Opinion ID: 2511805
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: In re Molina

Text: In 1984, petitioner Molina shot and killed the victim Ruben Morales. [4] The murder occurred on a farm in Arroyo Grande, where both men worked. The record reflects that the two men had had numerous altercations prior to the murderincluding an incident in which the victim threatened Molina with a knifeand that Molina had purchased a rifle one week before the commitment offense. An eyewitness reported that Molina shot Morales as Morales watched television in a room at a bunkhouse. The pathologist later determined Morales had been shot between 15 and 18 times. The final two shots were fired at closer rangefrom a distance of less than two feetthan the previous shots. Molina fled after the shooting and was residing in Fresno when he was arrested four months later. Molina pleaded no contest to second degree murder. (§ 187.) The trial court sentenced Molina to 15 years to life on December 18, 1985. Molina became eligible for parole on July 31, 1994. He was found suitable for parole by a Board panel in 2002, but the decision was reversed by the Governor. On December 20, 2006, the Board found Molina unsuitable for parole and issued a one-year denial. The 2006 parole hearing is at issue here. [5] The record reflects that Molina was born in Mexico, had minimal formal schooling, and entered the United States illegally when he was 16 years of age. He was 23 years old at the time of the commitment offense. Molina abused alcohol and was intoxicated on the night of the commitment offense. He has no juvenile criminal record and no adult criminal record other than the commitment offense. During his incarceration, Molina has not received any serious rules-violation citations but has received five custodial counseling citations for minor misconduct, the most recent being in 1990. Molina has participated extensively in educational, self-help, and vocational programs. At the 2006 parole hearing, Molina characterized the commitment offense as self-defense, stating that the victim and two other men had confronted him with a knife and had challenged him to fight. Molina explained that he was very fearful of Morales and ran into his room, grabbed his rifle, and then returned to the main room and shot Morales. Molina stated he had purchased the rifle for hunting, and not with the intent to kill or injure Morales. The 2006 Board panel considered the brief 2005 mental health evaluation, which was an addendum to a 2004 evaluation. The 2005 evaluation, noting that the information in the 2004 evaluation was accurate, concluded Molina did not present a risk to society. The 2004 evaluation, which was more comprehensive, concluded that Molina demonstrated insight and empathy regarding the offense and that his potential for violence was no greater than that of the average person. The 2006 panel found Molina unsuitable for parole, noting the egregious nature of the commitment offense and expressing concern about the discrepancy between Molina's characterization of the commitment offense as an act of self-defense, and the official recordwhich reflected that Molina attacked Morales without provocation. The panel requested an investigation into the circumstances of the crimeparticularly whether Molina resided in the bunkhouse at the time of the shootingand a new mental health evaluation to help clarify the factual discrepancies in the record. Petitioner sought habeas corpus relief in the superior court. On May 30, 2008, after issuing an order to show cause and considering the return and the traverse that were filed, the court granted habeas corpus relief, concluding there was no evidence in the record to support the finding that Molina presented a current danger to society. Consequently, the court directed the Board to find Molina suitable for parole and to order his release. In a split decision, the Court of Appeal affirmed the superior court's grant of habeas corpus relief. Determining that the 2006 panel's focus upon who actually resided at the bunkhouse was tangential to the ultimate issue of whether Molina presents a current danger to society, the majority concluded there was no evidence in the record to support a finding that Molina presents such a danger, in light of his consistently positive mental health evaluations and his extensive rehabilitation. Consequently, after noting that the Board initially set a parole date in 2002, and that [a]ny further delay is unwarranted, the appellate court remanded the matter to the trial court with directions to in turn remand to the Board with instructions to release Molina on parole in accordance with conditions set by the Board. Justice Yegan dissented, concluding that some evidence supported the panel's finding of current dangerousness, because Molina's version of the events (that Morales and two friends arrived at the bunkhouse, a fight ensued between Morales and Molina, and Molina fatally shot Morales) conflicts with the official version of the events (that Molina entered the room where Morales was watching television and, unprovoked, shot him 15 to 18 times). The dissenting justice concluded that this discrepancy suggests Molina may lack insight into his commission of the offense. The dissent, disagreeing with the majority's remand order directing Molina's release on parole, also concluded the appropriate remedy would be to order the Board to hold a new hearing in accordance with this court's decisions in Lawrence, supra, 44 Cal.4th 1181 and Shaputis, supra, 44 Cal.4th 1241.