration for the owner of the gun 

never changed. On the date this search took place in the house, she was the owner of the 

gun. She was also in possession of the gun. This gun was found in her bedroom, in her 

home. She not only owned it, she was in possession of it.” As we have observed ante, 

when determining whether there is a reasonable likelihood jurors misunderstood or 

misapplied an instruction, the arguments of counsel are relevant. (People v. McPheeters, 

supra, 218 Cal.App.4th at p. 132.) Here, the arguments of counsel made clear Teresa 

could only be convicted if she possessed the gun on March 1, 2012.

The elements of possession of a firearm by a felon are conviction of a felony and 

ownership or knowing possession, custody, or control of a firearm. (People v. Osuna 

(2014) 225 Cal.App.4th 1020, 1029.) “ ‘A defendant possesses a weapon when it is under 

his dominion and control. [Citation.] A defendant has actual possession when the 

weapon is in his immediate possession or control. He has constructive possession when 

the weapon, while not in his actual possession, is nonetheless under his dominion and 

control, either directly or through others. [Citations.]’ ” (Id. at p. 1029.) It was 

undisputed Teresa, a felon, purchased the gun in 2005. The evidence showed the very 

same gun was found in her bedroom, in her dresser drawer, along with her medical card, 

during the 2012 search. There was uncontroverted testimony that Teresa told Officer 

Jimenez the gun was hers on the date of the 2012 search. The evidence of guilt was thus 
28

overwhelming. The defense argument––that by 2012 the gun might have been in Jaime’s 

control, and Teresa might have been unaware of its presence––was weak and speculative. 

Given the record, the instructional error was harmless under any standard. (See People v. 

Palmer, supra, 133 Cal.App.4th at pp. 1157-1158; Chapman v. California (1967) 

386 U.S. 18; People v. Watson, supra, 46 Cal.2d 818.) 

Contrary to Teresa’s contention, the failure to instruct on the statute of limitations 

did not constitute Apprendi error. (Apprendi v. New Jersey (2000) 530 U.S. 466.) Teresa

argues that because, under Apprendi, any fact that increases a defendant’s punishment 

beyond the prescribed statutory maximum must be found to be true by a jury beyond a 

reasonable doubt, the question of whether the statute of limitations barred prosecution for 

the 2005 purchase should have been submitted to the jury. But as we have explained, 

Teresa was not prosecuted for the 2005 gun purchase. She was prosecuted for the 2012 

possession. It is clear beyond a reasonable doubt the jury did not use the 2005 purchase 

as the basis for the conviction.

e. Response to jurors’ question regarding unanimity

(i) Additional facts and contentions

During deliberations, the jury sent the following question to the trial court: “If 

voting not guilty, does it have to be unanimous?” The trial court provided jurors with the 

following written response: “The answer is: Yes. Refer to jury instruction number 3550 

on page 15.”

CALCRIM No. 3550, as given to the jury, provided in pertinent part: “It is your 

duty to talk with one another and to deliberate in the jury room. You should try to agree 

on a verdict if you can. Each of you must decide the case for yourself, but only after you 

have discussed the evidence with the other jurors. Do not hesitate to change your mind if 

you become convinced that you are wrong. But do not change your mind just because 

other jurors disagree with you. [¶] . . . [¶] Your verdict on each count and any special 

findings must be unanimous. This means that, to return a verdict, all of you must agree to 

it. . . . [¶] You will be given verdict forms. As soon as all jurors have agreed on a 

verdict, the foreperson must date and sign the appropriate verdict forms and notify the 
29

bailiff. If you are able to reach a unanimous decision on only one or only some of the 

charges or defendants, fill in those verdict forms only, and notify the bailiff. Return any 

unsigned verdict form.” (Italics added.) 

Teresa, joined by Jaime, contends that the trial court’s response coerced the jurors 

into reaching their verdicts and placed pressure on potential “hold-out” jurors who were 

inclined to acquit, thereby infringing appellants’ rights to due process and a jury trial. 

Appellants urge that the trial court should simply have answered, “No,” because jurors 

always have the power to vote not guilty.

(ii) Forfeiture

At the close of the case, counsel for Teresa advised the court that because she was 

required to appear in a matter in a different location, she had agreed that counsel for 

Jaime could stand in for her in connection with questions arising during deliberations. 

When the jury posed the question at issue, Jaime’s counsel stated, on behalf of both 

defendants, that she agreed with the trial court’s response. In light of counsel’s 

agreement, the People contend appellants have forfeited their claims. The People are 

correct. (See People v. Dykes (2009) 46 Cal.4th 731, 798-799, 802; People v. Marks 

(2003) 31 Cal.4th 197, 237.)

Appellants counter that the purported error implicates their substantial rights

(§ 1259), and, if the failure to object resulted in forfeiture, counsel provided ineffective 

assistance. Accordingly, we address the question of whether the trial court’s response 

was erroneous. (See People v. Wallace (2008) 44 Cal.4th 1032, 1074, fn. 7; People v. 

Loza (2012) 207 Cal.App.4th 332, 357-358.)

(iii) Discussion

We apply the abuse of discretion standard to any decision by a trial court to 

instruct, or not instruct, in its exercise of its supervision over a deliberating jury. 

