Opinion
Following his conviction for violating Penal Code section 288, defendant Matthew David Urke was placed on probation under various terms and conditions, including one which prohibited him from being “in the presence of any minor under the age of 18 without a responsible adult present that has been previously approved by [defendant’s] probation officer, except [his] own siblings.”
On appeal, defendant asserts (1) the foregoing probation condition is unconstitutionally vague and overbroad; (2) the trial court further violated his constitutional rights by modifying this probation condition and finding that he violated the modified condition; (3) the trial court should have awarded him custody credit for time served in the county jail following two of his probation violations because he did not knowingly and intelligently waive his entitlement to this custody credit; and (4) the trial court improperly imposed two restitution fines.
As we explain, we need not decide whether the foregoing condition was too vague, or too broad. The subject matter of the condition is one upon which a properly tailored condition may be imposed. And defendant’s conduct was such that it would breach the condition regardless of how narrowly or precisely worded. Thus, even if the condition were constitutionally infirm, as defendant asserts, any error is harmless beyond a reasonable doubt. We do agree that defendant is entitled to additional custody credit, and that the second restitution fine must be stricken. With these modifications, we affirm the judgment.
Underlying Offense
In 2001, defendant was 18 years old, lived at his mother’s house, and inappropriately touched several of his younger sisters’ friends while they visited the house. The first victim was approximately 10 years old and was sleeping on the couch when she awoke to find defendant rubbing her pubic area. She pretended to be asleep, rolled over, and defendant left. Another victim was seven or eight years old. While she sat on defendant’s lap, “he put his hands under her shirt and began rubbing her ‘boobs.’ ” She made up an excuse to leave and was not further molested. A third victim was 15 years old; defendant grabbed her in a “ ‘bear hug’ ” and unsuccessfully tried to pull her pants down. Finally, defendant was also found on top of another of his sister’s friends, “moving his hands all over her body on top of her clothing.” He admitted that his behavior was “ ‘wrong and against the law,’ ” and stated he was trying to get help through counseling.
Defendant pleaded guilty to one count of committing a lewd and lascivious act on a child under the age of 14 and was placed on eight years’ formal probation. As a condition of probation, defendant was prohibited from being “in the presence of any minor under the age of 18 without a responsible adult present that has been previously approved by [defendant’s] probation officer, except [his] own siblings.” Defendant was also required to serve a year in the county jail.
First Probation Violation
In 2004, defendant violated his grant of probation by being in the presence of minors. Defendant interacted with three girls, ages 15 to 17, at a Burger King restaurant, bought alcohol at a nearby liquor store, and brought the minors back to his apartment. Defendant admitted the violation, entered a waiver of custody credits pursuant to People v. Johnson (2002)
Second Probation Violation
In 2006, defendant violated his grant of probation by failing to participate in sex offender counseling. He was reinstated on probation with an additional sentence of 120 days in the county jail without entering a Johnson waiver. The trial court also modified the terms of defendant’s probation to allow him to have contact with his own child without the supervision of a responsible adult.
In 2007, defendant again violated his grant of probation by being in the presence of minors. This time, defendant was hired to build a children’s playground set in a family’s backyard. The family’s one-year-old daughter and four-year-old son were present in the backyard while defendant performed the work, and sat near defendant while he and the family ate lunch together. Defendant admitted that he knew the children were present, and that this was a violation of his grant of probation. After entering a Johnson waiver, defendant was reinstated on probation with an additional sentence of 210 days in the county jail.
Fourth Probation Violation—The Present Case
In 2009, defendant again violated his grant of probation by being in the presence of minors. This time, defendant took his two-year-old son to the pool at his apartment complex. Several children, ages three to nine, were also at the pool with their mothers. While in the pool, defendant played with his son and the other children. As one of the mothers explained: “He was playing with the kids, swimming, splashing them with the . . . long floating [pool noodle] that had two holes in each end, so he was putting water inside one hole and blowing and splashed the kid with the water . . . .” When asked whether the playing was confined to splashing the children, she answered: “Yeah, splashing water, playing around. The kid was asking his son’s name. He answered the son’s name. And they was all in the water. Their moms didn’t ask them to get out of the water. So nothing that I could do about it. But he was playing with the kids.” The apartment manager, who had previously been informed by defendant that he was “not to have any interactions with children,” unsuccessfully tried to call defendant’s probation officer, and then called the sheriff’s department. Sheriff’s deputies arrived roughly 30 minutes later. Defendant later admitted to his probation officer that he did not have permission to be in the pool with these children.
Defendant moved to dismiss the petition alleging this conduct to be a violation of his probation, arguing that the probation condition prohibiting him from being in the presence of minors is unconstitutionally vague and overbroad because (1) it lacks a knowledge requirement, and (2) the term “presence” is not sufficiently clear to inform him of what conduct will amount to a violation of probation. The trial court agreed with the first of defendant’s arguments and modified the condition to read: “ ‘not be in the presence of any person he knows or reasonably should know to be under the age of 18 without a responsible adult present as approved by the probation officer, except his siblings.’ ” Defendant’s second argument was summarily rejected.
