Opinion ID: 1414702
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: the circumstances surrounding the crime

Text: (5a) Defendant pleaded guilty to committing a lewd or lascivious act upon a child under the age of 14 years. (§ 288.) Section 288 encompasses a wide range of culpable behavior. ( In re Rodriguez (1975) 14 Cal.3d 639, 647 [122 Cal. Rptr. 552, 537 P.2d 384].) Had defendant violated the statute in a relatively minor manner (see, e.g., People v. Epperson (1935) 7 Cal. App.2d 125 [45 P.2d 359] (touching a young girl's breasts)) on a single occasion with a single victim such circumstances would be mitigating. However, defendant violated the statute in a most culpable manner  orally copulating young boys  and by his own admission he did so repeatedly for a year with at least two victims. All that can be said in his favor is that he did not use violence. In conclusion, the circumstances surrounding defendant's crime clearly weighed heavily against probation.