Court Opinion

ID: 9388044
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-04-19 18:02:45.671429+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:16:08.169388
License: Public Domain

Filed 4/19/23 P. v. Kitzman CA6
                      NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN OFFICIAL REPORTS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 This opinion has not been certified for publication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

                                      SIXTH APPELLATE DISTRICT

 THE PEOPLE,                                                         H048726
                                                                    (Santa Clara County
             Plaintiff and Respondent,                               Super. Ct. No. F1766966)

             v.

 KYE WEST KITZMAN,

             Defendant and Appellant.

                                              I. INTRODUCTION
         Defendant Kye West Kitzman was convicted by jury of spousal rape (former
Pen. Code, § 262, subd. (a)(1))1 of S. Doe; two counts of oral copulation with a child
aged 10 or younger (§ 288.7, subd. (b)) and two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a
child under the age of 14 by rape (§§ 269, subd. (a)(1), 261, subd. (a)(2)) regarding
daughter K. Doe; and simple assault (§ 240) of D. Doe, defendant’s daughter from a prior
relationship. The jury also found true the allegation that defendant was guilty of two or
more sex offenses against more than one victim (§ 667.61, subds. (b) & (e)). The trial
court sentenced defendant to an aggregate term of 60 years to life. Defendant was
granted 1,093 actual days credit plus 164 days of conduct credit and ordered to pay
various amounts, including a criminal justice administration fee of $129.75.

         1
             All further statutory references are to the Penal Code unless otherwise indicated.
       On appeal, defendant contends that: (1) the trial court erred by admitting evidence
of uncharged sex offenses committed against an ex-wife; (2) the court erred by excluding
a photograph that showed his daughter and topless wife; (3) the court erred in admitting
child sexual abuse accommodation syndrome (CSAAS) evidence; (4) the prosecutor
committed misconduct and the court erred by allowing the prosecutor to recite in cross-
examination the facts underlying defendant’s out-of-state conviction for sexual assault;
(5) cumulative error requires reversal; (6) he is entitled to additional presentence custody
credit; and (7) any unpaid balance regarding the criminal justice administration fee must
be vacated. The Attorney General concedes the last issue.
       For reasons that we will explain, we will (1) modify the judgment by awarding
1,097 actual days credit and 164 days of conduct credit, for a total of 1,261 days of
presentence custody credits; and (2) order the portion of the criminal justice
administration fee that remained unpaid as of July 1, 2021 be vacated (see Gov. Code,
§ 6111, subd. (a)). We will affirm the judgment as modified.
                                   II. BACKGROUND
       A. Pretrial Motions
       The charges against defendant arose out of the abuse of his wife S., their daughter
K., and his daughter D. from a previous relationship. Prior to trial, the parties filed
several motions in limine.
       Relevant to this appeal, the prosecutor filed a motion in limine to admit evidence
under Evidence Code section 1108 of defendant’s prior sexual assaults of three women:
(1) a woman repeatedly raped between approximately 1992 to 1995, (2) an ex-wife, A.,
who was sexually assaulted, including raped, repeatedly from 1995 until 1998, and (3) a
1998 Wisconsin conviction for third degree sexual assault for raping another woman.
The prosecutor filed a separate motion in limine to admit certified records of defendant’s
1998 Wisconsin conviction, as the victim was apparently unwilling to testify at trial.
Defendant filed a motion in limine to exclude the evidence regarding the assaults of all

                                              2
three women under Evidence Code section 352. The trial court ruled that evidence of the
sexual assaults of all three women was admissible, but it limited the scope or form of the
evidence. Regarding the Wisconsin assault conviction, the court indicated that the
abstract of judgment would be admitted but that the underlying facts would be excluded
as inflammatory and prejudicial.
       The prosecutor filed an additional motion in limine to exclude a mother-daughter
photograph of S. and K., in which S. was topless, as unduly prejudicial. Defendant
contended that the photograph was relevant to show (1) K.’s sexual knowledge may have
come from S. and (2) S.’s bias against defendant based on her initial claim to police that
defendant took the photograph whereas it appeared to be a “selfie” by S. The trial court
ruled that the photograph would be excluded as “too distractive and time-consuming.”
       Defendant filed a motion in limine seeking to exclude and/or limit CSAAS
evidence. After hearing argument from the parties, the trial court ruled that CSAAS
evidence would be admitted.
       B. The Prosecution’s Case
                             1. Defendant’s Abuse of Wife S.
       At the time of trial, S. was 38 years old. She met defendant in August 2000, when
she was 18 years old. They were introduced by S.’s cousin one week after defendant’s
release from prison. S. was aware that defendant had a 1998 conviction in Wisconsin for
sexual assault2 and that he was required to register with the police because of his
conviction. Defendant and S. married in December 2000.
       At some point, defendant began participating in jujitsu, a type of martial arts
involving “fighting techniques.” Defendant was a little over six feet tall and about
250 pounds. He was bigger than S. and very strong. S. had a background in martial arts
and participated in martial arts training for a period of time.

       2
        A copy of the minutes from the Wisconsin criminal case reflecting defendant’s
conviction was admitted into evidence.

                                              3
       S. testified that defendant was physically and sexually abusive throughout the
marriage. Defendant had slapped her before they married, but he was very apologetic
and told her that he would not do it again. Within a year, however, defendant began to
get angry and violent with S.
       The physical abuse included slapping or shoving. Defendant sometimes hit S. in
the face, but he mostly hit her in areas where the red marks or bruises could be covered
with clothing. Defendant would also “put [S.] to sleep” by wrapping his arm around her
throat from behind which caused her to “be out in a matter of seconds.” S. was too
scared to report or leave defendant because he had threatened to kill her.
       Defendant often engaged in nonconsensual sex with S. S. had chronic pain issues
in her stomach and pelvic area and at times told defendant she did not want to have sex,
but defendant would still insist. He also forced her to have sex “in different ways,”
including vaginal, anal, and oral sex, and he engaged in “rough sex,” such as choking and
slapping, without her consent.
       S. reported to the police that she told defendant “no” all the time regarding sex and
that to the extent she complied with having sex, it was out of fear. At trial, however, S.
testified that there was “consensual sex mixed in between” the incidents of
nonconsensual sex. When asked at trial about this “type of a relationship” with
consensual and nonconsensual sex, S. explained that defendant was “very sweet at times,
so it was easier to hope things would get better.” He was also manipulative and provided
financially for the family. S. further testified that she was too scared to leave him
although she had considered it many times.
       S. testified that the last incident of sexual abuse occurred in June 2017. Defendant
had sex with her even though she had told him no. S. did not initially resist because she
knew he would get more violent. During the incident, defendant choked her, at which
point she “struggled” and tried to stop him.

                                               4
        Throughout their relationship, S. and defendant took “provocative pictures” of
each other, including nude and explicit pictures. At trial, S. testified that she did not want
to take “[a] lot” of the pictures but that defendant knew how to make it look like she did.
The photos were stored on the family computer or on their cell phones. None of the
pictures showed any abuse of S.
        Defendant and S. also engaged in “sexting.” S. testified that “[a] lot of the time[]”
it was against her will. She testified that she felt compelled to respond out of fear that
defendant would get upset if she did not. S. later told the police that defendant sent her
abusive text messages that included calling her “awful names.” S. told the police,
however, that she did not have any of those messages saved on her phone.
        During the marriage, defendant had sex with other women. S. testified that she
did not like it, but she did not have a choice. She also testified that she was “almost
relieved” when defendant had sex with other women because then she “wouldn’t have
to be in pain.” The arrangement was that he slept with other women, but he came home
to S.
        Beginning in 2015, defendant was in a relationship and lived with S.’s friend,
L.C., for approximately one and a half to two years. S. was upset and felt betrayed by
both defendant and C. At the time, S. hoped defendant would come back, because she
“didn’t want to have a failed marriage.” Defendant filed for divorce from S., but he did
not follow through and ultimately moved back in with S. S. knew that defendant
continued to see C., however. At trial, S. denied making up allegations against defendant
because she felt anger or betrayal over his relationship with C.
        Early in the marriage, defendant and S. had a daughter, K. Defendant would have
S. roleplay during sex by pretending to be a little girl, including pretending to be K. S.
went along with it because she believed defendant would become more violent if she did
not comply. S. worried that the role-playing “could possibly cross over” into reality. She
often asked defendant, but he denied that he would ever touch K.

                                              5
       In approximately July 2017, however, an incident occurred that caused S. to be
suspicious. S. walked out of her bedroom and saw defendant “hovering over [K.]” S.
testified that defendant was wearing shorts and K. was wearing a nightgown and lying
on her back on the couch. S. “freaked out” and asked defendant “what the hell was going
on.” Defendant moved back, sat in a chair, and told her that she “needed to shut up.” S.
suspected that defendant had “touch[ed]” K. but was not sure.
       S. and K. moved out of the residence in August 2017, and immediately moved in
with F., to whom S. later became engaged. At trial, S. denied being in a relationship with
F. before moving in with him. F.’s daughter, P., however, testified that her father and S.
were “together” before S. and K. moved in with them.
       S. filed for divorce from defendant in late August 2017, and sought a restraining
order to prevent him from seeing her or K. S. and F. also had a child together in June
2018. By the time of trial in 2020, S. and defendant were divorced.
       S.’s friend lived at the same RV park as S. for about a year and a half. S. told her
friend about defendant’s abuse. The friend testified that when S. disclosed the abuse, she
sounded nervous and scared. S. cried when she showed the friend the photographs that
were taken by defendant. S. also indicated that she was suspicious about defendant
sexually abusing K. The friend encouraged S. to report everything and helped S. when
she eventually moved out.
                  2. Defendant’s Abuse of His Younger Daughter K.
       At the time of trial in February 2020, K. was 16 years old. Defendant, S., and
their daughter K. lived in a two-bedroom trailer in an RV park throughout K.’s entire life.
S. was a stay-at-home mother, while defendant’s job entailed servicing and changing
large commercial vehicle tires. Defendant often left for work early in the morning before
K. got up. Afterwards, he would go work out and train for jujitsu, and he sometimes did
not get home until 10:00 or 11:00 p.m. after K. had gone to sleep.

                                             6
       For a period of time, K. took classes at defendant’s training facility. Defendant’s
jujitsu friends were friendly and treated her like she was part of the training family. K.
and her mother S. sometimes attended defendant’s jujitsu tournaments on the weekends.
       K. testified that defendant “insist[ed]” that she do “extreme” workouts, including
pushups, sit ups, squats, and jumping jacks “[t]o the point where [she] couldn’t stand.”
K. complied because she was “scared” that defendant would “harm[]” her.
       K. “felt like” she had to obey defendant. He either grounded her or spanked her
buttocks with a belt when she disobeyed him. Defendant also told her when she was very
young to never call the police.
       When K. was about eight or nine years old, she saw defendant physically abuse
her mother, S. Specifically, defendant slapped S. at least twice. This made K. more
scared to disobey defendant.
       K. testified that defendant began touching her inappropriately when she was seven
or eight years old. He took off her shirt, touched her breasts, and used his hand to rub her
vagina over her clothing.
       When she was eight years old, defendant made her hold his penis, move her hand
on it, and orally copulate him. The incident ended after defendant ejaculated in her
mouth. K. did not tell her mother, S., about the incident because K. thought S. would be
upset. When asked how many times defendant had her orally copulate him, K. testified,
“Too many to count.” A couple of months after K. started orally copulating defendant,
defendant also orally copulated K.
       In 2015, when K. was about 11 years old, defendant began inserting his penis in
her vagina. K. testified that the first time, they were lying down, his penis went in a
“little bit,” and it was very painful. After being shown her preliminary hearing testimony
at trial, K. acknowledged that she had previously testified that she and defendant were
standing during the incident. She subsequently testified at trial that the pair were
standing.