DISCUSSION
I
We begin by summarizing several principles that govern the grant and review of a petition to revoke probation.
Section 1203.2, subdivision (a), authorizes a court to revoke probation if the interests of justice so require and the court, in its judgment, has reason to believe that the person has violated any of the conditions of his or her probation. (See People v. Rodriguez (1990)
“The discretion of the court to revoke probation is analogous to its power to grant the probation, and the court’s discretion will not be disturbed in the absence of a showing of abusive or arbitrary action. [Citations.]” (People v. Silva (1966)
II
Defendant contends that the probation condition prohibiting him from being in the “presence” of minors is unconstitutionally vague and overbroad.
However, there is a fundamental principle of judicial restraint which prevents us from reaching constitutional issues “unless absolutely required to do so to dispose of the matter before us.” (People v. Williams (1976) 16 Cal.3d
A
Trial courts possess broad discretion to devise reasonable conditions of probation in order to foster the reformation and rehabilitation of the probationer and to protect public safety. (§ 1203.1, subd. (j); In re Luis F. (2009)
An otherwise valid probation condition may infringe the constitutional rights of the probationer, who is “not entitled to the same degree of constitutional protection as other citizens.” (People v. Peck (1996)
In People v. Delvalle (1994)
Similarly, in People v. Mills (1978)
Here, defendant was convicted of committing a lewd and lascivious act on a minor. He molested several of his sister’s friends, ages seven to 15. There can be no doubt that a properly drafted probation condition preventing him from associating with minors would withstand constitutional scrutiny. The state has a compelling interest in protecting children from defendant. Preventing defendant from associating with children is both “ ‘primarily designed’ ” to offer such protection and “ ‘reasonably related’ ” to that compelling interest. (People v. Lopez, supra, 66 Cal.App.4th at pp. 627-628.)
B
Whether or not the challenged condition should have prevented defendant from “associating” with minors, rather than being in their “presence,” we find beyond a reasonable doubt that the trial court would have found that defendant violated the condition. Accordingly, any error was harmless.
We are mindful that principles of due process prevent us from affirming a decision to revoke probation based on a theory not alleged in the revocation petition. (In re Babak S. (1993)
Based on undisputed testimony adduced during the revocation hearing, we find beyond a reasonable doubt that the trial court would have found that defendant knowingly associated with persons he knew or reasonably should have known to be under the age of 18 without a responsible adult present who had been previously approved by the probation department. Defendant has not demonstrated this to be one of the “ ‘very extreme’ ” cases in which an appellate court should interfere with the discretion of the trial court in revoking his probation. (Rodriguez, supra,
III
Defendant further asserts that the trial court should have awarded him custody credit for time served in the county jail following two of his
“A Johnson waiver is a waiver of a statutory right to credit for time served against a subsequent county jail or state prison sentence pursuant to section 2900.5.” (People v. Arnold (2004)
However, “[a]s with the waiver of any significant right by a criminal defendant, a defendant’s waiver of entitlement to section 2900.5 custody credits must, of course, be knowing and intelligent. [Citation.]” (Johnson, supra,
At sentencing, defendant was awarded custody credit for the 360 days he served in the county jail in connection with his initial grant of probation. He was also awarded custody credit for the 120 days he spent in the county jail following his second probation violation in 2006 because he did not enter a Johnson waiver with respect to this sentence. The trial court also awarded defendant custody credit for 144 days in connection with his fourth probation violation (125 days of actual custody, plus 19 days of conduct credit), for a total of 624 days of custody credit. Defendant was not awarded custody credit for the 120 days he spent in the county jail following his first probation violation in 2004. Nor was he awarded custody credit for the 210 days he spent in the county jail following his third probation violation in 2007.
In 2004, after defendant admitted to violating his grant of probation, his attorney informed the trial court that he had not explained the Johnson waiver to defendant. The trial court then provided the following explanation: “[Defendant], you have previously served 360 days in the county jail on this case. You have a statutory right pursuant to Penal Code Section 19[.2] to serve no more [than] one year in the county jail, [f] Do you now specifically waive that right pursuant to People versus Johnson and agree to an additional sentence of 120 days in the county jail[?] And I will add, with the understanding that if you are committed to state prison, you are entitled to credit for these days!” (Italics added.) After defendant entered the Johnson waiver, the trial court reminded him of the seriousness of the situation, and added: “Most people don’t get more [than] one chance to waive their rights pursuant to People versus Johnson.”
