Court Opinion

ID: 9898588
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-11-14 19:31:43.220111+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:15:22.750615
License: Public Domain

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON

 THE STATE OF WASHINGTON,
                                                     No. 84169-6-I
                      Respondent,                    (consolidated with
                                                     84248-0-I)
      v.
                                                     DIVISION ONE
 JAZANE DAVID BROWN, and
 MONIQUE DESIREE DUNCAN,                            UNPUBLISHED OPINION
 each of them,

                      Appellants.

       COBURN, J. — After each pleading guilty to three counts of theft in the third

degree and agreeing to pay restitution in full but disputing the amount, Monique Duncan

and Jazane Brown, co-defendants, appeal their restitution orders. They claim a lack of

a causal connection between the losses and the crimes, that the court could only

impose a maximum amount of restitution that was referenced in their guilty plea

statements, and that their restitution amount violated their federal and state

constitutional rights under the excessive fines, due process, and equal protection

clauses. Substantial evidence supports a causal connection between the losses and

the crimes, the equal protection claim is not ripe, and appellants waived the remainder

of their claims. Accordingly, we affirm.

     Citations and pin cites are based on the Westlaw online version of the cited material.
No. 84169-6-I/2

                                           FACTS

       The State initially charged Brown and Duncan each with organized retail theft in

the first degree and also charged Brown with assault in the fourth degree. The theft

charge was based on three different incidents that occurred at a Home Depot store in

July, August, and September of 2019. The same loss prevention officer (LPO)

observed the thefts, unsuccessfully attempted to stop Brown and Duncan, and reported

the thefts to police. The certifications of probable cause identified the value of the

losses to be $4,416.20 (July), $7,363.95 (August), and $6,864.37 (September).

       Following plea negotiations, Brown and Duncan, in separate plea hearings,

pleaded guilty to three counts of theft in the third degree by way of second amended

informations for the same July, August, and September thefts. For each of the incident

dates, Duncan’s statement of guilt stated, “I entered Home Depot in Redmond . . . and I

did take property from Home Depot in an amount not exceeding $750 and with the

intent to deprive Home Depot of said property.” For each incident, Brown’s statement of

guilt stated, “I entered Home Depot in Redmond . . . and I did take property from Home

Depot in an amount not exceeding $750 and with the intent to deprive Home Depot of

that property.”

       Brown and Duncan each agreed that the “defendant shall pay restitution in full to

the victim(s) on charged counts” and “agrees to pay restitution in the specific amount of

$TBD” and also agreed to pay the victim penalty assessment (VPA). Both Brown and

Duncan stipulated that “the facts set forth in the certification(s) for determination of

probable cause and prosecutor’s summary are real and material facts for purposes of

this sentencing.” The probable cause certifications delineated the items taken and their

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No. 84169-6-I/3

value. At both plea hearings, the courts noted that the amount of restitution was yet to

be determined.

       As part of the plea agreement, the State agreed to recommend no additional jail

time than what had already been served, unsupervised probation, and no additional

legal financial obligations other than the mandatory VPA and restitution with the amount

to be determined.

       Brown and Duncan each had separate sentencing hearings with different judges,

who followed the agreed sentencing recommendation. Parties in both hearings agreed

that the amount of restitution would be determined at a future hearing. Both defendants

waived their appearances at the future restitution hearing.

       Restitution hearings were held at different times in front of different judges and

both Duncan and Brown were not present for the hearings. The State provided the

same supporting restitution documents before each court. The documentation included

reports from the LPO signed under penalty of perjury, copies of receipts, photographs,

incident reports, and a transcription of a defense interview with the LPO who witnessed

all three theft incidents. In the interview, the LPO explained that he determined what

was taken based on a combination of direct observation, viewing security video footage,

and working with coworkers to check the daily inventory of the items that were taken.

The State requested a total of $18,644 in restitution in each hearing consistent with the

initial amounts listed in the certifications of probable cause, and the trial court imposed

that amount jointly and severally. Defense counsel in both hearings challenged the

State’s evidence, but did not argue that the court was limited to a maximum of $750 in

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No. 84169-6-I/4

restitution on each count. 1 Nor did defense counsel raise any constitutional claims.

       Brown and Duncan separately appealed. A clerk of this court then consolidated

their appeals. Following consolidation, Brown and Duncan each filed notices adopting

each other’s claims identified in their respective briefs.

                                         DISCUSSION

       The amount of a restitution award is within the court’s discretion and will not be

disturbed on appeal absent a showing of abuse. State v. Griffith, 164 Wn.2d 960, 965,

195 P.3d 506 (2008). A court’s authority to impose restitution is statutory. Id. Under

RCW 9.94A.753(5), restitution shall be ordered “whenever the offender is convicted of

an offense which results in injury to any person or damage to or loss of property. . .”

Restitution also “shall be based on easily ascertainable damages for injury to or loss of

property, actual expenses incurred for treatment for injury to persons, and lost wages

resulting from injury” and “shall not exceed double the amount of the offender’s gain or

the victim’s loss from the commission of the crime.” RCW 9.94A.753(3)(a). While the

claimed loss need not be established with specific accuracy, it must be supported by

substantial credible evidence. Griffith, 164 Wn.2d at 965.