                                             7
       In another incident, defendant made her get undressed, he pulled down his pants to
his ankles, and then he got on top of her while she was on the couch. He then moved his
penis in and out of her vagina. K. felt she had to comply because she was the child, she
was “supposed to do what [she was] told,” and she believed she would be grounded or
spanked if she disobeyed. K. testified that the incident ended when her mother, S., who
had been sleeping in the bedroom, started opening the bedroom door. K. testified that
defendant “jumped off” of her, pulled on his pants, and sat in another seat. According to
K., S. asked defendant what he was doing. K. also heard S. say to defendant in part, “If
I ever catch you like that again.” K. did not disclose to her mother what had been
happening because she “didn’t want [her mother] to worry.” K. likewise did not tell
anyone else because she thought she would get in trouble and “be harmed.” When K.
was initially interviewed by the police about this incident, she reported that defendant
jumped off of her and that her mother “ended up knowing what happened and kicked him
off the bed for the rest of the night.”
       K. and S. moved out of the RV where they were living with defendant and moved
into an RV at the same park with a man named F. in August 2017. Prior to that time, K.
and S. had gone on walks around the RV park, and F. had joined them. F. had a daughter
named P., who was a few months younger than K.
       Prior to that time, K. was an only child who did not have to “fight” for her
mother’s attention. They were best friends and had a “really special relationship.” K.
testified that her mother “was a constant in [her] life.” Her mother was present every day
for K. and had left her home alone “[o]nly a few times.” K. was her mother’s “sidekick.”
K. testified that when her mother started developing a relationship with F. and his
daughter P., S. focused a little less on K.
       When K. was around 13 years old, she disclosed some of defendant’s abuse to P.
and separately to another friend. At trial, K. testified that she told P. that defendant was
doing something “harmful” to her, and she told her other friend that she was in a

                                              8
“difficult situation” with defendant. She testified that she did not tell P. or her other
friend that the harmful or difficult issue involving defendant was sexual in nature.
         However, P. testified that K. told her that defendant was doing sexual things to K.
K. appeared sad and upset when making the disclosure. K.’s other friend testified that K.
had stated that defendant “tried to put his private parts into her private parts” when she
was younger. The friend stated that during the disclosure, K. appeared nervous and
timid.
         K. kept a journal while she was in middle school. In the journal, she described
being bullied at school, that sometimes she did not know why she cried, that she was
barely sleeping, and that she needed to talk to someone about the things she was going
through because it “hurt[] [her] mentally.”
         K. did not write about defendant’s abuse in the journal. She testified that if she
wrote it down, she would be “reliving it too much.” K. also testified that defendant’s
sexual abuse did not influence what she wrote in the journal, but that the abuse made it
harder for her to talk to people.
         The first entry in the journal was made on August 30, 2017, which was around the
time that K. and her mother S. moved in with F. K. wrote that her mother was giving F.’s
daughter, P., a lot of attention. K. felt jealous and was hurt. K. was also fighting with her
mother.
         Approximately three months after K. and S. moved out from living with
defendant., and after K. observed a November 2017 school presentation called “Be Seen
and Heard” about sexual abuse victims who are unable to speak up, K. disclosed
defendant’s abuse. At trial she explained that the school presentation “impacted” her
because the presenter “didn’t speak up for 11 years,” and K. “didn’t want to be silent for
that long.” She further testified that the presentation gave her the courage to speak up.
After the presentation, K. filled out a form indicating that she was the victim of abuse
and turned it into a teacher. The police were called, and K. provided a statement to the

                                               9
police. A police detective, Sheena Woodland, subsequently conducted a lengthy
interview of K. At trial, K. denied that she came forward about the abuse because she
wanted to get attention, or because she wanted her mother to pay more attention to her
than to P.
       K.’s mother S. testified that when K. disclosed defendant’s sexual abuse to the
police, S. also reported defendant’s abuse of S. S. explained that her daughter K. “was
so strong” and finally told someone, so S. “felt [she] could do the same” even though she
was still terrified of defendant. K. believed S. was a “pretty tough woman.”
                      3. Defendant’s Assault of His Older Daughter D.
       D. was defendant’s daughter from a prior relationship. D. was raised by her
mother in another state. D.’s minimal contact with defendant consisted of phone or video
calls. D. was almost 25 years old at the time of trial in 2020. She had a 2016
misdemeanor conviction for fraud.
       D. testified that defendant visited her once when she was 10 years old. He took
her for ice cream and then brought her to his motel room. Defendant showed her jujitsu
or wrestling moves, “flipped [her] around,” and placed her in “headlocks and body-
locks.” He told her that “one day [she] would be doing this with other boys.”
       In 2012 or 2013, when D. was 18 years old, she was having problems with her
mother so she moved in with defendant, S., and K. in California. D. testified that while
living with defendant, she was not allowed to go on dates and that defendant threatened
the life of one of her dates who took her to a movie. D. testified that she was also not
allowed to have friends or participate in extracurricular activities. She was “confined to
the house” and got “beat with a belt” if she was caught talking to anyone who defendant
did not approve of.
       D. also testified that defendant made her and K. do “ridiculous” exercise routines,
including jumping jacks, pushups, sit ups, and running in place for “hours at a time.”

                                             10
According to D., if defendant found out that they did not do the workouts, he would
“beat” them with a belt.
       In addition to having their bare “butts” “smack[ed]” “really badly” by defendant,
D. testified that she was also “choked out on the kitchen floor for talking back.”
       D. testified that defendant physically and mentally abused S., including throwing
her to the ground and saying “horrific things” to her. In one incident, D. woke up in the
middle of the night to “what sounded like choking and slapping.” She heard S. “trying to
gasp for breath and whimpering.” D. testified that she heard defendant say to S. that “he
didn’t care” and that “he was going to fuck her in the ass anyways.” D. heard S. crying.
D. previously testified that S. was always covered in bruises.
       D. testified that defendant had acted inappropriately with her. When she first saw
him after landing at the airport, he “French kiss[ed]” her with his tongue in her mouth.
       In another incident, D. slipped and fractured her wrist while she was at a
community shower with S. and K. D. testified that defendant carried her naked through
the trailer park and back to their residence. He told her that her breasts were really big
and nice. S. took D. to the hospital. After they returned home, the entire family lay on
the bed in the master bedroom where it was dark. S. was turned towards K., who was
lying on her side and facing the wall, and the pair were sharing headphones while
watching something on S.’s phone. D. testified that she was on her stomach with
defendant sitting on her thighs after having offered her a back massage. D. was wearing
only a T-shirt that went down to her thighs, and defendant was wearing only boxers. D.
testified that defendant removed her shirt and rubbed her back and buttocks. D. testified
that she then felt defendant’s penis “up against [her] vagina.” She tried to wriggle away.
Defendant “kind of laughed it off” and continued rubbing her back when D. “felt it a
second time.” She told him to stop at some point. D. testified that she got up, grabbed
her shirt, went back to her bedroom, and cried herself to sleep. D. believed that if she
reported the incident to the police, defendant “would beat [her] until [she] died.”

                                             11
       D. lived with defendant for about five or six weeks. The day before she left, she
was at a street fair with S. and K. D. testified that S. had misplaced $20 and called
defendant on speakerphone to ask if he had taken it. Defendant accused D. of stealing
the money and told S. that he was on his way home to “beat [D.’s] ass.” After they all
arrived home, defendant accused D. of being a thief, which she denied, and he beat her
with a belt. D. testified that she fought back by grabbing the belt and trying to hit him
with it, but he punched her in the face. D. testified that she was knocked to the ground
and “out cold for a few seconds.”
       D. went to the RV park’s main office and called the police because she was scared
that things would escalate and defendant would eventually kill her. Her face was swollen
and red. She told the police that she wanted to press charges but she also wanted to
return to her home out of state. According to D., defendant was arrested, and both of
them were taken to the police station. However, D. testified that the police told her that
they had given defendant an “ultimatum to fly [her]” back home out of state and that he
borrowed money to buy her a plane ticket. D. testified that defendant was let go, and
early the next morning she took a flight out of state. She felt angry, disappointed, and
violated.
       S. testified that she saw defendant slap D. during the incident. S. did not
remember whether he punched D. or whether D. was knocked out on the ground. When
S. reported defendant’s abuse of her to the police years later, S. also told the police about
this incident in which defendant hit D. D. never told S. that defendant had sexually
assaulted D.
       D. did not see defendant again until trial. D. initially testified that she learned
about defendant’s criminal case from Sheena Woodland, an investigator from the district
attorney’s office who had called her. D. later testified at trial that she had actually heard
about law enforcement’s involvement with defendant from her biological mother and

                                              12
from S. At trial, D. stated that she was testifying to support S. and K., and because D.
“need[ed] closure and . . . to be able to sleep better at night.”
                                 4. CSAAS Expert Testimony
       Dr. Blake Carmichael testified as an expert in clinical psychology. He explained
that CSAAS addresses “myths and misconceptions” about children who have been
sexually abused and that CSAAS helps people understand why children “do or don’t do
certain things.” The five elements of CSAAS are secrecy; helplessness; entrapment
and accommodation; delayed, unconvincing, or conflicted disclosure; and retraction.
Dr. Carmichael explained the first four elements at trial. Dr. Carmichael testified that he
did not know anything about the facts of the case, and he had no opinion about whether
sexual abuse had occurred. He explained that CSAAS is not a diagnosis and cannot be
used to determine whether someone has been sexually abused.
       C. The Defense Case
                                    1. Defendant’s Parents
       After defendant and S. married, the pair lived in a trailer for about two years on
defendant’s family’s farm. Defendant and S. had breakfast and dinner at his parent’s
house. Defendant’s mother testified that defendant and S. had a good marriage, that S.
was a physically strong woman who seemed to be able to speak her mind, and that she
never appeared afraid of defendant. Defendant’s father likewise testified that defendant
and S. appeared to get along well, S. did not appear afraid of defendant, and defendant
never yelled at her in anger.
       When defendant and S. visited the family farm on later occasions, their marriage
still seemed loving and good. Daughter K. also did not have any bruises and did not
seem scared of defendant.
       Defendant’s mother testified that she never saw any bruises or injuries on S.
Defendant’s father testified that he saw a bruise “just above [S.’s] pelvic” area when he

                                              13
walked in on her on one occasion. S. indicated to defendant’s father that the bruise was
not from defendant.
       Defendant’s older daughter, D., also lived at his parent’s house for a period of
time. Defendant’s mother described D. as a “mean little witch.” D. did not obey the
house rules, did not go to school, and would stay up all night and sleep all day.
Defendant’s mother testified that in one incident, D. “smacked” her after she would not
let D. walk to town. Defendant’s father testified that D. told him, “If you don’t let me
have more freedoms out here, . . . I’m going to tell them that you’ve been having sex with
me.” Defendant’s father “resented” D.’s statement as he had tried to do everything he
could to help her. Defendant’s father further testified that he caught D. stealing his pills
and that she admitted stealing his gun.
                        2. Investigation by a County Social Worker
       A county social worker visited S. and K. at the family residence on March 15,
2012, to investigate an allegation of general neglect regarding a “dirty home” and the
educational needs of eight-year-old K., who was being home schooled at the time.
During the visit, the social worker found the RV “unkempt.” S. was cooperative during
the visit, but the social worker became concerned when K., who was lying on the floor,
“started making barking sounds at [the social worker],” which was not “age-appropriate
behavior.” K. otherwise refused to speak to the social worker, which prevented the social
worker from doing a full assessment of her.
       During a follow up visit, defendant, S., and K. were present. Defendant appeared
“strongly motivated to keep the department out of his family business.” S. seemed
“completely dependent” on defendant, and defendant did not believe there was an issue
with the condition of the RV. The RV was cleaner, however, than during the first visit.
Defendant told the social worker that K. was afraid that the social worker had come to
take her away. The social worker testified that defendant’s statement “really took away
any opportunity for [the social worker] to interview [K.]” K. glared at the social worker

                                              14
and was more reserved during this visit. The social worker testified that K. did not
appear afraid of either parent. The social worker believed that K. would benefit from
mental health services in view of the prior barking incident and repeatedly offered family
services. The social worker observed that S., other than denying the barking incident,
remained silent during this visit. The social worker believed S.’s lack of participation
during the second interview was “a sign of concern in terms of the dynamics of power
and control.” At the same time, however, the social worker did not observe any bruises
or injuries on S. or K. that were of concern.
                3. Police Investigation of the Assault of Older Daughter D.
       One of the police officers who was dispatched to the RV park on September 28,
2013, after defendant hit D., testified at trial. D. reported that she had been hit and
choked by defendant after a dispute over $20, but she did not report being sexually
assaulted. She also reported that a week prior defendant had been hitting her with a belt
and that her stepsister was also being abused. The police officer testified that if an 18-
year-old had been punched and knocked unconscious, the perpetrator would be arrested
if the victim wanted to press charges. According to the computer-aided dispatch (CAD)
log, which shows calls to the police for service and communications between officers and
the dispatcher, D. did not want to press charges and defendant was not arrested after the
incident. The CAD log indicated that defendant bought D. a plane ticket and that she did
not want prosecution, but this arrangement was not directed by any of the responding
officers. The officer testified that he would never tell a defendant that he would not be
arrested if he bought the victim a plane ticket to fly away.
                         4. Witnesses’ Observations of the Family
       The family’s next door neighbor, Rena Empleo, who had known the family for
several years, testified that S. and defendant were “not a lovey-dovey couple” and
appeared to live “separately” in the same house. According to the neighbor, S. was the
“dominant one” in the relationship, she “boss[ed]” defendant around, and during

