Court Opinion

ID: 9388781
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-04-21 17:02:59.703321+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:18:22.495217
License: Public Domain

Filed 4/21/23 P. v. Fuller CA2/6
     NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL REPORTS
California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions
not certified for publication or ordered published, except as specified by rule 8.1115(b). This opinion
has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.

IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

                         SECOND APPELLATE DISTRICT

                                         DIVISION SIX

THE PEOPLE,                                                   2d Crim. No. B317691
                                                           (Super. Ct. No. 21F-04807)
     Plaintiff and Respondent,                              (San Luis Obispo County)

v.

KENNETH FULLER,

     Defendant and Appellant.

      Kenneth Fuller was convicted by a jury of arson of forest
land. (Pen. Code,1 § 451, subd. (c).) The trial court sentenced
him to the low term of two years, and ordered him to register
under section 457.1, the arson registration statute.
                              FACTS
      On July 31, 2021, firefighters responded to a report of a fire
on the Hearst Ranch property. When they arrived, Fuller was
seated alone about 50 yards from the fire. A firefighter

         1   All statutory references are to the Penal Code.
approached him and asked if he was okay. He immediately
apologized for starting the fire. He said he had taken “a little bit
of meth” and was “going through some things.”
       A state park ranger walked up to Fuller. Fuller told him
that he started the fire. He said some people were trying to kill
him. The ranger detained Fuller.
       A sheriff’s deputy arrived. Fuller told the deputy that he
started the fire to summon emergency assistance.
                              DEFENSE
       Fuller testified on his own behalf. He said he was driving
on Highway 1, when he saw two cars following him. The cars
were allegedly working for a woman who had been taking money
from him. He pulled off the road and yelled at one of the cars to
leave him alone. Then he claimed he heard a volley of gunshots.
He drove into the Hearst property and lit a fire to summon help.
He did not have a cell phone.
                            DISCUSSION
       We appointed counsel to represent Fuller in this appeal.
After examining the record, she filed a brief raising no issues.
       On August 17, 2022, we advised Fuller by mail that he had
30 days within which to personally submit any contentions or
issues that he wished to raise on appeal. We received Fuller’s in
propria persona supplemental brief on February 3, 2023.
       Fuller complains that the prosecutor based her case solely
on his admissions that he started the fire. He points to his
testimony that he started the fire to summon emergency help
after he heard gun shots.
       On appeal we discard evidence that does not support the
judgment as having been rejected by the trier of fact for lack of
sufficient verity. (People v. Ryan (1999) 76 Cal.App.4th 1304,

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1316.) In other words, the jury simply did not believe Fuller.
The jury is the sole judge of credibility. We have no power on
appeal to judge the credibility of witnesses. (People v. Stewart
(2000) 77 Cal.App.4th 785, 790.)
      We have reviewed the entire record and are satisfied that
Fuller’s attorney has fully complied with her responsibilities and
that no arguable issue exists. 2 (People v. Wende (1979) 25 Cal.3d
436, 441.)
                           DISPOSITION
      The judgment is affirmed.
      NOT TO BE PUBLISHED.

                                     GILBERT, P. J.

We concur:

             YEGAN, J.

             CODY, J.

      Fuller’s motion for substitution of counsel, filed
      2

September 19, 2022, is denied.

                                 3
                  Jesse John Marino, Judge

           Superior Court County of San Luis Obispo

                ______________________________

     Mi Kim, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for
Defendant and Appellant.
     No appearance for Plaintiff and Respondent.

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