(People v. Waidla (2000) 22 Cal.4th 690, 745-746.) We independently determine 

whether the instructions given were correct and adequate. (People v. Riley (2010) 

185 Cal.App.4th 754, 767; People v. Mathson (2012) 210 Cal.App.4th 1297, 1311.)
30

Appellants have failed to establish ineffective assistance here because the trial 

court’s response to the jury’s question was not objectionable. When a deliberating jury 

requests clarification of an instruction, section 1138 requires that the court provide 

information the jury desires on points of law, and attempt to “ ‘clear up any instructional 

confusion.’ ” (People v. Giardino (2000) 82 Cal.App.4th 454, 465; People v. Hodges 

(2013) 213 Cal.App.4th 531, 539; People v. Montero (2007) 155 Cal.App.4th 1170, 

1179; People v. Solis (2001) 90 Cal.App.4th 1002, 1015.) “ ‘This does not mean the 

court must always elaborate on the standard instructions. Where the original instructions

are themselves full and complete, the court has discretion under section 1138 to 

determine what additional explanations are sufficient to satisfy the jury’s request for 

information. [Citation.] Indeed, comments diverging from the standard are often risky. 

[Citation.]” [Citation.]’ ” (Montero, at p. 1179; Solis, at p. 1015.) The trial court must 

consider how it can best aid the jury and “ ‘whether further explanation is desirable, or 

whether it should merely reiterate the instructions already given.’ ” (Giardino, at p. 465.) 

The trial court did not err by telling jurors the verdict must be unanimous: that is a 

correct statement of law. (People v. Hernandez (2013) 217 Cal.App.4th 559, 569 [“In 

California, a jury verdict in a criminal case must be unanimous”].) Indeed, Teresa’s 

counsel told jurors the same thing during closing argument. Nor did the court err by 

referring the jury back to CALCRIM No. 3550. That instruction is also a correct 

statement of law. (People v. Santiago (2009) 178 Cal.App.4th 1471, 1475-1476.) 

Contrary to appellants’ claim, the court’s response would not have suggested to 

jurors that a deadlock was impermissible, nor would it have pressured potential holdout 

jurors. The court’s answer was not directed at a hung jury; there was no indication of a 

holdout juror or jurors, or a potential deadlock. CALCRIM No. 3550 does not contain 

the flaws that have typified coercive instructions in other cases. As explained in 

Santiago, CALCRIM No. 3550 “does not improperly direct minority jurors to give way 

to majority jurors or improperly tell the jury that all criminal cases must be decided at 

some point.” (People v. Santiago, supra, 178 Cal.App.4th at p. 1473.) Nor did the 

instruction suggest that minority jurors––if, indeed, there were any––should rethink their 
31

position in light of the majority’s views, reference the expense and inconvenience of a 

retrial, or encourage jurors to consider the numerical division or preponderance of 

opinion of the jury in forming or reexamining their views. (See generally People v. 

Valdez (2012) 55 Cal.4th 82, 163-164.) The instruction “does not improperly direct a 

deadlocked jury that it is required to reach a verdict. It does not place any constraints on 

an individual juror’s responsibility to consider and weigh the evidence. It does not 

coerce the jurors into abdicating their independent judgment to majority jurors for 

expediency.” (Santiago, at p. 1476.) 

To the contrary, much of the language in CALCRIM No. 3550, italicized ante, 

telegraphs to a jury that it is not required to reach a verdict. The statements that “You 

should try to agree on a verdict if you can” and “If you are able to reach a unanimous 

decision on only one or only some of the charges or defendants, fill in those verdict forms 

only, and notify the bailiff” make clear that a verdict is not required.

Appellants contend that the trial court’s response was coercive because, by telling 

jurors unanimity was required when “ ‘voting not guilty,’ ” the instruction focused 

“solely on those jurors who found the defense plausible and ignor[ed] the jurors who 

were inclined to convict,” thereby “encourag[ing] pro-defense jurors to abandon their 

positions.” We disagree. The jury’s question was whether “[i]f voting not guilty, does it 

have to be unanimous?” The court’s one word response––“Yes”––simply answered that 

query; the jury would not have understood the court’s answer to single out those jurors 

inclined to acquit. The court’s response cannot reasonably be construed to have put 

pressure on any juror to abandon his or her position, as appellants contend. Nor did the 

court’s response convey that it was the “particular burden” of jurors inclined to acquit to 

“achieve unanimity.”

Appellants’ citation to the Ninth Circuit case of Jiminez v. Myers (9th Cir. 1993) 

40 F.3d 976, is unavailing. In Jiminez, the jury twice reported to the court that it was 

deadlocked. The court inquired on both occasions as to the numeric breakdown of the 

votes, and asked whether there had been “movement” one way or the other. (Id. at 

pp. 978-979.) Upon learning that a single holdout juror remained, the court sent the jury 
32

back to continue deliberations. A divided Ninth Circuit panel held that the trial court’s 

conduct was coercive. (Id. at p. 981.) Nothing of the sort occurred here.

Because the trial court’s response was not objectionable, defense counsel did not 

perform below an objective standard of reasonableness by failing to object. (See 

Strickland v. Washington (1984) 466 U.S. 668, 687; People v. Brown (2014) 59 Cal.4th 

86, 109; People v. Mai (2013) 57 Cal.4th 986, 1009.) Thus, appellants have failed to 

establish either instructional error or ineffective assistance of counsel.13

 

13 In light of our conclusion that no error occurred, we need not reach the parties’ 

arguments regarding prejudice.
33

DISPOSITION

Appellant Jaime Morales’s conviction on count 3, possession of a controlled 

substance with a firearm (Health & Saf. Code, § 11370.1) is reversed, and the matter is 

remanded for further proceedings consistent with this opinion. In all other respects, the 

judgments are affirmed. 

NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL REPORTS

ALDRICH, J.

We concur:

EDMON, P. J.

LAVIN, J.*

 

*

Judge of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, assigned by the Chief Justice 

pursuant to article VI, section 6 of the California Constitution.