Court Opinion

ID: 9908088
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-12-07 18:02:56.780186+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T12:44:37.340174
License: Public Domain

Filed 12/7/23 P. v. Hernandez CA4/1
                   NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN OFFICIAL REPORTS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 This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for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.

                 COURT OF APPEAL, FOURTH APPELLATE DISTRICT

                                                       DIVISION ONE

                                              STATE OF CALIFORNIA

THE PEOPLE,                                                                  D081619

          Plaintiff and Respondent,

          v.                                                                 (Super. Ct. No. FVI17003037)

JOSE DE JESUS HERNANDEZ,

          Defendant and Appellant.

          APPEAL from a judgment of the Superior Court of San Bernardino
County, Tony Raphael, Judge. Affirmed with directions to correct the
sentencing minute orders and abstracts of judgment.
          Patricia L. Brisbois, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for
Defendant and Appellant.
          Rob Bonta, Attorney General, Lance E. Winters, Chief Assistant
Attorney General, Charles C. Ragland, Assistant Attorney General, and
Christopher P. Beesley and Britton B. Lacy, Deputy Attorneys General, for
Plaintiff and Respondent.
                               INTRODUCTION
      Jose De Jesus Hernandez was convicted of sexually abusing his
stepdaughter and two nieces over a period of years and was initially
sentenced to serve a prison term of 30 years to life, consecutive to 8 years and
8 months. In his first appeal, Hernandez successfully argued, and the People
conceded, that the trial court imposed an unauthorized sentence of 15-years-
to-life for his conviction on count 4 (continuous sexual abuse of a child in

violation of Penal Code1 section 288.5, subd. (a)) because Hernandez
committed that offense from September 1996 through September 2001, before
the Legislature amended section 667.61, subdivision (c) to add section 288.5
as a One Strike offense. The matter was remanded for resentencing on
count 4 without application of the One Strike Law (§ 667.61) and for
correction of clerical errors in the sentencing minute order and abstracts of
judgment. (See People v. Hernandez (Sept. 20, 2022, D080015) [nonpub. opn.]
(Hernandez).)
      In this second appeal, Hernandez claims the sentence on count 4 (mid-
term of 12 years, consecutive) must again be reversed and also seeks the
correction of trial court records as directed in Hernandez as well as
subsequent court records. After initially claiming the resentencing violated
ex post facto prohibitions based on an incomplete and inaccurate legislative
history of section 667.6, Hernandez now concedes the trial court had
discretion and the authority to impose the sentence on count 4 pursuant to
the applicable version of section 667.6, but he raises two additional
arguments in his supplemental letter brief: (1) the record does not clearly
show the trial court understood the applicable version of section 667.6 did not
mandate a full term consecutive sentence, and (2) the trial court failed to

1     All further statutory references are to the Penal Code.
                                        2
provide a statement of reasons for its election to sentence Hernandez under
section 667.6 in lieu of section 1170.1.
      We reject Hernandez’s challenges to the sentence and affirm the trial
court’s judgment with directions for the correction of the trial court record.
                         RELEVANT BACKGROUND
      After a jury convicted Hernandez on all four counts of child sexual
abuse in 2021, the trial court sentenced him to the upper term of 8 years on
count 3, a consecutive term of 8 months on count 2 (one-third of the midterm),
and consecutive sentences of 15 years to life on counts 1 and 4, for a total
indeterminate term of 30 years to life. Following remand in Hernandez, the
trial court scheduled a resentencing hearing for February 1, 2023, where the
trial court imposed an indeterminate prison term of 15 years to life and a
determinate term of 18 years and 8 months to be followed by a lifetime period
of parole with a total credit of 2,010 days. On count 4, Hernandez was
sentenced to the midterm of 12 years, consecutive, for his continuous sexual
abuse of Jane Doe 3 in violation of section 288.5, subdivision (a) from
September 1996 through September 2001. Hernandez timely appealed.
      In this second appeal, Hernandez initially argued that the sentence on
count 4 violated ex post facto prohibitions based on the erroneous assumption
that section 288.5 had not been added to section 667.6 as an offense for which
a full-term consecutive sentence was permitted until 2006. The People
conceded error despite this faulty premise, and both parties agreed the
matter should be remanded for the correction of the February 1, 2023
resentencing minute order and the February 6, 2023 abstracts of judgment in
addition to corrections to previous court records as directed in Hernandez.
      On October 23, 2023, we issued an order requesting supplemental
briefing to address Assembly Bill 2212 (Stats. 1989, ch. 1402, §§ 4, 7)

