Opinion ID: 1209917
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Of the State Court Appeals and the Habeas Petition

Text: Briceno appealed his conviction to the California Court of Appeal. On June 20, 2003, the Court of Appeal issued an opinion in which it held that the criminal street gang enhancements provided under § 186.22 cannot be used to transform an unenumerated offense into a `serious' felony under the California Penal Code. See Briceno, 135 Cal.Rptr.2d at 913. Accordingly, the Court of Appeal found that one of Briceno's prior convictions did not qualify as a serious or violent felony under California's Three Strikes Law, and remanded his case for resentencing. The Court of Appeal affirmed Briceno's judgment in all other respects. Id. Thereafter, Briceno filed a petition for review in the California Supreme Court, contending that the admission in evidence of the gang expert's opinion testimony violated his jury trial and due process rights. He also contended that there was insufficient evidence to support one of his robbery convictions and the gang enhancements. The State of California also petitioned the California Supreme Court for review, asserting that the Court of Appeal erred in finding that felonies with gang enhancement are not serious felonies under the California Three Strikes Law. On September 24, 2003, the Supreme Court granted the State's petition only and, on November 4, 2004, issued its opinion in the case. People v. Briceno, 34 Cal.4th 451, 20 Cal. Rptr.3d 418, 99 P.3d 1007 (2004). In the opinion, the court determined that felonies with gang enhancements are serious felonies within the meaning of California's Three Strikes Law. Id. at 1014-15; see also Cal.Penal Code § 667. The court therefore reversed the judgment of the Court of Appeal insofar as it found that one of Briceno's convictions did not qualify as a serious felony, and affirmed the judgment in all other respects. Briceno, 20 Cal.Rptr.3d 418, 99 P.3d at 1015. On May 16, 2005, Briceno filed a petition for a writ of habeas corpus pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2254 in the United States District Court for the Central District of California. In his petition, Briceno advanced the following three grounds for relief: Petitioner was denied due process and a trial by jury as a result of the gang expert's improper opinion testimony.... . . . . Petitioner was denied due process because there was insufficient evidence to support the robbery conviction on count 4 and the gang enhancements on Counts 1-4 beyond a reasonable doubt.... . . . . Petitioner was denied due process because there was insufficient evidence that his 1998 conviction was a prior felony conviction for purposes of the 3 strikes law and the enhancement under Pen.Code sec 667(a). On May 11, 2006, Magistrate Judge Lum issued a comprehensive Report and Recommendation recommending denial of the petition in all respects. The District Judge adopted the Report and Recommendation over Briceno's objections in an Order dated July 19, 2006, and directed that judgment be entered dismissing the petition with prejudice. On May 11, 2007, the District Court issued an Order denying an application filed by Briceno for a certificate of appealability, finding that Briceno has not made a substantial showing of the denial of a constitutional right, as is required to support the issuance of a Certificate of Appealability. An application for a certificate thereafter made to this court was granted by Order filed on August 2, 2007, with respect to the issues set forth in Part I above.