                                                15
arguments she yelled while he listened. The neighbor never heard anything that sounded
like someone was being struck, and she never noticed bruises or injuries on S. The
neighbor testified that K. did not appear scared of defendant, was attached to him, and
was “[a]lways holding on to him.” The neighbor testified that just prior to K. moving
out, K. and her friends were removing belongings from a storage shed, which was located
by the family’s RV. The neighbor heard K., who was angry and crying, saying “she
should never have put her dad in jail.” The neighbor testified that S. was “hanging out”
with F., to whom S. later became engaged, about two months before S. and K. moved in
with him.
       When asked for her opinion on direct examination, the neighbor testified that
defendant was not a violent person, he was a “very quiet, peaceful man,” and he was
never “sexually inappropriate.” On cross-examination, when asked whether she knew
that in 1997 defendant had raped a woman, the neighbor responded that she had “heard
of that.” The prosecutor proceeded to ask the neighbor on cross-examination, “So . . .
you had described the defendant as a nonviolent, peaceful, nice person. So what I want
to ask you is did you know that in 1997 he had nonconsensual, forcible sex with a
woman? He told her he wanted to whip her for ten minutes. She said no. He held her
head down and said to enjoy it. He continued to strike her. She asked to stop and tried
to protect herself. He continued. She cried and asked him to please stop. He continued
and had sex with her nonetheless. And then he told her, after he looked at her back, told
her to keep it covered and not to show anyone. Were you aware of that?” The neighbor
responded, “No, not really,” and indicated that it did not change her opinion about
defendant. She explained that it was “the past,” and “[a]s long as it doesn’t affect [her]”
she was “okay” with it. When asked whether the prosecutor’s description was “pretty
sexually inappropriate,” the neighbor responded, “If it was to me, yes. If it was to
somebody else, that’s them.” On redirect examination, the neighbor indicated that she
had no “way of knowing” whether the prosecutor’s description was “true or false.” On

                                             16
recross-examination, the neighbor admitted that she knew defendant was convicted of
sexual assault in 1998.
       The office manager for the RV park never noticed bruising on S. or K., and they
did not seem scared of defendant. The office manager had also never seen K. doing
“extreme workouts.” Further, no female tenants had expressed concerns to the office
manager about defendant being “inappropriate.”
       The property manager for the RV park likewise never noticed any unusual bruises
on S. or K. The property manager characterized S. as a “confident woman” even when
she was around defendant, and she did not appear afraid of him. The pair seemed to be a
“happy couple.” K. also seemed confident for her age and did not appear afraid of
defendant. The property manager never saw K. doing “extreme workouts.”
       Howard Turner had known defendant for 11 years. The pair trained for jujitsu and
also socialized together outside the gym. For a period of time, K. also trained at the gym.
Defendant and K. had a “loving . . . father-daughter relationship.” Turner testified that K.
could do more push-ups than him and never complained about having to do them. Turner
had never seen defendant make her do “extreme workouts.” Turner further testified that
he never suspected S. or K. had been abused, he never saw them with unusual bruises or
injuries, and they never seemed afraid of defendant. S. appeared to be a confident person
and was not timid around defendant. S. and defendant “loved each other” and seemed to
be “on the same team.”
       On direct examination, Turner testified that in his opinion, defendant was not a
violent person with respect to S. and K. and that defendant was not someone who was
capable of sexual assault. Turner was not aware that defendant had been imprisoned
years ago for sexual assault. “If evidence was supplied” that defendant used physical
force to have sex with someone who did not consent, Turner testified that it would
change his opinion about defendant.

                                            17
       On cross-examination, Turner confirmed that in his opinion, defendant was a
nonviolent person outside the realm of sporting events and jujitsu, and that defendant
was not capable of sexual assault. The prosecutor then asked Turner whether he knew
that: “In 1997 in Wisconsin [defendant] had sex with a woman against her will. He
struck her. He said he wanted to whip her for ten minutes. She said no. He held her
head down and said to enjoy it. He continued to strike her with a belt. Again she asked
him to stop and tried to put her hands over her back, but he kept moving them. She cried
and asked him to please stop, but he persisted. And after the sexual assault, he checked
her back and told her to keep it covered and not to show anyone.” Turner responded that
he was not aware of it. He agreed that it was “violent” if “that account [was] accurate.”
Turner also did not know that in 1998, defendant was convicted of sexual assault in
Wisconsin. He was further asked whether he knew that defendant had beat and sexually
assaulted his first wife, L., in Wisconsin, and that he had beat, raped, and sexually
assaulted his second wife, A. Turner indicated that he did not know, but he agreed that
“those things [were] violent.” Turner indicated that the information revealed by the
prosecutor would change Turner’s opinion about whether defendant was capable of
sexual assault.
       On redirect examination, Turner stated that he did not know whether any of “the
horrible things that the [prosecutor] just read” were true.
       Nick Schilbe had known defendant for about 10 years. Schilbe trained with
defendant in jujitsu for a period of time, and they occasionally socialized outside the
gym. Schilbe testified that defendant and S. were “equal[s]” in their relationship, were
“the perfect match for each other,” and were “very confident, loud, gregarious people in
their own right.” Schilbe testified that S. was “very confident in her ability and previous
history in martial arts.” When defendant was training with K., Schilbe never saw K.
doing an “extreme workout.” K. bragged about her ability to do pushups and run a lot.
Defendant was supportive of K.’s endeavors, and the pair appeared to love each other

                                             18
very much. Neither S. nor K. seemed scared of defendant. S. and K. were defendant’s
biggest fans. Schilbe never saw bruises on K., and the injury or bruising he once saw on
S. was a “long time ago” and “related to her illness of some kind.”
                    5. Police Investigation After K.’s Report of Abuse
       Sheena Woodland was formerly a police detective and the investigating officer in
defendant’s case. By the time of trial, she was an investigator for the district attorney’s
office. Several search warrants were obtained in connection with the case. Woodland
reviewed hundreds or thousands of photographs (including S. nude or seminude), videos
(including of a sexual nature), and messages that were located on defendant’s cell phone,
S.’s cell phone, and/or the family computer, disks, or drives but did not find any signs of
physical or sexual abuse of S. or K. or threats by defendant. A lot of the photographs and
videos of a sexual nature showed defendant’s interest in young girls although Woodland
could not determine the exact age of the individuals. There were also recorded phone
calls between defendant and other people in which defendant expressed an interest in
underage girls, such as “talking about teenage school girls needing to take off their
panties and go into the corner.”
       Woodland interviewed K. on November 30, 2017. K. took long pauses and put
her head down a lot of times, and she also “kind of turn[ed] red as if she was upset”
during other times in the interview.
       Woodland interviewed S. on March 14, 2018. S. reported that if she failed to send
nude pictures to defendant as he requested, she would often be abused. S. also reported
receiving text messages in which defendant called her derogatory names, but Woodland
did not find any such messages.
       When Woodland contacted D. in December 2018, D. indicated that she knew
about defendant’s criminal case because she had spoken to K. and S. D. told Woodland
that defendant had been arrested after the incident in which he punched D. in the face,
and that she flew home the next day after defendant bought her a plane ticket. Woodland

                                             19
could not find a report showing that defendant was arrested for the incident. D. also
reported to Woodland that defendant had raped her while S. and K. were in the same bed,
but neither S. nor K. mentioned this incident to the police.
                               6. Defendant’s Affair with C.
       C. testified that when she met S., who became her friend, defendant and S.
appeared to have a good relationship. It seemed more like a friendship, however, because
they had an “open relationship and slept with other people.” C. testified that S. told her
that defendant worked and did all the household chores. C. never saw any bruises or
injuries on S. or daughter K., and C. never saw defendant yell or hit K. K. was happy
around defendant and did not seem afraid of him.
       C. testified that S. stated that defendant could sleep with other women outside of
the marriage. S. seemed “happy” with the arrangement. C. testified that S. had “hit on
[her],” and because S. liked women, S. preferred that defendant slept with other women.
C. believed S. had given defendant permission to pursue C. because S. told him that he
could message C.
       C. and defendant began a romantic relationship. A few months later, defendant
started living with C. Defendant was never violent with C., and C. expected it to be a
monogamous relationship. C. knew S. was upset about defendant living with C.
Defendant eventually filed for divorce from S. The relationship between C. and
defendant lasted about two years. When defendant went back to S., C. was
“heartbroken.”
       C. did not know that defendant had made inappropriate comments to his brother
about her teenage daughter. Such comments would change her opinion about defendant.
C. also did not know about defendant’s disparaging comments that objectified women.
When asked whether she knew defendant as well as she thought, C. indicated that she did
not “know that person” who was making the comments.

                                             20
                                  7. Defendant’s Testimony
       Defendant testified in his own behalf. He went to prison in Wisconsin for “sexual
intercourse without consent” in 1998. Defendant received four years as part of a plea
deal. He was released from prison in August 2000, and was on parole for 16 months.
Defendant also had to register as a sex offender for life.
       Defendant testified that he was 27 years old and had been out of prison for two
or three weeks when he met S., who was almost 19 years old. S. was in karate, and
defendant found her to be very outgoing and confident. According to defendant, when
he told S. about his prior sexual assault and prison time, she said, “That kind of excites
me.” The pair engaged in sexual activity the same night that they met, and they started
living together after the first or second night. Within the first week, they became
engaged. Defendant testified that about three or four years into the marriage, S. told him
that “if [he] ever left her, she’d put [him] back in prison.” According to defendant, this
became a “common threat” that S. made three to five times a year.
       For the first two or three months of their marriage, defendant asked for S.’s
consent each time before having sex. S. eventually told him that he did not need to ask
every time. S. began having medical issues, including abdominal pain, during the first
four years of marriage, which increased later in the marriage. Defendant testified that S.
never told him “no” until “later on when she started hurting.” Other than when S. was in
physical pain, she never told him that she did not to have sex. Defendant testified that
when S. was in pain, they did not have sex. He testified that throughout the entire
marriage, S. was a consenting partner and that she consented to every sex act that he had
with her.
       During the marriage, defendant and S. had “[n]ormal argument[s].” Defendant
testified that when he got angry, he was quiet, did not get violent, and would leave to
avoid a confrontation. He denied hitting, beating, or choking S.

                                             21
       Defendant testified that they took nude and partially nude pictures together and
that the initial idea was S.’s. They also documented their sex life throughout their
marriage in pictures and videos. Defendant testified that he never threatened S. to
participate in the pictures or videos, and she never indicated that she was unwilling. He
also testified that he never forced her to send nude pictures of herself.
       Early in their relationship the pair talked about sleeping with other people outside
of the relationship. It was each person’s choice whether to do so, and the expectation was
that they would come home to each other. This occurred throughout the entire marriage,
and S. appeared to be “okay” with it as long as he would “come home.”
       Defendant testified that after they met C., defendant told S. that he was sexually
attracted to C. S., for the first time, told defendant “no,” meaning she did not want him
to have sex with C. who was her best friend. Defendant testified that he fell in love and
began having sex with C. within two or three months. Defendant eventually moved in
with C. Unbeknownst to C., defendant continued to have sex every week with S., who
never told him no. After a few months, defendant filed for divorce from S. because he
wanted to marry C.
       S. eventually talked defendant out of the divorce by stating that “[K.] needs her
daddy.” Defendant moved back in with them for about three months in 2017. He was
still in love with C., however. S. appeared to still want to have sex with defendant, as
she would initiate it. Defendant believed the “passion” was gone from the marriage.
K. was also “standoffish” and mad at defendant. S. eventually told defendant that she
found someone else, and she and K. moved out.
       At some point thereafter, defendant’s brother stated in a phone call that he had a
“pretty decent wife,” and defendant responded, “You know what, mine too. [S.] was a
great wife. I got no complaints. You know, she was fucking -- she was -- she was
wonderful. I can’t say nothing bad about her. She just left me.”

                                             22
       Defendant previously described himself as a “ ‘professional asshole,’ particularly
towards women.” He admitted that he had been unfaithful in every relationship,
including cheating on wife S. with his girlfriend C., and cheating on C. with S.
Defendant testified that S. was the only person that he was honest with about seeing
other people. Defendant admitted that he had been with prostitutes when he was in his
20’s through the time he was with his girlfriend C.
       Defendant admitted looking at pornography on his phone and computer. He
testified that some pornography websites have “categories of porn” and that he had
visited the “teen” category. Defendant believed the females were not actually underage
teens but just young-looking women.
       Defendant acknowledged that he and his brothers had conversations that were
demeaning towards women and “extremely sexually explicit,” including regarding C.
and her daughter. He also had conversation with his brothers about sex that he had
outside of marriage. Defendant testified that some of things he said during these
conversations about sex were not true. He also had a conversation about teenage girls
“taking their panties off.” Defendant acknowledged the conversations were filthy,
disrespectful, cruel, and sexist, but considered it “locker-room talk.” Defendant admitted
that he liked “young women.” Defendant, who was 47 at the time of trial, testified that
he considered anyone 10 years or younger than him to be a young woman. He admitted
having conversations with his brothers about having sex with young women and getting
prostitutes. He denied that he had a “particular attraction towards teenage girls.”
Defendant testified that when he was negotiating for a prostitute in a recorded call, his
expressed interest in a “young girl” meant a 19-, 20-, or 21-year-old girl.
       In another phone call, defendant indicated that he was a “monster[]” but that he
also had “a little bit of good” in himself. At trial, defendant testified that the statement
“was meant in a joking manner” and that he and his brother had been laughing. He

