Opinion ID: 2585200
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Death sentence for conspiracy; effect of section 654

Text: Defendant contends his sentence of death as to count II, conspiracy to commit murder, must be vacated as an unauthorized sentence for that crime. (See §§ 182, subd. (a) [punishment for conspiracy to commit murder is that prescribed for first degree murder], 189 [defining degrees of murder], 190.2 [providing for death penalty in case of first degree murder with one or more special circumstance findings].) Defendant further contends section 654 bars sentencing on a conviction for conspiracy to commit murder when sentence has been imposed on the murder itself, the only object of the conspiracy. ( People v. Moringlane (1982) 127 Cal. App.3d 811, 819, 179 Cal.Rptr. 726.) The Attorney General, while noting the trial court did stay the sentence on count II pursuant to section 654, acknowledges the imposition of a death sentence on the conspiracy count was unauthorized. We therefore shall vacate the special circumstance alleged and found true as to count II and vacate the death sentence imposed for that count. Under our statutory power to modify an unauthorized sentence (see § 1260), [27] we shall direct the trial court to issue an amended abstract of judgment reflecting the appropriate sentence for conspiracy to commit murder, which the Attorney General in this case agrees is imprisonment for 25 years to life (see § 182; People v. Cortez (1998) 18 Cal.4th 1223, 1226, 77 Cal.Rptr.2d 733, 960 P.2d 537; cf. People v. Rodriguez (1998) 17 Cal.4th 253, 258, 70 Cal.Rptr.2d 334, 949 P.2d 31 [assuming that a reviewing court has the power [under § 1260] when a trial court has made a mistake in sentencing, to remand with directions that do not inevitably require all of the procedural steps involved in arraignment for judgment and sentencing]; People v. Hines (1997) 15 Cal.4th 997, 1080, 64 Cal.Rptr.2d 594, 938 P.2d 388 [in exercising its power under § 1260, this court will not substitute its judgment for that of the trier of fact with respect to discretionary sentencing decisions; by implication limiting exercise of statutory power to nondiscretionary correction of judgment]).