                                           3
whereby the Legislature enacted section 288.5 (continuous sexual abuse) and
amended Penal Code section 667.6, subdivision (c), to include Penal Code
section 288.5 as an offense that could trigger an increased prison term. Both
parties acknowledged in their respective supplemental letter briefs that the
Legislature had amended section 667.6 to include continuous sexual abuse of
a child in violation of section 288.5 prior to the commission of the count 4
offense, and that the trial court had discretion to impose a full-term
consecutive sentence. However, Hernandez maintains reversal is still
warranted.
        As discussed below, we conclude (1) the trial court properly exercised
its discretion to impose a lawful sentence, and (2) Hernandez forfeited his
claim that the trial court failed to provide a statement of reasons for
sentencing him pursuant to section 667.6 in lieu of section 1170.1. We
therefore affirm the judgment and direct the trial court to correct the
relevant trial court records.
                                  DISCUSSION
        A.    The Applicable Version of Penal Code Section 667.6.
        Section 667.6 was enacted by the Legislature in 1979 to provide longer
prison terms for certain sex offenders than otherwise permitted under
section 1170.1. (Stats. 1979, ch. 944, § 10, p. 3258.) In 1989, the Legislature
enacted section 288.5 (continuous sexual abuse) and amended Penal Code
section 667.6, subdivision (c), to include Penal Code section 288.5 as an
offense that could trigger an increased prison term. (Stats. 1989, ch. 1402,
§ 7.)
        Subdivision (c) of the applicable version of section 667.6, which was in
effect from 1996 through 2001 when Hernandez committed the count 4
offense, states in part: “In lieu of the term provided in Section 1170.1, a full,

                                         4
separate, and consecutive term may be imposed for each violation of
. . . Section 288.5 . . . . If the term is imposed consecutively pursuant to this
subdivision, it shall be served consecutively to any other term of
imprisonment, and shall commence from the time the person would otherwise
have been released from imprisonment. The term shall not be included in
any determination pursuant to Section 1170.1. Any other term imposed
subsequent to that term shall not be merged therein but shall commence at
the time the person otherwise would have been released from prison.”
      In 2006, the Legislature made substantive and organizational
amendments to section 667.6. (Stats. 2006, ch. 337, § 32.) In the current
version of the statute, “[c]ontinuous sexual abuse of a child, in violation of
Section 288.5” is listed in subdivision (e)(6) as one of the offenses for which
the trial court “shall” impose “[a] full, separate, and consecutive term” for
each violation of section 288.5. (§ 667.6, subd. (e)(6).)
      B.    The Trial Court Was Fully Aware of the Scope of its Discretion.
      Although it is now undisputed that the trial court had discretion to
impose a full, separate, and consecutive term for count 4 pursuant to
subdivision (c) of the operative version of section 667.6, Hernandez argues in
his supplemental letter brief that the sentence is still subject to reversal
because it is unclear from the record whether the trial court mistakenly
relied on the current version of section 667.6, which mandates a full term
consecutive sentence for violations of section 288.5, and posits the trial court
did not realize it had discretion to not impose a full term consecutive
sentence.
      “The general rule is that a trial court is presumed to have been aware
of and followed the applicable law.” (People v. Mosley (1997) 53 Cal.App.4th
489, 496.) Yet, when a sentencing court was unaware of the full scope of its

                                         5
discretionary powers at the time the defendant was sentenced, “the
appropriate remedy is to remand for resentencing unless the record ‘clearly
indicate[s]’ that the trial court would have reached the same conclusion ‘even
if it had been aware that it had such discretion.’ ” (People v. Gutierrez (2014)
58 Cal.4th 1354, 1391.)
      Our review of the record reveals the trial court was fully aware of its
discretionary power to impose either a concurrent or consecutive sentence
despite references to subdivision (e)(6) of the current version of the statute
during the resentencing hearing. Before pronouncing the sentence, the trial
court unequivocally stated: “The Court acknowledges that it has discretion to
sentence concurrent. But it’s choosing to sentence consecutive in this case.”
(Italics added.) This express acknowledgment by the trial court of its
authority to sentence Hernandez either concurrently or consecutively makes
clear the trial court exercised informed discretion when it resentenced
Hernandez.
      Furthermore, the record shows the trial court would have sentenced
Hernandez consecutively in any event. In addition to informing the parties
that it intended to impose the maximum sentence possible at the initial
sentencing hearing (see Hernandez, supra, D080015), the trial court informed
the parties of its intention to sentence Hernandez consecutively in chambers
prior to the resentencing hearing and repeated its intention twice prior to its
pronouncement of the sentence. On this record, we conclude the trial court
properly exercised its discretion when it imposed a consecutive sentence on
count 4 in accordance with the applicable version of section 667.6.
      Nor was there any violation of state or federal ex post facto clauses.
(See People v. Simmons (2012) 210 Cal.App.4th 778, 796-797.) The initial ex
post facto argument raised in Hernandez’s opening brief was based on the