                                              23
explained at trial that “when you’ve been to prison and you have a sex crime conviction,
you’re looked at as a monster no matter what, even if you’re not.”
       After his wife S. had moved out and then returned with a friend to confront him,
defendant and his brother “jok[ed]” in one conversation that “ ‘women will talk
tough’ . . . ‘when they know they won’t be hit.’ ” At trial, defendant explained that S.’s
friend had pushed him several times, and he knew some women would push or hit a
person “knowing they’re not going to get hit back.”
       Defendant testified that he and his brothers received “spankings” as punishment
by their father when they were growing up, and that a few times his father used a belt on
him. Defendant testified that it is not “right” to hit a woman.
       K. was defendant’s fourth child. He was happy and excited because he “never got
to be a dad to [his] other kids” and he was “hoping this one would be different.”
       Defendant started doing jujitsu 15 years ago. He trained most days of the week
and eventually began competing. When K. was around seven or eight years old,
defendant started K. in jujitsu and had her do 10-minute workouts that included 10 each
of pushups, squats, sit-ups, and “burpees.” Defendant believed she was able to complete
the workouts, and he did not punish her if she failed to do them.
       Defendant admitted spanking K. three or four times over her clothes. He testified
that all the spankings were for K. lying about where she was. Defendant denied using a
belt on her or causing marks on her buttocks.
       Defendant denied attempting to have sex with K. and denied orally copulating her
or having her orally copulate him. He also denied getting her naked on the couch.
       Defendant had “[a]most zero” contact with his older daughter D. before she
moved in with him. She was having “legal problems” and “getting in trouble,” so
defendant thought it might be a “new start.” The pair had verbal disagreements
“[a]lmost right away.” Defendant’s rules included D. graduating from school, no

                                             24
smoking in the house, no drinking, and letting him know where she was located. D.’s
reaction was that she was 18 and an adult so she did not have to follow his rules.
       Defendant “suggested” that D. workout with K. Defendant was not aware of D.
doing the workouts, and there were no consequences for not doing them.
       Regarding the incident in which D. slipped and fractured her wrist, defendant
testified that S. and K. walked her home and that he did not carry her naked through the
RV park. Defendant denied that they all shared a bed after D. returned home from the
hospital.
       The day before D. moved out, S. told defendant that she suspected D. had taken
money from S.’s purse. When defendant later asked D. about the money, she denied
stealing it. Defendant testified that D. “swung a punch” at him, and he slapped her with
the tips of his fingers. Defendant denied that D. fell down after being hit. She left and
called the police. Defendant denied being arrested. He testified that it was his idea to
fly her home and that she left the next morning.
       Defendant denied beating D. with a belt. He also denied taking off D.’s clothes
when she was in bed and denied trying to put his penis in her vagina twice.
       Defendant testified that S., K., and D. were lying when they testified. He denied
being a “monster” to S. and K., and he denied wanting to have sex with D.
       Defendant was married to A. for about four years in the 1990’s. They had a child
together. Defendant denied being violent with her or repeatedly sexually assaulting her.
       Defendant stated in a phone call to his brother that defendant was “happy or
grateful that A. and S. never called the cops.” At trial, defendant testified that “a lot of
times cops get called when there is no reason.”
       D. The Prosecution’s Rebuttal Case
       A. was in a relationship with defendant in Michigan in the mid-1990’s, when she
was between the ages of 15 and 17. The relationship lasted until he went to prison in
1998. A.’s sister was married to one of defendant’s brothers.

                                              25
        The first time that A. and defendant had sex, defendant’s car had gotten stuck. He
told her that she had to have sex with him if he got the car out. It was dark outside and
they were alone. A. testified that she agreed to have sex with defendant only because she
was scared.
        When A. was 17 years old, she and defendant married, and they had a child
together. Defendant physically abused her, including by punching her, slapping her
across the face, and hitting her with coat hangers. He also put her in “sleeper holds,”
where he put his arm around her neck and put her to sleep.
        Defendant also forced her to have sex. On one occasion, he forced her to have
oral sex. On another occasion, they were in the backseat of a car that defendant’s father
was driving. Defendant put a Maglite flashlight inside of her and the forced her to have
sex. On another occasion, they were in a car by her deceased sister’s gravesite, and
defendant forced A. to have sex. He told A. that “he wanted [her] deceased sister to see it
too.”
        A. considered leaving defendant or going to the police but she was scared that he
would hit her more. They separated when defendant went to prison.
        A. texted defendant’s brother in December 2017, inquiring about defendant’s
situation. A. texted defendant’s brother, “I agree and pray he doesn’t go to prison.”
A. had heard that defendant was being charged only for something he had done to his
daughter K. A. also texted, “I sure hope he gets out of this shit. Why doesn’t she just
leave him alone if she moved on.” A. was referring to S. At trial, A testified that she
was concerned about defendant “not getting in trouble for [K.]” and that she (A.) did not
think he would hurt his own daughter. A. further texted, “That’s BS. I pray to God he
gets out of this shit and the last laugh is on her.” At trial, A. testified that she “was
hoping the last laugh was on [S.] for the stuff they were saying that he supposedly had
done to [K.]” A. further texted that she would not be able to write to defendant because
the man who she was currently with “ ‘would not allow that.’ ” A. had previously written

                                              26
to defendant when he was in prison the first time because, despite what he had done to
her, she “still wanted [her] son to grow up knowing who his father was.”
       A. testified that these text messages were sent before she knew the prosecutor
wanted her to testify against defendant. When the police contacted her and asked
whether she had been sexually or physically abused by defendant, she replied that she
would have reported it if it had occurred. A. also testified that she had never been
questioned about the abuse until she was contacted in 2018 regarding defendant’s current
criminal case. A. did not voluntarily testify at defendant’s trial and had to be ordered to
appear. She testified that defendant’s abuse caused her trauma and “nightmare after
nightmare.” At first, A. did not want to testify and “relive all the horrible nightmares.”
However, someone told her that “maybe it would be good for [her] to just get it out in the
open so [she could] finally just move on with [her] life and just try to get the help that
[she] needed to get over the nightmares and stuff.”
       E. The Charges, Verdicts, and Sentencing
       Defendant was charged by third amended information with eight counts against
his wife S., their daughter K., and his older daughter D. Regarding S., defendant was
charged with spousal rape (former § 262, subd. (a)(1); count 4). Regarding younger
daughter K., defendant was charged with two counts of oral copulation with a child aged
10 or younger (§ 288.7, subd. (b); counts 1 & 5) and two counts of aggravated sexual
assault of a child under the age of 14 by rape (§§ 269, subd. (a)(1), 261, subd. (a)(2) or
(6); counts 2 & 3). Regarding his older daughter D., defendant was charged with forcible
rape (§ 261, subd. (a)(2); count 6), forcible sexual penetration (§ 289, subd. (a)(1)(A);
count 7), and assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury (§ 245,
subd. (a)(4); count 8). The information also alleged that the sex offenses were committed
against more than one victim (§ 667.61, subds. (b) & (e)).
       At the close of evidence, defendant brought a motion for acquittal (§ 1118.1),
which the trial court granted as to count 7, forcible sexual penetration of D.

                                             27
       On February 25, 2020, the jury found defendant guilty on counts 1 through 5, the
offenses committed against his wife S. and daughter K. The jury also found true the
allegation that defendant was guilty of two or more sex offenses against more than one
victim. Regarding the remaining counts committed against his older daughter D., the jury
found defendant guilty of simple assault (§ 240), a lesser offense of assault by means of
force likely to produce great bodily injury, which was charged in count 8. The jury found
defendant not guilty on count 6.
       On December 3, 2020, the trial court sentenced defendant to consecutive terms of
15 years to life on each of counts 1 through 4, a concurrent term of 15 years to life on
count 5, and a one-year concurrent term on count 8, for an aggregate term of 60 years to
life. The court granted defendant a total of 1,257 days of custody credits, consisting of
1,093 actual days plus 164 days of conduct credit. Defendant was also ordered to pay
various amounts, including a criminal justice administration fee of $129.75.
                                     III. DISCUSSION
       A. Admission of Evidence Regarding Defendant’s Uncharged Sex Offenses
           Against His Former Wife A.
       Defendant contends that the admission of evidence of his uncharged sex offenses
against his former wife A. was an abuse of discretion and violated due process.
Specifically, he argues that the trial court failed to identify the factors it used to balance
the probative value of the evidence against the prejudicial effect. Defendant further
contends that the proffered evidence should have been excluded, because the uncharged
offenses were remote in time, the court failed to consider the degree of certainty that the
uncharged offenses actually occurred, defendant was never arrested or convicted for the
offenses, the court should have considered the burden on defendant in defending against
the allegations, and the court should have considered the availability of less prejudicial
alternatives to admission of the evidence.

                                              28
       The Attorney General contends that evidence of defendant’s prior uncharged
offenses against his ex-wife A. were admissible under Evidence Code section 1108, were
not unduly prejudicial under Evidence Code section 352, and that any error in admitting
the testimony was harmless.
                                       1. Background
       The prosecutor filed a pretrial motion in limine to admit evidence of defendant’s
prior sexual assaults of three women under Evidence Code section 1108. The prosecutor
contended that defendant (1) raped a woman repeatedly between approximately 1992 to
1995, (2) sexually assaulted, including raped, his ex-wife, A., repeatedly from 1995 until
he went to prison in 1998 for raping another woman, and (3) was convicted in Wisconsin
in 1998 for third degree sexual assault for raping a woman and sentenced to four years in
prison. The prosecutor argued that the evidence was probative regarding whether
defendant sexually assaulted S., who he began dating in 2000. Relevant to this appeal,
the prosecutor contended that the prior sexual offenses were not inadmissible under
Evidence Code section 352 because: (1) although the prior offenses occurred many years
ago, it showed defendant’s continuous pattern of sexually abusing young woman that he
dated; (2) although defendant had not been convicted of assaulting A., she was expected
to testify at trial, she would be subject to cross-examination, and defendant himself could
testify and refute her claims; (3) the prior sexual assaults of the women that he dated were
less inflammatory than the charges involving his sexual assault of his own daughters; and
(4) any prejudice could be minimized by limiting the number of instances of Evidence
Code section 1108 evidence, limiting the amount of time spent questioning A., and giving
appropriate jury instructions.
       Defendant filed a motion in limine to exclude the evidence pursuant to Evidence
Code section 352 and his state and federal constitutional rights to due process and equal
protection. Relevant to this appeal, although he “concede[d] that the allegations made by
[A. were] somewhat similar to the current allegations of alleged victim [S.],” he argued

                                            29
that the prior alleged offenses were too remote in time. Defendant also contended that
the probative value was outweighed by the likelihood that A’s testimony would create a
“mini trial” resulting in an undue consumption of time, was highly prejudicial, and would
confuse the issues which would confuse the jury. To the extent the evidence was
admitted, defendant requested that the trial court limit the evidence to minimize the risk
of prejudice and the undue consumption of time, such as by admitting only some of the
prior sex offenses and excluding inflammatory details.
       At the hearing at the motion, the prosecutor reiterated that the evidence of prior
sexual assaults under Evidence Code section 1108 should be admitted over an Evidence
Code section 352 objection. Defendant contended the evidence should be excluded based
on the “prejudicial risk of not only inflaming the jury but also of confusing the issues . . .
as well as the reliability of this evidence.” Regarding the evidence concerning A.,
defendant argued that A. became pregnant with his child when she was 16 years old,
which was the age of consent in Michigan. This would “confuse the jury” and “inflame
them.” Defendant also contended that A. provided only general statements about being
hit in the face and that she was not able to “give specific times or more facts than those
generalities.” Finally, defendant contended that the argument that the prior sexual
assaults were similar because they were “ ‘consensual to physical to nonconsensual’
sexual relationship[s]” made “it almost too broad and too easy to say that all of these
sexual assaults fall under the same umbrella to show propensity of generic sexual
assaults” and that there was “a danger to prejudice [defendant] in a way that he will be
unable to cure.”
       The trial court ruled that the sexual assaults of all three women were admissible,
but limited the scope or form of the evidence. First, the court stated that “under
[Evidence Code section] 352 grounds,” it was going to limit the witnesses who could
testify regarding the sexual assault of the first woman. Regarding defendant’s sexual
assault of the second woman A., the court ruled that that she would be allowed to testify

                                              30
as she was “the direct victim and has personal knowledge and even though, as [defense
counsel] indicated, it involved a wide range of conduct, as long as it’s physical and/or
sexual in nature, specifically if she was hit in the face or was otherwise sexually
assaulted, she will be allowed to testify as to those incidents.” Lastly, after stating that it
had “endeavored to weigh the [Evidence Code section] 352 factors that [it was] obligated
to do,” the court indicated the abstract of judgment relating to defendant’s conviction for
sexually assaulting the third woman would be admitted, but that “there will not be any
recited facts or information concerning the specifics of the conduct involved. That would
be inflammatory; that would be prejudicial.” The court proceeded to confirm with
defense counsel that the court, “in addressing the People’s [Evidence Code section] 1108
motion, that would also encompass the defense’s motion in limine on the same subject
matter.”
                                              2. Law
       Generally, “propensity evidence is not admissible to prove a defendant’s conduct
on a specific occasion. [Citations.]” (People v. Jackson (2016) 1 Cal.5th 269, 299-300;
see Evid. Code, § 1101, subd. (a).) “Evidence Code section 1108 provides an exception
to the general rule and permits evidence that a defendant accused of a sexual offense
has committed another sexual offense, potentially showing a propensity to do so.
[Citation.]” (People v. Baker (2021) 10 Cal.5th 1044, 1089.) “ ‘In enacting Evidence
Code section 1108, the Legislature decided evidence of uncharged sexual offenses is so
uniquely probative in sex crimes prosecutions it is presumed admissible without regard
to the limitations of Evidence Code section 1101.’ [Citation.]” (People v. Loy (2011)
52 Cal.4th 46, 63 (Loy).) Further, “ ‘ “[t]he Legislature has determined the need for this
evidence is ‘critical’ given the serious and secretive nature of sex crimes and the often
resulting credibility contest at trial. . . .” [Citations.] . . . “With the enactment of
[Evidence Code] section 1108, the Legislature ‘declared that the willingness to commit
a sexual offense is not common to most individuals . . . .’ ” ’ [Citation.]” (People v.

