Opinion ID: 1453534
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Violation of the Plea Bargain

Text: (5) When a guilty plea is entered in exchange for specified benefits such as the dismissal of other counts or an agreed maximum punishment, both parties, including the state, must abide by the terms of the agreement. The punishment may not significantly exceed that which the parties agreed upon. `[W]hen a plea rests in any significant degree on a promise or agreement of the prosecutor, so that it can be said to be part of the inducement or consideration, such promise must be fulfilled.' ( Santobello v. New York [(1971)] 404 U.S. [257,] 262 [30 L.Ed.2d 427, 433, 92 S.Ct. 495].) [¶] The Supreme Court has thus recognized that due process applies not only to the procedure of accepting the plea (see Boykin v. Alabama (1969) 395 U.S. 238 [23 L.Ed.2d 274, 89 S.Ct. 1709]), but that the requirements of due process attach also to implementation of the bargain itself. It necessarily follows that violation of the bargain by an officer of the state raises a constitutional right to some remedy. ( People v. Mancheno, supra, 32 Cal.3d 855, 860; see also People v. Glennon, supra, 225 Cal. App.3d at p. 104.) Although the purpose of a restitution fine is not punitive, we believe its consequences to the defendant are severe enough that it qualifies as punishment for this purpose. Accordingly, the restitution fine should generally be considered in plea negotiations. This does not mean that any deviation from the terms of the agreement is constitutionally impermissible. As Santobello v. New York (1971) 404 U.S. 257, 262 [30 L.Ed.2d 427, 433, 92 S.Ct. 495], suggests, the variance must be significant in the context of the plea bargain as a whole to violate the defendant's rights. A punishment or related condition that is insignificant relative to the whole, such as a standard condition of probation, may be imposed whether or not it was part of the express negotiations. (6) Whether or not a defendant waives an objection to punishment exceeding the terms of the bargain by the failure to raise the point in some fashion at sentencing depends upon whether the trial court followed the requirements of section 1192.5. That section provides in pertinent part that when a plea bargain is accepted by the parties and approved by the court, the defendant generally cannot be sentenced on such plea to a punishment more severe than that specified in the plea and the court may not proceed as to such plea other than as specified in the plea. The court shall inform the defendant prior to the making of the plea that (1) its approval is not binding, (2) it may, at the time set for the hearing on the application for probation or pronouncement of judgment, withdraw its approval in the light of further consideration of the matter, and (3) in such case, the defendant shall be permitted to withdraw his plea if he desires to do so. (§ 1192.5.) Absent compliance with the section 1192.5 procedure, the defendant's constitutional right to the benefit of his bargain is not waived by a mere failure to object at sentencing. Of course, there can be no waiver of a constitutional right absent `an intentional relinquishment or abandonment of a known right or privilege.' [Citation.] No less should a court presume from mere silence that defendant is waiving implementation of the consideration that induced him to waive his constitutional rights. ( People v. Mancheno, supra, 32 Cal.3d at p. 864.) When, however, the section 1192.5 admonition is given, and it is generally required, the situation is quite different. The issue then becomes whether the defendant has relinquished his statutory right to withdraw the plea. People v. Mancheno, supra, 32 Cal.3d 855, does not state whether the admonition was given in that case, and thus it does not address the point. We have held that absent a section 1192.5 admonition, a defendant's failure affirmatively to request a change of plea should not be deemed a waiver of his right to do so. Since he was never advised of his rights under section 1192.5, he should not be held to have waived them. ( People v. Johnson (1974) 10 Cal.3d 868, 872 [112 Cal. Rptr. 556, 519 P.2d 604], fn. omitted.) Implicit in this reasoning is that when the admonition is given, the failure affirmatively to request a change of plea does waive the right to do so. (See id. at p. 872, fn. 3 [distinguishing prior cases which supported a finding of waiver on the basis of the absence of the admonition].) A line of cases in an analogous situation supports this conclusion. In People v. Arbuckle (1978) 22 Cal.3d 749 [150 Cal. Rptr. 778, 587 P.2d 220, 3 A.L.R.4th 1171], we held that when a judge accepts a plea bargain and retains sentencing discretion, it is generally an implied term of the bargain that sentence will be imposed by that judge. The question naturally arose whether a defendant waives this implied term by silence when a different judge imposes sentence. The exact answer to this question is currently unsettled, as the several appellate decisions conflict. (See fn. 2, post. ) But as analogous to this case, the decisions all suggest a finding of waiver upon the giving of a section 1192.5 admonition. In People v. Rosaia (1984) 157 Cal. App.3d 832, 840 [203 Cal. Rptr. 856], the court found that the Arbuckle right may be waived by conduct, i.e., by not seeking to withdraw the guilty plea or otherwise objecting at sentencing. It went on to hold that fairness dictates that before accepting silence or acquiesence in sentencing by a different judge as a waiver, the court must satisfy itself from the record that defendant knew he had the right to be sentenced by the same judge who took his plea. The court cannot reasonably assume or speculate that the defendant had the requisite knowledge of his Arbuckle rights even if represented by an attorney. ( Ibid. ) In part, the analysis of Rosaia has come under substantial attack, but for reasons not pertinent to this case. (Cf. People v. Adams (1990) 224 Cal. App.3d 1540 [274 Cal. Rptr. 629] and People v. Serrato (1988) 201 Cal. App.3d 761 [247 Cal. Rptr. 322] with People v. Horn (1989) 213 Cal. App.3d 701 [261 Cal. Rptr. 814].) [2] All of these cases agree with Rosaia to the extent it finds waiver at least when the court has advised the defendant of the existence of the Arbuckle right. The Rosaia rationale applies here (even if not under its own facts  see fn. 2, ante ). Absent a section 1192.5 admonition, we cannot assume the defendant knew he had a right to withdraw his plea. But when the admonition is given, and the defendant does not ask to withdraw the plea or otherwise object to the sentence, he has waived the right to complain of the sentence later. (7) A violation of a plea bargain is not subject to harmless error analysis. A court may not impose punishment significantly greater than that bargained for by finding the defendant would have agreed to the greater punishment had it been made a part of the plea offer. Because a court can only speculate why a defendant would negotiate for a particular term of a bargain, implementation should not be contingent on others' assessment of the value of the term to defendant. [¶] ... [¶] Moreover, the concept of harmless error only addresses whether the defendant is prejudiced by the error. However, in the context of a broken plea agreement, there is more at stake than the liberty of the defendant or the length of his term. `At stake is the honor of the government[,] public confidence in the fair administration of justice, and the efficient administration of justice....' ( People v. Mancheno, supra, 32 Cal.3d at pp. 865-866, quoting United States v. Carter (4th Cir.1972) 454 F.2d 426, 428 (in bank).)