                                        6
erroneous premise that “a full-term consecutive sentence for the violation of
section 288.5, subdivision (a) in count 4 was not available before 2006” and
therefore fatally flawed. Hernandez attempted to resurrect the ex post facto
argument in his supplemental letter brief by claiming “the trial court
expressly relied on a later version of 667.6” that was not in effect at the time
the offense in count 4 was committed. Not only is this argument belied by
the record as previously discussed, but Respondent aptly argues that no ex
post facto violation occurred “because section 667.6 did, in fact, provide an
increased penalty for continuous sexual abuse at the time appellant
committed his continuing offense[.]”
      C.     Hernandez Forfeited any Error Based on a Deficient Statement of
           Reasons for Sentencing Pursuant to Section 667.6.
      Prior to its pronouncement of the sentence, the trial court offered the
following statement of reasons for imposing consecutive terms in this case:
“I find that the crimes and their objectives were predominantly independent
of each other. The crimes involved separate acts of violence, or threats of
violence, and the crimes were committed at different times with separate
places rather than being committed so closely in time and place as to indicate
a single period of aberrant behavior. Certainly from the testimony at trial,
this is not a case of aberrant behavior. I do find that any one of these factors
by itself justifies the imposition of consecutive sentences or consecutive terms
in this case.”
      The trial court informed the parties of the sentence it intended to
impose at a chambers conference prior to the resentencing hearing and
provided counsel adequate opportunity to object at the hearing both before
and after it stated its reasons and pronounced the sentence. Defense counsel
did not raise any objection or seek a separate statement of reasons regarding

                                        7
the trial court’s election to sentence Hernandez pursuant to section 667.6 in
lieu of section 1170.1.
      Relying on People v. Belmontes (1983) 34 Cal.3d 335, 347-348,
Hernandez argues for the first time in his supplemental brief that the trial
court failed to include a statement of reasons for electing to sentence him
under section 667.6 instead of section 1170.1. By failing to object on this
ground in the trial court, Hernandez forfeited the issue on appeal. (See
People v. Scott (2015) 61 Cal.4th 363, 406.)
      D.    Clerical Errors Must be Corrected.
      Hernandez provided the following directions for the correction of
various clerical errors in the sentencing minute order and abstracts of
judgment:
            At sentencing, the trial court imposed three separate
            victim restitution orders under section 1202.4 in the
            amounts of $2,654.95, $375, and $225, for a total of
            $3,254.95 in victim restitution. However, the
            sentencing minute order and indeterminate abstract
            of judgment state that Hernandez is to pay victim
            restitution in four specific amounts: $3,254.95,
            $2,654.95, $375, and $225. Both parties agree the
            first enumerated amount of $3,254.95, which is the
            total of the other three amounts of victim restitution
            when combined, is erroneous. Accordingly, the
            sentencing minute order and indeterminate abstract
            of judgment shall be corrected to comport with the
            oral pronouncement of judgment. [Citation.]

            Additionally, the indeterminate and determinate
            abstracts of judgment incorrectly state 2010 as the
            year Hernandez committed all of his crimes. Based
            on the charges in the information, evidence at trial,
            jury instructions, and verdicts, the parties agree
            count 1 occurred between 2010 to 2016; count 2
            occurred between 2016 to 2017, count 3 occurred
            between 1994 to 1995, and count 4 occurred between

                                       8
             1996 to 2001. The abstracts of judgment shall be
             corrected accordingly. [Citation.]

At the outset of the resentencing hearing following remand, the trial court
referred to the remittitur issued in Hernandez, acknowledged that the
corrections would be made as directed, and requested “the clerk’s office” make
the corrections. However, it appears the trial court clerk has yet to make the
corrections as previously directed, and the parties also correctly observed
that the February 1, 2023 minute order and the February 6, 2023 abstracts of
judgment also require correction.
      On February 1, 2023, the trial court made the following restitution
order: “The Court orders restitution – orders the defendant to pay restitution
under 1202.4 to be collected by the Department of Corrections and
Rehabilitation as follows: $2,654.95 to Victim Compensation Board, case
number A17[-]6655906; $375 to Victim Compensation Board, case number
A17[-]6667869; and $225 to Victim Compensation Board, case number A17[-]
6667919. The Court will continue to reserve on victim restitution.” The
February 1, 2023 minute order again separately lists the “$3,254.95” total to
be collected in addition to the separate amounts comprising the total. The
February 6, 2023 indeterminate and determinate abstracts of judgment
similarly reflect the restitution error as well as the errors identified in
Hernandez.
      The trial court must ensure the prompt correction of these records.
                                 DISPOSITION
      The February 1, 2023 sentence is affirmed. The trial court is directed
to correct the trial court records as stated in this opinion, including the
“**Corrected** [¶] Minute Order” dated September 20, 2021, page 2, and the
minute order dated February 1, 2023, page 2, to remove “$3,254.95.” The

                                        9
trial court is instructed to issue amended abstracts of judgment reflecting the
sentence entered on February 1, 2023, correcting the years the count 4 crimes
were committed (1996-2001), and removing “$3,254.95” from the restitution
amounts listed. The trial court shall forward the amended abstracts of
judgment to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

                                                                CASTILLO, J.

WE CONCUR:

DO, Acting P. J.

BUCHANAN, J.

                                      10