In 2007, after defendant admitted to violating his grant of probation, the trial court asked defendant whether he agreed to serve an additional 210 days in the county jail as a condition of further probation, “in other words, enter a Johnson waiver so that you can remain in local custody for 210 days,” rather than having to go to state prison. Defendant agreed.
The record does not reveal a knowing and intelligent waiver of defendant’s right to custody credits under section 2900.5. Indeed, in 2004, defendant was specifically told that he would be entitled to credit for the 120 days he spent in the county jail in connection with a subsequent probation violation if he was then sentenced to state prison. We have no doubt that the trial court meant to state that defendant would not be entitled to credit for those days. However, given that defendant’s attorney informed the trial court that he had not explained the Johnson waiver to defendant, we cannot assume that defendant understood the trial court to mean the opposite of what it stated. Nor does the record reveal that this apparent misconception was somehow cleared up by the time defendant entered his Johnson waiver in 2007. With respect to that waiver, defendant was merely asked if he agreed to serve an additional 210 days in the county jail. The trial court did not advise him that he was relinquishing his right to custody credit for those days.
Accordingly, defendant is entitled to an additional 330 days of presentence custody credit.
Finally, we agree with defendant that the trial court improperly imposed two restitution fines.
Section 1202.4, subdivision (b), provides: “In every case where a person is convicted of a crime, the court shall impose a separate and additional restitution fine, unless it finds compelling and extraordinary reasons for not doing so, and states those reasons on the record.” (§ 1202.4, subd. (b).) Subdivision (m) of section 1202.4 provides in relevant part: “In every case in which the defendant is granted probation, the court shall make the payment of restitution fines and orders imposed pursuant to this section a condition of probation.” (§ 1202.4, subd. (m).)
A restitution fine imposed at the time probation is granted survives the revocation of probation. Because of this, an additional restitution fine imposed at the time probation is revoked is unauthorized and must be stricken from the judgment. (People v. Chambers (1998)
In this case, the trial court imposed a $200 restitution fine when defendant was granted probation. Following revocation of defendant’s probation, the court imposed an additional $200 restitution fine. While the abstract of judgment discloses only one restitution fine, the oral pronouncement always prevails over the abstract of judgment. (People v. Mesa (1975)
As was the case in Chambers and Arata, because the first restitution fine survived the revocation of probation, the second restitution fine was unauthorized and must be stricken from the judgment.
DISPOSITION
The judgment is modified as follows: (1) Defendant is entitled to a total of 954 days of presentence custody credit. (2) The $200 restitution fine imposed on September 30, 2009, is stricken from the judgment. The $200 restitution fine imposed on October 3, 2002, remains in force. As modified, the
Raye, P. J., and Mauro, J., concurred.
Notes
Further section references are to the Penal Code unless otherwise specified.
Section 1203.2, subdivision (a) provides in full: “At any time during the probationary period of a person released on probation under the care of a probation officer pursuant to this chapter, or of a person released on conditional sentence or summary probation not under the care of a probation officer, if any probation officer or peace officer has probable cause to believe that the probationer is violating any term or condition of his or her probation or conditional sentence, the officer may, without warrant or other process and at any time until the final disposition of the case, rearrest the person and bring him or her before the court or the court may, in its discretion, issue a warrant for his or her rearrest. Upon such rearrest, or upon the issuance of a warrant for rearrest the court may revoke and terminate such probation if the interests of justice so require and the court, in its judgment, has reason to believe from the report of the probation officer or otherwise that the person has violated any of the conditions of his or her probation, has become abandoned to improper associates or a vicious life, or has subsequently committed other offenses, regardless whether he or she has been prosecuted for such offenses. However, probation shall not be revoked for failure of a person to make restitution pursuant to Section 1203.04 as a condition of probation unless the court determines that the defendant has willfully failed to pay and has the ability to pay. Restitution shall be consistent with a person’s ability to pay. The revocation, summary or otherwise, shall serve to toll the running of the probationary period.”
As a preliminary matter, we disagree with the People’s assertion that defendant has forfeited these claims by failing to challenge this probation condition when it was initially imposed, and by failing to challenge it either in 2004 or 2007 when he was twice found to be in violation of the condition. Defendant’s facial vagueness and overbreadth challenges to the terms of this probation condition raise pure questions of law, which do not require “scrutiny of individual facts and circumstances,” but instead require “the review of abstract and generalized legal concepts—a task that is well suited to the role of an appellate court.” (In re Sheena K. (2007)
This conclusion also makes it unnecessary to address defendant’s further claim that his constitutional rights were violated when the trial court modified the challenged condition to include a knowledge requirement and then found that he was “in the knowing presence of a minor under the age of 18 without an approved responsible adult.” In any event, contrary to defendant’s argument, principles of due process do not prevent a court from modifying a probation condition to withstand constitutional scrutiny and then determining that a probationer’s conduct constituted a violation of the more narrowly tailored condition. (See People ex rel. Gallo v. Acuna (1997)