                                               31
Nguyen (2010) 184 Cal.App.4th 1096, 1115, fn. 13.) Evidence Code “[s]ection 1108
provides the trier of fact in a sex offense case the opportunity to learn of the defendant’s
possible disposition to commit sex crimes. [Citation.]” (People v. Falsetta (1999)
21 Cal.4th 903, 915.)
       “In a criminal action in which the defendant is accused of a sexual offense,
evidence of the defendant’s commission of another sexual offense” is subject to exclusion
under Evidence Code section 352. (Evid. Code, § 1108, subd. (a).) “Evidence Code
section 352, in turn, provides that ‘[t]he court in its discretion may exclude evidence if its
probative value is substantially outweighed by the probability that its admission will
(a) necessitate undue consumption of time or (b) create substantial danger of undue
prejudice, of confusing the issues, or of misleading the jury.’ ‘In short, if evidence
satisfies [Evidence Code] section 1108, and is not excluded under [Evidence Code]
section 352, admission of that evidence to prove propensity is permitted.’ [Citations.]”
(People v. Dworak (2021) 11 Cal.5th 881, 899 (Dworak).)
       “ ‘By reason of [Evidence Code] section 1108, trial courts may no longer deem
“propensity” evidence unduly prejudicial per se,’ but trial courts ‘must engage in a
careful weighing process under [Evidence Code] section 352.’ [Citation.] . . . [T]he trial
court’s determination should be guided by such factors as the ‘nature, relevance, and
possible remoteness’ of the evidence, ‘the degree of certainty of its commission and the
likelihood of confusing, misleading, or distracting the jurors from their main inquiry, its
similarity to the charged offense, its likely prejudicial impact on the jurors, the burden on
the defendant in defending against the uncharged offense, and the availability of less
prejudicial alternatives to its outright admission, such as admitting some but not all of the
defendant’s other sex offenses, or excluding irrelevant though inflammatory details
surrounding the offense.’ [Citation.]” (Dworak, supra, 11 Cal.5th at p. 900.)
       We review a trial court’s rulings under Evidence Code sections 1108 and 352 for
abuse of discretion. (Dworak, supra, 11 Cal.5th at pp. 899-900.) “ ‘To establish an

                                             32
abuse of discretion, defendant[] must demonstrate that the trial court’s decision was so
erroneous that it “falls outside the bounds of reason.” [Citations.] A merely debatable
ruling cannot be deemed an abuse of discretion. [Citations.] An abuse of discretion will
be “established by ‘a showing the trial court exercised its discretion in an arbitrary,
capricious, or patently absurd manner that resulted in a manifest miscarriage of
justice.’ ” ’ [Citation.]” (People v. Miracle (2018) 6 Cal.5th 318, 346-347 (Miracle).)
                                          3. Analysis
       We determine that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in finding that
defendant’s uncharged conduct against A. was admissible under Evidence Code
sections 1108 and 352. Defendant’s conduct against A. was highly probative, as it
involved his sexual assault, including rape, of a young partner, similar to the charged
conduct against his former wife S.
       On appeal, defendant contends that “the trial court did not identify the factors it
used to balance the prejudicial effect against the probative value of the evidence to be
presented through [A.]” Although defendant acknowledges that a court is “presumed to
have known the law and correctly applied it,” he contends the presumption was rebutted
in this case because it was only later during an Evidence Code section 402 hearing held
on a different day that the court specifically referred to Evidence Code section 352.
       We are not persuaded by defendant’s contention. The California Supreme Court
has stated that “a court need not expressly weigh prejudice against probative value or
even expressly state that it has done so, if the record as a whole shows the court was
aware of and performed its balancing functions under Evidence Code section 352.”
(People v. Taylor (2001) 26 Cal.4th 1155, 1169 (Taylor).) In this case, the parties’
pretrial written motions both addressed whether evidence of defendant’s prior sex
offenses should be excluded under Evidence Code section 352. At the hearing on the
competing motions, the parties again addressed whether the evidence should be excluded
under Evidence Code section 352. The trial court in ruling on the motions expressly cited

                                             33
Evidence Code section 352 when explaining why it was limiting the witnesses or the
scope of evidence as to defendant’s sex offenses committed against his first and third
female victims. Further, after making its ruling, the court confirmed with defense
counsel that its ruling “also encompass[ed] the defense’s motion in limine on the same
subject matter,” which as we have just explained, was a defense motion seeking
exclusion of the evidence under Evidence Code section 352. Although the court did not
expressly cite Evidence Code section 352 when ruling on the admissibility of defendant’s
sex offenses against the second female victim A., we determine that “the record as a
whole shows the court was aware of and performed its balancing functions under
Evidence Code section 352.” (Taylor, supra, at p. 1169.)
       Second, defendant argues that the sex offenses involving A., which occurred in the
mid to late 1990’s, were “extremely remote in time,” which decreased the probative value
of the evidence.
       We find defendant’s argument unpersuasive. “No specific time limits have been
established for determining when an uncharged offense is so remote as to be
inadmissible. [Citation.]” (People v. Branch (2001) 91 Cal.App.4th 274, 284; see
People v. Cordova (2015) 62 Cal.4th 104, 133 [time gap of 13 and 18 years “does not
compel exclusion of the evidence”; “[n]either Evidence Code [§] 352 nor Evidence Code
[§] 1108 contains rigid requirements”].) Further, the “ ‘ “staleness” of an offense is
generally relevant if and only if the defendant has led a blameless life in the interim.’
[Citation.]” (Dworak, supra, 11 Cal.5th at p. 901.) In this case, defendant committed the
uncharged sex offenses against A. in the years leading up to his incarceration for the
sexual assault of another woman. Upon his release from prison, he began a relationship
with S, the victim in the instant case, and committed sexual assaults against her
throughout that relationship. As the prosecutor observed in the pretrial motion to admit
the evidence, “the only thing that seems to stop [d]efendant from sexually assaulting
women is going to prison.” On this record, the trial court did not err in determining that

                                             34
the sexual offenses committed against A. were not too remote in time. (See ibid. [prior
sexual offense was not too remote where the defendant “was incarcerated or on parole . . .
for the bulk of the time between the two incidents”]; Loy, supra, 52 Cal.4th at p. 62
[timing of prior offenses committed 15 and 21 years before the charged offense
“provided no reason to exclude them” where the defendant was in prison “for much of
the time” between the offenses].)
       Third, defendant argues that the “degree of certainty of the commission of these
offenses” against A. and the burden on him to defend against the allegations warranted
exclusion of the evidence.
       Defendant fails to demonstrate that the trial court erred by not excluding the
evidence on this ground. At the time of the trial court’s ruling, it was anticipated that A.
would testify. She did in fact testify at trial, and she was subject to cross-examination.
The evidence of defendant’s sexual offenses against A. was limited to testimony by her,
and the prosecutor’s direct examination of A. was relatively brief, spanning less than
11 pages of the reporter’s transcript. Defendant testified at trial and denied being violent
with A. or repeatedly sexually assaulting her. “It is well settled . . . that the reliability of
a witness’s testimony is a matter for the jury to decide and therefore concerns the weight
of the evidence, and not its admissibility. [Citation]” (People v. Merriman (2014)
60 Cal.4th 1, 57 (Merriman) [rejecting the defendant’s argument that prior sexual offense
evidence should have been excluded because the victim’s recollection of the events was
“vague, disjointed, and inherently unreliable”].)
       Fourth, defendant contends that the prejudicial impact of the evidence was
increased by the fact that he was never arrested or convicted for the sexual offenses
against A. He argues that the jury might have been tempted to convict him of the charged
offenses regardless of his guilt in order to punish him for the uncharged offenses. He
further contends that the jury’s attention might have been “diverted” to a determination
of whether he committed the offenses against A.

                                               35
       Defendant fails to persuade us that the trial court erred in admitting the evidence.
“That defendant had not been charged and convicted of any sexual crimes in connection
with . . . [A.] arguably increased the potential for undue prejudice because of the risk that
the jury might want to convict defendant of the charged offenses because he had escaped
punishment for his crimes against [A.]. We observe furthermore that because there was
no prior conviction, defendant’s commission of the offenses against [A.] was less certain
and he bore some additional burden defending against that evidence. [Citation.] None of
these factors is dispositive, however.” (Merriman, supra, 60 Cal.4th at p. 59.) As we
have indicated, the evidence of sex offenses against A. demonstrated defendant’s
continuous pattern of sexually assaulting young female partners. “Given the strong
probative value of the evidence in question, the potential for prejudice did not overcome
Evidence Code section 1108’s presumption in favor of admissibility of the sexual offense
evidence to show defendant’s propensity to commit the charged sexual offense[]” against
his wife S. (Ibid.)
       Fifth, defendant contends that the trial court should have considered the
availability of less prejudicial alternatives to admission of the allegations. He argues that
A. “testified in somewhat graphic detail that [defendant] had beaten her, forced her to
have sex with him, forced her to perform oral sex on him, and penetrated her with a
flashlight.” Defendant observes that A. also testified about being hit with coat hangers.
He contends that “[t]he details of these incidents - particularly the mention of coat
hangers and flashlights - were sure to evoke an emotional response in the jurors. They
easily could have been, and certainly should have been, excluded.”
       Defendant fails to demonstrate error. Although he made a general request below
in his written pretrial motion in limine to “sanitize the priors if admitted” (bold omitted),
defendant does not provide a record citation showing that he specifically requested that
the trial court limit the evidence in the manner he now suggests. Indeed, at the time the
trial court made its pretrial rulings on the parties’ motions in limine, it does not appear

                                              36
that the trial court was informed by either party that A. would be testifying about, for
example, coat hangers or a flashlight. To the extent A. raised one or more of these issues
when she subsequently testified outside the presence of the jury at an Evidence Code
section 402 hearing, defendant did not seek a ruling from the court to limit the scope of
her trial testimony as he now urges on appeal. On this record, where defendant failed to
request below that A.’s testimony be limited in the manner he now urges on appeal,
defendant cannot show error in the trial court’s admission of the evidence. (See People v.
Letner and Tobin (2010) 50 Cal.4th 99, 159 [notwithstanding an in limine motion to
exclude evidence, a defendant must “renew [the] objection at trial, when the trial court
would have the opportunity to evaluate [the] objections in light of the actual evidence
presented”].)
       In sum, we cannot say that the trial court’s determination—that the probative
value of the uncharged sex offenses involving A. outweighed its prejudicial effect in
establishing defendant’s propensity to commit the charged sexual offense involving S.—
fell outside the bounds of reason. Accordingly, we determine that the court did not abuse
its discretion in admitting the evidence of the uncharged sex offenses involving A. under
Evidence Code sections 1108 and 352. (Dworak, supra, 11 Cal.5th at pp. 899-900.)
       Defendant further contends that the admission of the evidence regarding A.
violated his federal constitutional rights to due process and a fair trial. As defendant
acknowledges, the California Supreme Court has “rejected the argument . . . that
admission of prior crimes under Evidence Code section 1108 violates the constitutional
right to due process and a fair trial.” (Dworak, supra, 11 Cal.5th at p. 900.) Defendant
nevertheless contends that “the admission of irrelevant and prejudicial evidence may
become so ‘fundamentally unfair’ as to offend the United States Constitution’s guarantee
of due process.” As we have explained, however, defendant fails to establish that the trial
court did not properly engage in the required weighing process under Evidence Code
section 352, the evidence of sex offenses committed against A. was probative of

                                             37
defendant’s propensity to commit sex crimes, and defendant fails to establish that
admission of the evidence was unduly prejudicial under Evidence Code section 352.
“The admission of the evidence thus did not violate defendant’s constitutional rights.”
(People v. Rhoades (2019) 8 Cal.5th 393, 415.)
       B. Exclusion of Photograph of Daughter K. and Wife S.
       Defendant contends that the trial court abused its discretion by excluding a
photograph of his daughter K. and wife S. In the photograph, K. is apparently standing
behind S., who is topless, with K.’s arms reaching around to cover S.’s breasts.
Defendant argues that the photograph was relevant “to show that [K.’s] source of sexual
knowledge could have been from her mother considering the extremely close and
intimate relationship between them.” He also argues that the photograph was relevant to
S.’s credibility, because although S. told the police that defendant forced them to pose for
the picture, S. purportedly “ ‘backtrack[ed]’ ” on that explanation after it was pointed out
the photograph was a “ ‘selfie.’ ” The Attorney General contends that the court did not
abuse its discretion in excluding the photograph.
                                       1. Background
       The prosecutor filed a pretrial motion in limine to exclude the mother-daughter
photograph. The prosecutor contended the photograph was irrelevant to the issues in the
case, and there was “a huge risk of unfair prejudice” as jurors would speculate and leap to
“unwarranted conclusions” about S. molesting or abusing K. The prosecutor also argued
that the “effect of admitting this photograph would be to smear these victims and portray
them as indecent, shameless, or obscene.”
       At the hearing on the motion, the parties indicated that K. was a “young teenager”
between 11 and 13 years old in the photograph and that she appeared to be fully clothed.
The photograph was a “thumbnail [picture] found on one of [S.’s] phones.” The
prosecutor contended that “whatever probative value” existed regarding the photograph
was “substantially outweighed by the risk of undue prejudice.” The prosecutor argued

