People v. RatcliffePeople v. Ratcliffe
OPINION
WHITE, P.J. —
Procedural History
On May 19, 1978, a jury found defendant and appellant Ronald Ratcliffe guilty of kidnaping (
On April 16, 1980, appellant filed a petition for writ of habeas corpus in the Santa Clara County Superior Court contending (1) the trial judge failed to state his reasons for imposing consecutive rather than concurrent terms; and (2) the imposition of sentence on the kidnaping and false imprisonment charge was violative of the prohibition against multiple punishment contained in
On August 1, 1980, appellant appeared before the Honorable Richard W. Rhodes for resentencing. Judge Rhodes found that
Appellant has appealed from the sentence imposed on August 1, 1980,2 and contends on appeal that (1) the imposition of consecutive sentences for kidnaping, rape and oral copulation violated the multiple punishment prohibition of
Facts
The bulk of the People‘s case was established through the testimony of Ms. Dillard,3 the complaining witness. At this point a brief summary of that testimony evidencing appellant‘s shockingly flagrant felonious conduct will suffice. The jury‘s verdicts necessarily imply that they determined that appellant in the order designated (1) forcibly kidnaped Dillard (from her apartment via automobile to his own); (2) therein after physically threatening her with a baseball bat, he demanded her money; (3) her screams for help unanswered, he then required her to strip naked, tied her to a bed, terrorized and assaulted her with a knife blade, and then raped her; (4) before releasing her bonds, he forced her to orally copulate; and (5) after he untied her, appellant forced her to drink clorox and to swallow some pills. Fortunately, Dillard escaped by jumping or falling out a window two stories high. The “incident” lasted the better part of six hours and included the perpetration of humiliating, degrading and depraved sexual indignities upon Dillard that we summarily discuss hereinbelow. In light of the above perspective, we now discuss appellant‘s contentions of alleged sentencing errors.
Multiple Punishment
(1a) Appellant contends that the imposition of consecutive terms for kidnaping, rape and oral copulation and a concurrent term for false imprisonment was violative of the prohibition against multiple punishment contained in
(2) The single act or omission is not the only test that is employed to determine the applicability of
Appellant states “There is absolutely no evidence to support the conclusion that the kidnapping in the instant case had any `independent purpose’ ... or was anything more than being `merely incidental’ to the `principle [sic] objective’ of the extended period of sexual gratification, which also included the use of a camera and tape recorder which were located in appellant‘s apartment.” Appellant further asserts that the “sentence for false imprisonment enhanced by the [use] allegation suffers the same disability as the sentence for kidnapping.”
The determination of whether the acts of which a defendant has been convicted constitute an indivisible course of conduct is generally a factual determination made by the trial court on the basis of the findings concerning the defendant‘s intent and objective in committing the acts.5
“Just as it is the criminal `act or omission’ to which
(3) If an offense is committed as a means of committing another offense, it is generally held that the defendant had one criminal intent or objective or that his criminal intent or objective in regard to one of the offenses was incidental to his intent in committing the other offense. (People v. Perez, supra, at pp. 553-554; People v. Beamon, supra, 8 Cal.3d 625, 639; People v. Massie (1967) 66 Cal.2d 899, 908 [59 Cal. Rptr. 733, 428 P.2d 869].) However,
Even though the intent to commit one offense is not formulated until after the commission of another offense,
(1b) At the time for resentencing defense counsel argued that the evidence clearly showed that the clear intent and objective of the kidnaping was to commit the sex crimes. The trial court necessarily made a factual determination that the sole objective of the kidnaping was not to commit rape and oral copulation, when it ruled that
The trial court also could have properly concluded that appellant entertained multiple criminal objectives in embarking upon his course of conduct. The offenses occurred after Dillard had repeatedly rejected appellant. Not only did appellant kidnap the victim and commit the sex crime, but he demanded her money, assaulted her with a wet towel, ran the blade of a knife up and down the victim‘s body and forced her to drink Clorox and told her she was going to die. Appellant also inflicted other indignities upon Dillard during the six-hour period she was in his apartment (e.g., appellant had the victim urinate in a frying pan and then threw the pan at her; appellant placed pans of boiling water near Dillard‘s hips; and appellant photographed Dillard while he was placing objects in her vagina). If appellant could be said to have a sole or primary intent and objective in regard to his course of conduct, it would
The cases cited by appellant do not compel a contrary conclusion. In People v. Laster, supra, 18 Cal. App.3d 381, People v. Panky (1978) 82 Cal. App.3d 772 [147 Cal. Rptr. 341], and People v. Green (1979) 95 Cal. App.3d 991 [157 Cal. Rptr. 520], relied upon by appellant, there was no substantial evidence that the kidnapings had criminal objectives apart from the other offenses of which the defendants were convicted and/or punished.
