Opinion ID: 1293209
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Criminal Proceedings Against Petitioner

Text: One evening in May 1987, while at a nightclub in Palm Springs, petitioner struck his wife on the side of her head with a gun. By the time the police arrived on the scene, petitioner and his wife had left the nightclub. After the incident, petitioner's wife took refuge with a neighbor, Clark Garen. Petitioner approached the door of Garen's house and threatened his wife. Both Garen and petitioner's wife heard a sound outside the house that sounded like a gunshot. In the very early hours of the following morning, petitioner's wife telephoned the police from her home on the 9-1-1 number reporting a disturbance without other detail. The police arrived in response to the 9-1-1 call, but departed after petitioner's wife insisted that she had not been harmed and that they leave. Later that morning, the police were again called to the residence because of petitioner's conduct. The police observed petitioner emerge from his property carrying a handgun which protruded about two inches from the top of his waistband, and arrested him. Petitioner's wife requested that the police officers take a second handgun belonging to petitioner into their possession for safekeeping, since she feared for her life. As a result of this incident, petitioner was charged with violating Penal Code sections 12031, subdivision (a) (carrying a loaded weapon), 12025, subdivision (b) (carrying a concealed weapon), and 647, subdivision (f) (public drunkenness). In December 1987, petitioner pled nolo contendere to violating Penal Code section 12025, subdivision (b); the other charges were dismissed. Petitioner was sentenced to three years' formal probation, including, inter alia, attendance at alcohol rehabilitation program. Petitioner had also been arrested, in an earlier incident, on April 13, 1987. Although there was no disciplinary referral regarding the April 13 incident and arrest, the following evidence of petitioner's conduct was before the hearing panel by stipulation as a circumstance surrounding his conviction. In April 1987, petitioner and his wife were drinking with friends in Palm Springs at the Tahquitz Lounge. While she was dancing with another man, petitioner approached her and slapped her across the face. Her nose began to bleed. Petitioner and his wife then left the lounge and she tried to retrieve her car keys from him. Bystanders witnessed petitioner chasing his wife and beating her. The eyewitnesses reported this to the Palm Springs police who were dispatched to investigate. Before police arrived, one bystander, Carroll Hale, witnessed petitioner swing a fist at his wife and when he missed, push her. Hale insisted that petitioner stop assaulting the woman. Petitioner responded with a vulgar verbal attack upon Hale. Petitioner then ripped a metal sign from the ground and swung it at Hale, narrowly missing him. Petitioner swung the sign a second time at Hale's head. Hale raised his arm to block the assault and sustained a cut and bruise on his hand. [1] Petitioner then abandoned the attack upon Hale. While he was being arrested, petitioner threatened to get a gun and shoot Hale and the bystanders. Petitioner's wife had a bloody nose, blood on her dress, and no shoes on her feet. She informed one of the arresting officers that this sort of thing happened all of the time, and that she was afraid of petitioner, especially when he gets out of jail. She further stated that she did not wish to press charges because the long-term result would be worse for her. Petitioner was charged with misdemeanor violations of Penal Code sections 245, subdivision (a)(1) (assault with a deadly weapon) and 273.5 (spouse abuse). In December 1987, the criminal proceedings against petitioner were suspended pursuant to Penal Code section 1000.6, for the purpose of granting diversion, and petitioner was referred to the Anger Awareness Program. [2]