                                             38
that the “nude” photograph would be perceived as indecent and only served to “smear”
and make K. and S. “look bad.”
       Defense counsel contended that the photograph was relevant for two reasons.
First, counsel argued that K. had alleged she was molested, but the defense believed
“there could be an alternate source of her . . . sexual knowledge. Not because of her
experiences with it, but because of the comfort level she has with her mother and . . .
with the comfort level that they’ve shared, the communication they’ve shared, and the
intimacy they’ve shared, their nonsexual intimacy.” Defense counsel clarified that he
was “not making any inference that [S.] is harming [K.] in any way,” only that the pair
were “as close as mother and daughter can be, not sexually.” Second, defense counsel
contended that S.’s initial reaction when asked by the police about the photograph was
to “blame” defendant and say that “[he] took that picture.” However, after the police
indicated that it was a “selfie,” in which S. was holding the phone in her hand and taking
the picture, “she had to backtrack that story.” Counsel argued that the photograph thus
showed S.’s bias towards defendant.
       The trial court ruled that the photograph would be excluded. The court stated,
“[I]t may be probative – minorly probative on bias, but I just don’t really see that that
needs to come in to make that point.” The court stated that defense counsel could
examine S. at trial and presumably she would not deny the existence of the photograph.
However, if defense counsel was trying to establish bias, there were “other avenues for
doing that,” and this photograph was “too distractive and time-consuming.”
       Defense counsel sought clarification about questioning S. at trial about the picture.
The trial court replied that “if this is the sole piece of bias,” then counsel was entitled to
question S. about it. However, if the photograph was “only one little piece of . . . the bias
puzzle,” and counsel had “other instances of exchanges, communications, circumstances
that are going to make that point,” then the photograph was “really just cumulative on the
point of bias, and it doesn’t really need to come in.” The court stated that if this

                                              39
particular photograph was “the only way” counsel could make the point, then the court
would “revisit that, looking at the photo. But for the time being, that whole subject
matter should not necessarily be brought up or come in.”
       Defense counsel then asked whether the limitation on evidence also included
“asking [K.] about her source of knowledge of sex and sexual activities.” The trial court
responded affirmatively and explained, “I think for the same reason. Even more so, . . .
I think that’s just getting far outside the aura of the sphere of relevancy and
probativeness.” The court ruled that “that whole subject is to be steered away from.”
                                            2. Law
       Only relevant evidence is admissible. (Evid. Code, § 350.) Evidence is relevant
if it has “any tendency in reason to prove or disprove any disputed fact that is of
consequence to the determination of the action,” including the credibility of a witness.
(Id., § 210.) A trial court has discretion to exclude relevant evidence if “its probative
value is substantially outweighed by the probability that its admission will (a) necessitate
undue consumption of time or (b) create substantial danger of undue prejudice, of
confusing the issues, or of misleading the jury.” (Id., § 352.)
       As we stated above, we review a trial court’s rulings under Evidence Code
section 352 for abuse of discretion. (Dworak, supra, 11 Cal.5th at pp. 899-900.) “ ‘To
establish an abuse of discretion, defendant[] must demonstrate that the trial court’s
decision was so erroneous that it “falls outside the bounds of reason.” [Citations.] A
merely debatable ruling cannot be deemed an abuse of discretion. [Citations.] An abuse
of discretion will be “established by ‘a showing the trial court exercised its discretion in
an arbitrary, capricious, or patently absurd manner that resulted in a manifest miscarriage
of justice.’ ” ’ [Citation.]” (Miracle, supra, 6 Cal.5th at pp. 346-347.)
                                          3. Analysis
       We find no abuse of discretion in the trial court’s exclusion of the photograph.
First, the photograph, as described in the record with K. holding her mother’s bare

                                             40
breasts, would not have “any tendency in reason to prove or disprove” K.’s knowledge of
sex, or her report as a teenager of defendant sexually abusing her when she was younger.
(Evid. Code, § 210.) K. testified, among other things, that defendant made her hold his
penis and put her mouth on his penis, put his mouth on her vagina, and put his penis in
her vagina which she found to be physically painful when it occurred. The photograph
“would simply have invited to the jury to speculate” (People v. Curl (2009) 46 Cal.4th
339, 360 (Curl)) that K.’s physical descriptions of these sex acts by defendant somehow
came from “nonsexual intimacy” with her mother as argued by defendant’s trial counsel,
and that K. used this purported knowledge to fabricate a report of sexual abuse by
defendant. As these are “ ‘speculative inferences,’ ” the photograph was not relevant and
the court did not err in excluding it. (Ibid.; see People v. Nieves (2021) 11 Cal.5th 404,
445 (Nieves) [no abuse of discretion by “excluding evidence that produces only
speculative inferences”].)
       The trial court likewise did not err in excluding the photograph as being “too
distractive and time-consuming” notwithstanding its finding that the photograph was
“minorly probative on bias.” We understand the trial court’s ruling in this context to
mean that the photograph’s minimal probative value was substantially outweighed by:
(1) the risk of undue prejudice from a seemingly provocative mother-daughter
photograph, and (2) the likelihood that the photograph would create the need for
additional evidence about the circumstances of the photograph and evidence from the
prosecutor to rebut any speculation or “unwarranted conclusions” that K. and S. had
posed for an “indecent, shameless, or obscene” photograph. The court explained that it
would “revisit” its ruling excluding the photograph if the photograph was “the sole piece
of bias” that defense counsel had. On appeal, defendant does not dispute that he had
other evidence to establish S.’s bias against him. Given the nature of the photograph
itself and the existence of other evidence to establish S.’s bias against defendant, we find
no abuse of discretion in the court’s determination that the risk of undue prejudice and

                                             41
undue consumption of time substantially outweighed the minimal probative value of a
provocative mother-daughter photograph.
       For the first time in his reply brief on appeal, defendant argues that the photograph
“demonstrates . . . that [S.], motivated by jealousy, may have coached [K.] about sexual
activity in order to prepare her for making false yet convincing accusations against
[defendant]. The photograph would have made the defense argument much more
plausible even though the actual image did not explain how she knew about certain
specifics.” Defendant fails to provide a record citation showing that he made this
argument below in opposition to the prosecutor’s motion in limine to exclude the
photograph. On the merits, defendant’s argument amounts to speculative inferences that
he seeks to have the jury draw from the photograph and as such, the court did not err in
excluding the photograph. (Curl, supra, 46 Cal.4th at p. 360; Nieves, supra, 11 Cal.5th at
p. 445.)
       C. Admission of CSAAS Expert Testimony
       Defendant filed a pretrial motion in limine seeking to exclude or limit CSAAS
evidence. After hearing argument from the parties, the trial court ruled that CSAAS
evidence would be admitted, except regarding the issue of retraction as the parties had
agreed there was no evidence the victim had retracted her report of abuse. At trial, the
jury was instructed pursuant to CALJIC No. 10.64 that CSAAS evidence “must not be
considered . . . as proof that the alleged victim’s molestation claim is true”; that CSAAS
“seeks to describe and explain common reactions of children to that experience”; that
the jury was to “presume the defendant innocent”; that the “People have the burden of
proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt”; and that CSAAS evidence should be
considered “only for the limited purpose of showing, if it does, that the alleged victim’s
reactions, as demonstrated by the evidence, are not inconsistent with her having been
molested.”

                                            42
       On appeal, defendant does not challenge the specifics of the trial court’s ruling
under the particular facts of this case. Instead, he contends that “CSAAS evidence should
be inadmissible for all purposes because it is unreliable in that, by its very nature, it will
always support the conclusion that the abuse actually occurred.” The Attorney General
contends that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in admitting the evidence.
       Expert opinion testimony is admissible when the opinion is “[r]elated to a subject
that is sufficiently beyond common experience that the opinion of an expert would assist
the trier of fact.” (Evid. Code, § 801, subd. (a).) Relevant here, expert opinion testimony
is permitted “to explain to lay jurors conduct that may appear counterintuitive in the
absence of such insight. [Citations.]” (People v. Ward (2005) 36 Cal.4th 186, 211.)
Indeed, “ ‘[t]he jury need not be wholly ignorant of the subject matter of the opinion in
order to justify its admission . . . . It will be excluded only when it would add nothing at
all to the jury’s common fund of information, i.e., when “the subject of inquiry is one of
such common knowledge that men [or women] of ordinary education could reach a
conclusion as intelligently as the witness.” ’ [Citation.]” (People v. McAlpin (1991)
53 Cal.3d 1289, 1299-1300 (McAlpin).)
       CSAAS evidence has long “been held admissible for the limited purpose of
disabusing a jury of misconceptions it might hold about how a child reacts to a
molestation. [Citations.]” (People v. Patino (1994) 26 Cal.App.4th 1737, 1744 (Patino);
see also McAlpin, supra, 53 Cal.3d at pp.1300-1301; People v. Lapenias (2021) 67
Cal.App.5th 162, 171 (Lapenias); People v. Munch (2020) 52 Cal.App.5th 464, 468
(Munch); People v. Gonzales (2017) 16 Cal.App.5th 494, 503; People v. Bowker (1988)
203 Cal.App.3d 385, 393-394.) Such expert testimony is admissible “if the victim’s
credibility is placed in issue due to the paradoxical behavior, including a delay in
reporting a molestation. [Citations.]” (Patino, supra, at pp. 1744-1745.)
       The California Supreme Court has explained in the analogous context of the rape
trauma syndrome that expert testimony “may play a particularly useful role by disabusing

                                              43
the jury of some widely held misconceptions about [abuse] and [abuse] victims, so that
it may evaluate the evidence free of the constraints of popular myths. [Citations.]”
(People v. Bledsoe (1984) 36 Cal.3d 236, 247-248, fn. omitted.) The California Supreme
Court has also referenced “the close analogy between use of expert testimony to explain
the behavior of domestic violence victims, and expert testimony concerning victims of
rape or child abuse,” and has held that expert testimony regarding commonly observed
behaviors of domestic violence victims, such as the tendency to recant, is admissible.
(People v. Brown (2004) 33 Cal.4th 892, 905; see id. at pp. 895-896, 906-907.) Further,
in the analogous context of a parent of an abused child, the California Supreme Court
has observed that “[m]ost jurors, fortunately, have been spared the experience of being
the parent of a sexually molested child. Lacking that experience, jurors can rely only on
their intuition or on relevant evidence introduced at trial.” (McAlpin, supra, 53 Cal.3d at
p. 1302.)
       Given that the expert testimony in this case sought to explain behaviors by a child
sexual abuse victim that may appear counterintuitive, such as those behaviors exhibited
by K., and given that the California Supreme Court has observed that most jurors lack
personal experience with child molestation victims, we believe the trial court could have
properly determined that expert opinion regarding CSAAS “[r]elated to a subject that is
sufficiently beyond common experience” and “would assist the trier of fact.” (Evid.
Code, § 801, subd. (a).)
       Relying on several out-of-state cases, we understand defendant to contend that the
California cases should be reexamined. We decline to do so. To the extent our Supreme
Court has recognized that such evidence may be relevant, useful, and admissible in the
analogous contexts of rape or domestic violence of adult victims, as an intermediate
appellate court we are required to follow that precedent. (Auto Equity Sales, Inc. v.
Superior Court (1962) 57 Cal.2d 450, 455.)

                                             44
       We are also not persuaded by defendant’s contention that CSAAS evidence should
be excluded as unreliable. Under the Kelly rule,3 “evidence obtained through a new
scientific technique may be admitted only after its reliability has been established under a
three-pronged test.” (Bolden, supra, 29 Cal.4th at p. 544.) In contrast to evidence that is
based on a new scientific technique or procedure, expert opinion testimony is generally
not subject to Kelly. The California Supreme has explained that “in most cases no similar
caution is required before a jury considers expert opinion testimony. Unlike results
‘produced by a machine,’ to which jurors may ‘ascribe an inordinately high degree of
certainty,’ jurors presented with the personal opinion of a witness, even an expert
witness, ‘may temper their acceptance of his [or her] testimony with a healthy skepticism
born of their knowledge that all human beings are fallible.’ [Citations.] For this reason,
‘ “ ‘[a]bsent some special feature which effectively blindsides the jury, expert opinion
testimony is not subject to Kelly[].” ’ [Citations.]” (People v. Peterson (2020) 10 Cal.5th
409, 458.) California courts have thus held that expert opinion testimony about CSAAS
is not subject to the Kelly rule. (See, e.g., Lapenias, supra, 67 Cal.App.5th at p. 173;
Munch, supra, 52 Cal.App.5th at pp. 472-473; People v. Harlan (1990) 222 Cal.App.3d
439, 449.)
       Accordingly, we conclude that the trial court did not err in admitting expert
testimony about CSAAS.

