Opinion ID: 2599941
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 33

Heading: Discretion to Strike Special Circumstances

Text: Defendant contends that the case must be remanded to afford the trial court the opportunity to strike the special circumstance findings in furtherance of justice under section 1385, subdivision (a), for the limited purpose of imposing a sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. [29] He argues that because the trial court had the authority to strike the special circumstances and impose a sentence of life imprisonment with the possibility of parole (see People v. Williams (1981) 30 Cal.3d 470, 179 Cal.Rptr. 443, 637 P.2d 1029), a fortiori the court must have had the authority to strike the special circumstances for the limited purpose of imposing a punishment of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Defendant cites no authority to support his contention that the court may strike a special circumstance finding for such a purpose, and we find none. If the special circumstance findings had been stricken, the court would have been required to impose a lawful sentence as authorized by the remaining verdicts and special findings. A sentence of life without the possibility of parole would not have been authorized in the absence of a true finding on at least one of the special circumstance allegations.