       The trial court is allowed considerable discretion in determining restitution. State

v. Kinneman, 155 Wn.2d 272, 282, 119 P.3d 350 (2005). We review a court’s factual

findings for substantial evidence. Griffith, 164 Wn.2d at 965. “Substantial evidence

exists if the record contains evidence sufficient to persuade a fair-minded, rational

       1
         The judge in Brown’s restitution hearing questioned whether there was any case law
supporting that it could impose more than $750 in restitution on each count. The prosecutor
explained that restitution was only limited by the facts themselves, not based on the level of
crime to which the defendant pled. Defense counsel stated that she was not aware of any
contrary authority. The trial court invited defense counsel to submit a motion for reconsideration
if she could find legal authority holding otherwise. No motion was submitted.
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No. 84169-6-I/5

person of the truth of the declared premise.” State v. Lowery, 15 Wn. App. 2d 129, 138,

475 P.3d 505 (2020).

       To support an order of restitution there must be a causal connection between the

losses and the crimes charged. Griffith, 164 Wn.2d at 966 (citing State v. Tobin, 161

Wn.2d 517, 524, 166 P.3d 1167 (2007)). Losses are causally connected if, but for the

charged crime, the victim would not have incurred the loss. Id. “In determining whether

a causal connection exists, we look to the underlying facts of the charged offense, not

the name of the crime to which the defendant entered a plea.” Griffith, 164 Wn.2d at

966; see State v. Selland, 54 Wn. App. 122, 124, 772 P.2d 534 (1989) (holding that

restitution is not limited by the definition of the crime of which defendant was convicted).

When a defendant disputes a restitution amount, the State must prove the damages by

a preponderance of the evidence. Kinneman, 155 Wn.2d at 285.

       Appellants contend that the restitution order must be vacated because the State

did not prove a causal connection between appellants’ crimes and the specific amount

of losses incurred by Home Depot. We disagree.

       Specifically, they argue that the State failed to establish what the store inventory

was prior to the theft and that the LPO only conducted an inventory audit for the

September incident as reflected in his police statement. However, in the LPO’s defense

interview, he explained that the store evaluates the on-hand inventory daily. He further

explained that “whenever I go back and do an inventory search in – in this manner, I go

and I look and see what, exactly, we have on stock, of that particular SKU. Then I

partner with an associate, to see what inventory states on our first phone. And I back

and I double check and verify and we – we both walk through it. We both validate what’s

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No. 84169-6-I/6

exactly there and what’s missing. That’s how I was able to come up with the particular

item number.” He added, “I do not over estimate. I only estimated what I actually

witnessed being removed from the shelf and placed into the bag.” The record

establishes that the LPO or coworkers were able to observe defendants working

together in removing items from the shelves or retaining those items. The LPO also

identified the items and compared the store’s daily on-hand inventory to determine the

value of the stolen merchandise. Substantial evidence supported a causal connection

between the crimes and the losses incurred. The State proved Home Depot’s damages

by a preponderance of the evidence.

       Appellants next contend that the maximum restitution the court could impose was

$2,250 because each defendant pleaded guilty to taking property in an amount not

exceeding $750 during each of the thefts. The State contends that appellants did not

preserve this claim.

       “As a general rule, appellate courts will not consider issues raised for the first

time on appeal.” State v. McFarland, 127 Wn.2d 322, 332-33, 899 P.2d 1251 (1995). A

party may claim an error for the first time on appeal if it concerns “(1) lack of trial court

jurisdiction, (2) failure to establish facts upon which relief can be granted, [or] (3)

manifest error affecting a constitutional right.” RAP 2.5(a).

       Under the Sentencing Reform Act of 1981 (SRA), chapter 9.94A RCW, restitution

is “‘part of an offender’s sentence.’” State v. Hughes, 154 Wn.2d 118, 155, 110 P.3d

192 (2005) (quoting State v. Edelman, 97 Wn. App. 161, 166, 984 P.2d 421 (1999)). A

defendant waives the right to challenge an alleged sentencing error for the first time on

appeal if the error involves agreement to facts or the exercise of discretion. State v.

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No. 84169-6-I/7

Cosgaya-Alvarez, 172 Wn. App. 785, 790, 291 P.3d 939 (2013) (citing In re Pers.

Restraint of Goodwin, 146 Wn.2d 861, 874, 50 P.3d 618 (2002)). However, defendants

can challenge a legal error in a sentence for the first time on appeal. Id. (citations

omitted).

       Whether appellants agreed to pay for losses in excess of $750 per count is a

question of fact that they did not raise below. Thus, appellants waived this claim and

did not establish a basis for review under RAP 2.5(a). 2

       However, appellants also contend that the court did not have the authority to

impose a restitution amount greater than the definition of the crime. Defendants’

statement of guilt reflected the definition of theft in the third degree. RCW 9A.56.050(a)

provides that a “person is guilty of theft in the third degree if he or she commits theft of

property or services which . . . does not exceed seven hundred fifty dollars in value.”

Because this claim is an alleged legal error, they can raise it for the first time on appeal.