       3
         As explained by the California Supreme Court, “[u]ntil 1993, this rule was
generally known in this state as the Kelly-Frye rule because this court in [People v.] Kelly
[17 Cal.3d 24] had relied on the reasoning of a federal appellate court decision, Frye v.
United States (D.C. Cir. 1923) 293 F. 1013 (Frye). In 1993, the United States Supreme
Court held that the Federal Rules of Evidence had superseded Frye [citation], and our
state law rule is now referred to simply as the Kelly test or rule. [Citation.]” (People v.
Bolden (2002) 29 Cal.4th 515, 545 (Bolden); accord, Nieves, supra, 11 Cal.5th at p. 442,
fn. 8.)

                                             45
       D. Prosecutor’s Recitation of Facts Underlying Defendant’s 1998 Conviction on
          Cross-Examination of Defense Character Witnesses
       Defendant contends that the prosecutor committed misconduct in cross-
examination of defense character witnesses by reciting the facts of defendant’s 1998
Wisconsin conviction for third degree sexual assault, after the court previously ruled
during pretrial motions in limine that the underlying facts would be excluded. He also
argues that the court erred by changing its ruling during trial to allow the prosecutor to
recite the facts on cross-examination and that his federal constitutional rights to due
process and a fair trial were violated. To the extent his claims are forfeited, defendant
contends that his trial counsel rendered ineffective assistance of counsel.
       The Attorney General contends that the trial court properly allowed the prosecutor
to cross-examine defendant’s character witnesses about the prior conviction, that any
error in allowing the cross-examination was harmless, and that defendant has not shown
ineffective assistance of counsel.
                                       1. Background
       As we set forth above, the prosecutor filed a pretrial motion in limine to admit
evidence of defendant’s prior sexual assaults of three women under Evidence Code
section 1108. Relevant here, the prosecutor stated that defendant was convicted of third
degree sexual assault in Wisconsin in 1998, for raping a woman, K.A. The prosecutor
reported that the complaint included the following allegations: In December 1997, K.A.
reported that defendant, who was her boyfriend, told her after they had started to have
intercourse that he wanted to whip her for 10 minutes. She said, “ ‘No.’ ” While she was
in a kneeling position, defendant held her head down and told her to enjoy it. He
repeatedly hit her with a belt. She cried and told him “ ‘over and over again’ ” to stop.
He kept moving her hands out of the way. After having sexual intercourse, defendant
looked at her back, told her to keep it covered, and told her not to show anyone. The
prosecutor argued that the conviction was admissible under Evidence Code section 1108

                                             46
regarding defendant’s propensity to commit sex offenses and was not inadmissible under
Evidence Code section 352. The prosecutor filed a separate motion in limine to admit
certified records of defendant’s 1998 conviction, specifically the complaint, information,
and minute orders reflecting his plea and sentence.
        Defendant filed a motion in limine to exclude the evidence pursuant to Evidence
Code section 352 and his state and federal constitutional rights to due process and equal
protection. To the extent the evidence was admitted under Evidence Code section 1108,
defendant requested generally that the evidence be “sanitize[d].” (Bold omitted.)
Further, to the extent his prior sexual offense against K.A. was admitted, defendant
argued that the prosecutor should be required to produce a live witness to establish his
commission of the sexual offense, not simply rely on a court record.
        At the hearing on the motion, the prosecutor indicated that K.A. was unwilling to
testify at trial and that the 1998 conviction would be established through certified court
records from Wisconsin. Defense counsel indicated that to the extent the conviction was
admitted into evidence, the parties agreed that only the record of conviction, specifically
the abstract of judgment, would be admitted, “not any of the probable cause statements
included in the [c]omplaint.”
        The trial court ruled that defendant’s conviction involving K.A. would be
admitted. The court stated, however, that the evidence would be limited to the abstract
of judgment, and there would “not be any recited facts or information concerning the
specifics of the conduct involved. That would be inflammatory; that would be
prejudicial . . . .”
        Later in the hearing on the parties’ other motions in limine, the trial court
addressed the prosecutor’s motion to limit character testimony regarding defendant to
reputation and opinion only and to preclude him from introducing specific instances of
his good conduct. Defendant’s trial counsel indicated that the defense evidence would
be limited to reputation and opinion. The court stated: “And that being the case, I just

                                              47
want to make sure that we anticipate or at least we are in agreement as to any . . .
questioning . . . from the part of the People on cross, because my experience has been
normally when you get into opinion and reputation, inevitably the character witnesses
learn something about the person of whom they’re speaking. And, you know, they may
or may not be aware that he’s been convicted. And, frankly, I know that typically it’s . . .
a line of questioning[,] ‘Well, did you know that he was convicted of sexual assault?’
And just so we know that that’s on the table. That’s not being excluded. And I don’t
want any surprises when that’s -- or I don’t want any battles when that’s brought up
because it’s fair game. [¶] I think when you put somebody’s reputation and character at
issue and if the witnesses are testifying to it -- and it may well be that they just recently
learned it, but that’s also a fair line of questioning. [¶] I only mention it because we need
to anticipate that and make sure that it doesn’t create any evidentiary issues or delays
about whether or not that’s proper subject of cross-examination. [¶] So, to sum it up, the
Court will grant that motion in limine and limit character evidence to reputation and
opinion. And any testimony presented, the witnesses can be questioned about their
knowledge or awareness of any prior convictions for the sexual assault conviction that
we’ve been discussing.”
       During the cross-examination of two defense character witnesses at trial, the
prosecutor referred to the facts underlying defendant’s 1998 Wisconsin conviction in
the following contexts.
              a. Examination of next door neighbor Empleo and objection by defense
                  counsel
       Empleo, the next door neighbor at the RV park, testified on direct examination
that defendant was a “very quiet, peaceful man” and that he was never “sexually
inappropriate.” On cross-examination by the prosecutor, the neighbor confirmed that
defendant was peaceful, nice, and not violent. When asked whether she knew that in
1997 defendant had raped a woman, the neighbor responded that she had “heard of that.”

                                              48
       Defense counsel then objected, stating, “We dealt with this conviction in in
limines.” The trial court initially sustained the objection and proceeded to have a sidebar
with counsel. After the unreported discussion, the court went back on the record and
stated, “So the Court will overrule the objection and allow counsel to pursue the line of
questioning. And we’ve at sidebar discussed at length the parameters of the previous in
limine motion and ruling.”
       The prosecutor then proceeded to ask the neighbor on cross-examination, “So . . .
you had described the defendant as a nonviolent, peaceful, nice person. So what I want
to ask you is did you know that in 1997 he had nonconsensual, forcible sex with a
woman? He told her he wanted to whip her for ten minutes. She said no. He held her
head down and said to enjoy it. He continued to strike her. She asked to stop and tried to
protect herself. He continued. She cried and asked him to please stop. He continued and
had sex with her nonetheless. And then he told her, after he looked at her back, told her
to keep it covered and not to show anyone. Were you aware of that?” The neighbor
responded, “No, not really,” and indicated that it did not change her opinion about
defendant. She explained that it was “the past,” and “[a]s long as it doesn’t affect [her]”
she was “okay” with it. When asked whether the prosecutor’s description was “pretty
sexually inappropriate,” the neighbor responded, “If it was to me, yes. If it was to
somebody else, that’s them.”
       On redirect examination, the neighbor indicated that she had no “way of knowing”
whether the prosecutor’s description was “true or false.”
       On recross-examination, the neighbor admitted that she knew defendant was
convicted of sexual assault in 1998.
              b. Examination of defendant’s friend Turner
       Defendant’s friend and jujitsu training partner, Turner, testified on direct
examination that defendant was not a violent person with respect to S. and K. and that
defendant was not someone who was capable of sexual assault. The friend was not

                                             49
aware that defendant had been imprisoned years ago for sexual assault. “If evidence
was supplied” that defendant used physical force to have sex with someone who did not
consent, the friend testified that it would change his opinion about defendant.
       On cross-examination, the friend confirmed that in his opinion, defendant was a
nonviolent person outside the realm of sporting events and jujitsu and that defendant
was not capable of sexual assault. The prosecutor then asked the friend whether he knew
that: “In 1997 in Wisconsin [defendant] had sex with a woman against her will. He
struck her. He said he wanted to whip her for ten minutes. She said no. He held her
head down and said to enjoy it. He continued to strike her with a belt. Again she asked
him to stop and tried to put her hands over her back, but he kept moving them. She cried
and asked him to please stop, but he persisted. And after the sexual assault, he checked
her back and told her to keep it covered and not to show anyone.” The friend responded
that he was not aware of it. He agreed that it was “violent” if “that account [was]
accurate.” The friend also did not know that in 1998, defendant was convicted of sexual
assault in Wisconsin. The friend was further asked whether he knew that defendant had
beat and sexually assaulted his first wife, L., in Wisconsin, and that he had beat, raped,
and sexually assaulted his second wife, A. The friend indicated that he did not know, but
he agreed that “those things [were] violent.” The friend indicated that the information
revealed by the prosecutor would change the friend’s opinion about whether defendant
was capable of sexual assault.
       On redirect examination, the friend stated that he did not know whether any of
“the horrible things that the [prosecutor] just read” were true.
              c. Further discussion by the court and parties about character evidence
                  and cross-examination of C.
       Later in the trial, C., with whom defendant had an affair while he was still married
to S., testified that defendant was sweet, thoughtful, gentle, nonviolent, and appropriate
around her children. The prosecutor in cross-examination asked her about defendant’s

                                             50
conversations with his brother in which defendant made, for example, sexual comments
about C.’s daughter. In response to objections by defense counsel, the trial court and
counsel held a discussion outside the presence of the jury. The court explained that the
prosecutor had indicated that he intended to ask C. about additional bad conduct by
defendant and its effect on C.’s opinion of defendant’s character traits. The court
indicated that defense counsel had objected based on Evidence Code section 352. The
court explained that it had asked the prosecutor how many more incidents he intended to
raise with C. because at some point it might become cumulative. After further discussion
between the court and the prosecutor, the prosecutor stated that the defense had “got[ten]
into character traits like honesty, how good of a person [defendant] is, how gentle he is,
[and] how nonviolent he is . . . . [¶] And the Court warned of the risks of this. And I
know that we’re all aware of the risks of opening the door with character evidence. [¶]
So when you spend 20 minutes with the witness, not to mention all the other witnesses
we’ve heard from today, painting a picture of the defendant as all these great things when
it turns out he’s anything but – in fact, he is the opposite of these things -- to let a jury sit
here and listen to this over and over, you -- we get a chance to show that that’s just not
true. [¶] And all I’m trying to do is question these witnesses about whether they really
know the defendant. And I’m trying to frame the questions in that fashion. [¶] . . . [¶]
As the Court knows, once a witness describes a character trait and presents character
evidence, the prosecution does get to cross-examine and ask ‘did you know’ or ‘had you
heard things.’ And, as you can see, a lot of these witnesses are changing their opinion
because there’s a good reason to change their opinion. [¶] This has all been discovered
to the defense, and it was voluminous.”
       Defense counsel stated the following in response, “As far as the witnesses today,
I concede that [defendant’s friend Turner] and [the next door neighbor Empleo] were
asked about the opinion and reputation that they had of [defendant]. I was very careful
with the other witness -- and the People were able to ask about specific incidents of

                                               51
misconduct to ask them if it changed their opinion. They spoke of prior sexual assaults.
They spoke of many allegations with both of those witnesses. [¶] The other witnesses –
[defendant’s friend Schilbe] and [the officer manager and the property manager for the
RV park] -- I asked them specifically about watching interactions between [defendant]
and his wife, [defendant] and his daughter -- the two victims in this case. I stayed away
from opinion/reputation evidence. I didn’t ask them what his nature was as to violence,
as to sexual inappropriateness with those witnesses.” Defense counsel proceeded to
discuss his examination of C., and the court issued its ruling regarding the scope of
additional incidents that the prosecutor could use in cross-examining C.
       After the close of evidence, the jury was instructed pursuant to CALCRIM
No. 350 regarding character testimony as follows: “You have heard character testimony
that the defendant is a polite, non-violent, sexually appropriate, nice person. [¶]
Evidence of the defendant’s character for those traits can by itself create a reasonable
doubt whether the defendant committed any or all of the crimes charged. However,
evidence of the defendant’s good character may be countered by evidence of his bad
character for the same trait. You must decide the meaning and importance of the
character evidence. [¶] You may take that testimony into consideration along with all
the other evidence in deciding whether the People have proved that the defendant is
guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.”
       The jury was also instructed pursuant to CALCRIM No. 351 regarding the cross-
examination of character witnesses as follows: “The attorney for the People was allowed
to ask defendant’s character witnesses if they had heard or knew that the defendant had
engaged in certain conduct. These ‘have you heard’ or ‘did you know’ questions and
their answers are not evidence that the defendant engaged in any such conduct. You may
consider these questions and answers only to evaluate the meaning and importance of the
character witness’s testimony.”