(4) We will now consider appellant‘s contention that imposition of a concurrent sentence for false imprisonment violated the prohibition against multiple punishment contained in
The case of People v. Pater (1968) 267 Cal. App.2d 921 [73 Cal. Rptr. 823], is very helpful in determining when two counts relate to the same act. In Pater, defendant was convicted of grand theft (auto) (
The reasoning in Pater is applicable to the convictions of kidnaping and false imprisonment in the instant case. The fact that there is a continuous character to the offense of false imprisonment does not change the fact that false imprisonment is necessarily included in the offense of kidnaping and that both the false imprisonment count and the kidnaping
Accordingly, the conviction of false imprisonment must be reversed.
Dual Use of Facts in Sentencing
(5) Appellant was sentenced to the upper term on the rape count and the sentences on the kidnaping and oral copulation counts were to run consecutively to the rape count. Appellant contends that the trial court erroneously used the same facts to justify the aggravated term on the rape count and to justify the consecutive sentences on the kidnaping and oral copulation counts.
In People v. Lawson (1980) 107 Cal. App.3d 748, 751, [165 Cal. Rptr. 764], the court noted that
The People recognize that the same facts may not be used to impose the aggravated term and also used to impose consecutive sentences. However, the People assert that the trial court‘s comments may be interpreted in such a way as to show that it was not using the same facts twice.
A review of the court‘s statement of reasons for imposing the aggravated term and for imposing the consecutive sentences, leads to only one reasonable interpretation — that the court improperly relied upon the same facts for imposing the aggravated term and for imposing consecutive sentences.
“Likewise, I find Item A(2) under Rule 421 is a serious circumstance in aggravation, being armed and using a weapon during that day of the 18th of April — correction, 18th of August of 1977. I find, too, that the victim was a particularly vulnerable victim and Item Seven would be applicable, A(7) if one — one or more of the crimes with which Mr. Ratcliffe has been convicted is being sentenced concurrently.”
The only mitigating factor the court thought might be applicable was that appellant‘s prior criminal record was “insignificant.” The court then stated: “However, I find that that is outweighed considerably by circumstances in aggravation, and those circumstances in aggravation preponderate.”
The court stated its reasons for imposing consecutive sentences on the kidnaping and oral copulation convictions as follows: “Now, in studying 425, the criteria effecting concurrent and consecutive sentences, again the Court does not believe that necessarily these subsections are of equal importance. The crimes involved here did involve separate acts of violence or threats of violence, no question about that. Also, the Court may consider any circumstances in aggravation or mitigation, but I have already considered and explained my feelings on those.” (Italics added.)9
Since it is clear that the trial court made dual use of the same factors in imposing the aggravated term and imposing consecutive sentences, appellant is entitled to a new sentencing hearing. (People v. Burney (1981) 115 Cal. App.3d 497, 504-506 [171 Cal. Rptr. 329]; People v. Covino (1980) 100 Cal. App.3d 660, 670-671 [161 Cal. Rptr. 155].)
Probation Report
(6) Appellant points out the probation report refers to his prior arrests that did not result in convictions. Appellant‘s final contention is the inclusion in the probation report of his prior police contacts that did not result in convictions, denied him due process of law. Appellant relies
The defendant in Calloway complained that the trial court denied his application for probation and committed him to the California Youth Authority on the basis of a probation report listing various prior contacts with law enforcement agencies and courts, including four matters on which the disposition was listed as “`unknown‘” and seven contacts (under the headings of grand theft, burglary and assault with a deadly weapon) bearing the notation “`Not arrested, 849b(1) P.C.‘” (People v. Calloway, supra, at p. 907.)
It is now well established that a probation report may refer to an arrest that did not result in a conviction, if supporting factual information is included and the information is not presented in a misleading manner. (People v. Lutz (1980) 109 Cal. App.3d 489, 497 [167 Cal. Rptr. 309]; People v. Tobia (1979) 98 Cal. App.3d 157, 165 [159 Cal. Rptr. 376]; People v. Taylor (1979) 92 Cal. App.3d 831, 833 [155 Cal. Rptr. 62].)
Appellant‘s probation report in the instant case does not contain the kind of bare “rap sheet” information condemned in Calloway, but rather contains lengthy supporting factual information (e.g., victim‘s statement, statement of appellant in regard to prior arrests, police reports, disposition). The report was on the whole adequate and not misleading. Furthermore, the trial court stated the only thing it was considering in regard to appellant‘s criminal record, was appellant‘s conviction for a Health and Safety Code violation. In fact, the trial court thought appellant‘s “insignificant” criminal record could be considered a mitigating factor.
Accordingly, appellant‘s final contention is without merit.
Feinberg, J., and Barry-Deal, J., concurred.