Cosgaya-Alvarez, 172 Wn. App. at 790.

       Appellants cite to State v. Taylor, 86 Wn. App. 442, 936 P.2d 1218 (1997) to

support their proposition that restitution can be limited to the definition of the crime.

However, Taylor did not involve a plea of guilty. A jury had to decide if the defendant

committed welfare fraud in the first degree or the lesser included offense of welfare

fraud in the second degree for receiving between $250 and $1,500 benefits. Id. at 444.

       2
           Because this claim is waived, we need not address the State’s argument that
appellants are bound by their plea agreement where they agreed to pay restitution to the victim
“in full” and the State’s request for specific performance. RAP 2.5(a). A plea agreement is a
contract between the State and the defendant. State v. Wiatt, 11 Wn. App. 2d 107, 111, 455
P.3d 1176 (2019) (citing State v. MacDonald, 183 Wn.2d 1, 8, 346 P.3d 748 (2015)). “After a
party breaches the plea agreement, the nonbreaching party may either rescind or specifically
enforce it.” Wiatt, 11 Wn. App. 2d at 111 (citing State v. Armstrong, 109 Wn. App. 458, 462,
P.3d 397 (2001)).
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No. 84169-6-I/8

The jury convicted Taylor of the lesser charge, but the court ordered restitution for

$9,074, based on alleged facts that supported welfare fraud in the first degree. Id. We

reversed the restitution order because the jury, the fact-finder, had to have determined

that Taylor only benefited between $250 and $1,500 in benefits because of the guilty

finding as to the lesser charge instead of welfare fraud in the first degree. Id. at 446.

The Taylor court acknowledged that “restitution is not necessarily limited by the

definition of the crime,” but that the issue in Taylor was that “the jury’s verdict” did not

establish an underlying criminal act that could serve as the basis for a restitution award

greater than $1,500. Id. at 445. Taylor is inapposite. The courts in the instant cases

did not exceed their authority in ordering restitution in the amount of $2,250.

       Appellants next contend for the first time on appeal that the trial court violated the

excessive fines clause of the Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution and

article I, § 14 of the Washington Constitution because the court did not consider their

lack of ability to pay when ordering the victim penalty assessment and restitution with a

12 percent annual interest rate. 3

       While a party may raise a claimed error for the first time when error affects a

constitutional right, that error must be manifest. RAP 2.5(a). A “manifest” error is one

that causes “actual prejudice.” State v. Ramos, 24 Wn. App. 2d 204, 214, 520 P.3d 65,

72 (2022), review denied, 101512-7, 2023 WL 2400403 (Wash. Mar. 8, 2023). Actual

prejudice means “the claimed error had practical and identifiable consequences.” State

v. Shelton, 194 Wn. App. 660, 675, 378 P.3d 230 (2016). Appellants cannot establish a

manifest error affecting a constitutional right.

       Restitution allows for the “maximum rate” permitted by statute. RCW 10.82.090(1);
       3

RCW 4.56.110(6); RCW 19.52.020(1).
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No. 84169-6-I/9

       We recently held, once again, that the mandatory VPA is “‘neither

unconstitutional on its face nor as applied to indigent defendants.”’ State v. Griepsma,

No. 83720-6-l, slip op. at 3 (Wash. Ct. App. Mar. 13, 2023) (quoting State v. Curry, 118

Wn.2d 911, 918, 829 P.2d 166 (1992)),

https://www.courts.wa.gov/opinions/pdf/837206.pdf; see State v. Tatum, 23 Wn. App. 2d

123, 130-31, 514 P.3d 763 (rejecting an excessive fines challenge to the VPA,

explaining that we are bound by Curry), review denied, 200 Wn.2d 1021, 520 P.3d 977

(2022); Ramos, 24 Wn. App. 2d at 214 (“As this court explained in Tatum, we are bound

by [Curry’s] holding here.”). We also recently held that restitution is inherently

proportional to the crime even if the defendant lacks the ability to pay. Ramos, 24 Wn.

App. 2d at 230. Additionally, we held that “[b]ecause the legislature did not intend for

interest to be a penalty, and because interest accruing on restitution is paid to crime

victims rather than to the government, interest on restitution awards is not punishment

and not subject to an excessive fines clause analysis under the Eighth Amendment or

article I, § 14.” Id. at 228. Because appellants’ claimed errors are not manifest, they

are waived.

       Appellants further contend for the first time on appeal that the 12 percent interest

on restitution violates their constitutional rights 4 to substantive due process and equal

protection because the courts did not inquire whether appellants had the ability to pay.

This constitutional challenge requires further factual development, and the potential risk

of hardship does not justify review before the relevant facts are fully developed. See

       4 W ASH. CONST. art. I, § 3; U.S. CONST. amends. I, V, XIV; W ASH. CONST. art. I, § 12;

U.S. CONST. amend. XII.

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No. 84169-6-I/10

Shelton, 194 Wn. App. at 672. Because nothing in the record indicates the State has

attempted to enforce the imposed restitution or sanction for failure to pay, appellants’

constitutional challenges are not ripe for review. RAP 2.5(a)(3).

       We affirm.

WE CONCUR:

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