                                             52
       The jury was further instructed pursuant to CALCRIM No. 222 that “[n]othing
that the attorneys say is evidence,” that “[t]heir questions are not evidence,” and that the
jury should “not assume that something is true just because one of the attorneys asked a
question that suggested it was true.”
                                             2. Law
       “In a criminal action, the defendant may introduce evidence of his or her own
good character. [Citation.] Such evidence may be in the form of a witness’s own
opinion, based on the witness’s perceptions, or in the form of the defendant’s reputation,
based on what the witness has heard from others. [Citations.]” (People v. Hawara
(2021) 61 Cal.App.5th 704, 712-713 (Hawara).)
       “Once a witness testifies, on direct examination, to the defendant’s good character,
it is a common and accepted method of cross-examination to ask whether the witness is
aware of instances of the defendant’s bad character. A variant of this is to ask, as here,
whether the witness’s opinion would change if the witness became aware of instances of
the defendant’s bad character.” (Hawara, supra, 61 Cal.App.5th at p. 713.) The witness
may be asked about events or acts that have “ ‘indisputably’ occurred,” or that “ ‘the
cross-examiner ha[s] in his [or her] possession information that reasonably leads him [or
her] to believe that the acts of conduct by defendant have in fact been committed or the
reports of their commission have been generally circulated. [Citation.]’ [Citations.]”
(Id. at p. 713, fn. 8.)
       Regarding the form of the question on cross-examination, it is “proper” to ask
“ ‘if you heard’ ” “when the witness has testified to the defendant’s reputation[] based on
what the witness has heard.” (Hawara, supra, 61 Cal.App.5th at p. 713, italics omitted.)
Alternatively, “when the witness has testified to the witness’s own opinion, based on the
witness’s perceptions, it is perfectly proper to ask, ‘if you knew.’ ” (Ibid., italics added.)
       “ ‘The rationale for permitting the prosecution to cross-examine a defendant’s
good-character witness as to whether or not he [or she] has heard rumors or reports of

                                              53
defendant’s arrest or conviction of other offenses inconsistent with the character trait
testified to, is that such cross-examination tests and exposes weaknesses in the witness’
knowledge of the reputation. [Citations.]’ ” (People v. Hempstead (1983) 148
Cal.App.3d 949, 954 (Hempstead).) Likewise, “[w]hen, as here, a witness is called to
express an opinion as to the good character of the defendant, the prosecution must have
the opportunity to let the jury test the validity of the opinion or the weight to be given to
it by asking whether the holder of the opinion has knowledge of events or acts . . . .”
(Ibid.)
          “If allowing these questions and answers would create a substantial danger of
undue prejudice to the defendant, the trial judge has the discretion to preclude them under
Evidence Code section 352.” (Hempstead, supra, 148 Cal.App.3d at p. 954.) We review
a trial court’s rulings under Evidence Code section 352 for abuse of discretion. (Dworak,
supra, 11 Cal.5th at pp. 899-900.)
          “ ‘In order to establish a claim of ineffective assistance of counsel, defendant bears
the burden of demonstrating, first, that counsel’s performance was deficient because it
“fell below an objective standard of reasonableness [¶] . . . under prevailing professional
norms.” [Citations.] . . . If a defendant meets the burden of establishing that counsel’s
performance was deficient, he or she also must show that counsel’s deficiencies resulted
in prejudice, that is, a “reasonable probability that, but for counsel’s unprofessional
errors, the result of the proceeding would have been different.” [Citation.]’ [Citation.]”
(People v. Lopez (2008) 42 Cal.4th 960, 966 (Lopez).)
                                            3. Analysis
          Defendant contends that although the trial court ruled during pretrial motions in
limine that the underlying facts of his 1998 Wisconsin conviction would be excluded as
inflammatory and prejudicial, the court at trial, after a defense objection and unreported
sidebar conference, permitted the prosecutor to recite the facts on cross-examination of
character witnesses Empleo (the next door neighbor) and Turner (defendant’s friend).

                                                54
Defendant argues that the latter ruling was erroneous because “nothing . . . had transpired
during the trial [that] made these acts any less inflammatory and prejudicial than they
were when the court made its in limine ruling.”
       We disagree with defendant’s characterization of the record that “nothing . . .
had transpired” during trial that could account for the trial court’s change in ruling, and
we further determine that defendant has not met his burden on appeal to show that the
court erred in its ruling at trial. The court’s pretrial ruling that the underlying facts of the
conviction would be excluded as inflammatory and prejudicial under Evidence Code
section 352 was made in the context of the parties’ competing motions regarding whether
evidence of defendant’s prior sex offenses would be admitted under Evidence Code
section 1108. Later, at that same pretrial hearing, the court cautioned that if defendant
presented character witnesses, the prosecutor would be allowed to cross-examine the
witnesses “about their knowledge or awareness of any prior convictions for the sexual
assault conviction that we’ve been discussing.” At trial, defendant offered the testimony
of several character witnesses, including next door neighbor Empleo and friend Turner.
The court, as it had earlier indicated, allowed the prosecutor to cross-examine both
witnesses about their knowledge of defendant’s prior sexual assault and resulting
conviction. The underlying facts of defendant’s prior sexual assault conviction were
thus raised by the prosecutor in connection with the cross-examination of defendant’s
character witnesses, not in connection with the presentation of Evidence Code
section 1108 evidence and not in violation of the court’s pretrial ruling excluding under
Evidence Code section 352 certain Evidence Code section 1108 evidence.
       Regarding defendant’s challenge to the trial court’s ruling allowing the underlying
facts to be presented in the cross-examination of two of his character witnesses,
defendant does not provide an adequate record for us to determine whether error
occurred. When defendant’s trial counsel objected to the prosecutor’s recitation of facts
on cross-examination, the basis for counsel’s objection was that “[w]e dealt with this

                                               55
conviction in in limines.” The court initially sustained the objection. After an unreported
sidebar discussion in which “the parameters of the previous in limine motion and ruling”
were “discussed at length,” the court overruled the objection. Based on this limited
record, it is unclear whether defendant was objecting only on the grounds that the
prosecutor had violated the earlier in limine ruling which, as we have explained, only
addressed an Evidence Code section 352 objection in the context of admitting evidence
under Evidence Code section 1108, or whether defendant was raising a new Evidence
Code section 352 objection in the specific context of the cross-examination of a character
witness. Without an adequate record concerning the sidebar discussion, defendant cannot
meet his burden to show that the trial court abused its discretion in allowing the
prosecutor’s cross-examination. (See Jameson v. Desta (2018) 5 Cal.5th 594, 609
[appellant has burden to show error and “ ‘all presumptions in favor of the trial court’s
action will be made by the appellate court’ ”].) We therefore turn to the question of
whether defendant’s trial counsel rendered ineffective assistance of counsel.
       The next door neighbor Empleo testified to defendant’s good character with
respect to being peaceful, nonviolent, and never sexually inappropriate. On cross-
examination, when asked whether she knew that defendant had raped a woman in
Wisconsin in 1997, Empleo indicated that she had “heard of that” yet she apparently
maintained the same opinion that defendant was peaceful, nonviolent, and never sexually
inappropriate. Defendant’s other character witness, his friend Turner, likewise opined
that defendant was not a violent person or someone who was capable of sexual assault.
On this record, the trial court could have reasonably determined that the underlying facts
concerning the 1997 Wisconsin incident, including that defendant repeatedly whipped the
victim over her cries to stop and that he then had sex with her, were relevant and
probative for testing Empleo’s and Turner’s opinions that defendant was peaceful,
nonviolent, and never sexually inappropriate. (See People v. Clair (1992) 2 Cal.4th 629,
684 [cross-examination “must be ‘specific’ and must ‘relate directly to a particular

                                             56
incident or character trait defendant offers in his own behalf’ ”].) The questioning by
the prosecutor “could reasonably have ‘let the jury test the validity of the opinion or the
weight to be given it’ [citation]:” the information in the prosecutor’s question “[could]
certainly be judged inconsistent with” peacefulness, nonviolence, and sexually
appropriateness as opined by Empleo and Turner. (Id. at pp. 684-685.) Further, in view
of the character traits at issue – peaceful, nonviolent, and never sexually inappropriate –
the court could have reasonably determined that the prosecutor’s questions on cross-
examination were not substantially more prejudicial than probative. On this record,
defendant fails to establish that (1) his trial counsel was ineffective for failing to
specifically object on Evidence Code section 352 grounds to the prosecutor’s cross-
examination of character witnesses Empleo and Turner, and (2) that there is a reasonable
probability that, but for trial counsel’s failure to object, the result of the proceeding would
have been different. (Lopez, supra, 42 Cal.4th at p. 966.) Further, in view of defendant’s
failure to establish that the trial court erred under Evidence Code section 352 in allowing
the prosecutor to cross-examine defendant’s character witnesses about the facts
underlying the Wisconsin conviction, defendant also fails to establish a violation of his
rights to due process and a fair trial.
       E. Cumulative Error
       Defendant contends that the combined effect of the individual errors during trial
was prejudicial. As we have found no individual error, we reject defendant’s cumulative
error argument.
       F. Custody Credit
       Defendant contends that the abstract of judgment erroneously indicates actual
custody credit of 1,093 days. He argues that he was in county jail from December 3,
2017, through the date of sentencing on December 3, 2020, and that he is therefore
entitled to actual credit of 1,097 days. With the addition of conduct credit of 164 days,
defendant contends that his total presentence custody credits should be 1,261 days.

                                              57
The Attorney General contends that defendant fails to provide a record citation in his
opening brief on appeal that shows the date he was initially taken into custody. In reply,
defendant cites to the probation report.
       The probation report reflects that defendant was arrested on December 3, 2017.
The probation report indicates that he remained in custody through June 19, 2020, the
date of the probation report, for 930 actual days.
       The sentencing hearing took place on December 3, 2020. Defendant was in
custody at that time. The trial court calculated defendant’s actual time in custody as
1,083 days. However, defendant’s trial counsel stated that he calculated 1,093 actual
days based on “the day [defendant] was arrested to today.” The prosecutor “defer[red]”
to defense counsel’s calculation.
       Based on the day defendant was arrested, December 3, 2017, through day of
sentencing, December 3, 2020, defendant is entitled to 1,097 actual days. (See People v.
Valdes (2020) 53 Cal.App.5th 953, 955 [for a defendant who is continuously in custody,
calculation of custody credit includes the day of arrest and the day of sentencing].) With
conduct credit of 164 days (see § 2933.1, subds. (a) & (c); People v. Ramos (1996)
50 Cal.App.4th 810, 815-816), defendant’s total custody credits are 1,261 days. We will
order the judgment modified accordingly.
       G. Criminal Justice Administration Fee
       At the sentencing hearing on December 3, 2020, the trial court ordered defendant
to pay a criminal justice administration fee of $129.75 to the City of Morgan Hill.
Although the court did not expressly state the statutory basis for the fee, the probation
report recommended that the amount be imposed pursuant to former Government Code
sections 29550, 29550.1, and 29550.2.
       On appeal, defendant contends that the criminal justice administration fee is no
longer collectible based on Government Code 6111, subdivision (a), and that any

                                             58
outstanding balance must be vacated. The Attorney General agrees. We find the
Attorney General’s concession appropriate.
       Government Code section 6111 states: “On and after July 1, 2021, the unpaid
balance of any court-imposed costs pursuant to . . . subdivision (c) or (f) of
Section 29550, and Sections 29550.1, 29550.2, and 29550.3, as those sections read on
June 30, 2021, is unenforceable and uncollectible and any portion of a judgment
imposing those costs shall be vacated.” (Id., subd. (a).) In other words, “by its plain
terms,” Government Code section 6111 “make[s] any unpaid portion of the identified
assessments, as they existed on June 30, 2021, ‘unenforceable and uncollectible’ as of
July 1, 2021. [Citation.]” (People v. Greeley (2021) 70 Cal.App.5th 609, 626, italics
added.) Further, “the statute also mandates that any portion of a judgment imposing
those fees be vacated. Accordingly, based on the plain language of the statute, the
unpaid balance of the . . . criminal justice administration fee[] must be vacated.” (Id. at
pp. 626-627, italics & fns. omitted.).
                                   IV. DISPOSITION
       The judgment is modified to reflect 1,097 actual days and 164 days of conduct
credit (Pen. Code, § 2933.1), for a total of 1,261 days of presentence custody credits.
       The portion of the $129.75 criminal justice administration fee that remained
unpaid as of July 1, 2021, is vacated. The clerk of the superior court is directed to amend
the abstract of judgment to reflect the vacatur of any balance of the criminal justice
administration fee that remained unpaid as of July 1, 2021.
       As amended, the judgment is affirmed.

                                             59
                    BAMATTRE-MANOUKIAN, ACTING P.J.

WE CONCUR:

DANNER, J.

WILSON, J.

People v. Kitzman
H048726