People v. Pace, 94 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 6283 (Cal. Ct. App. 1994). · Go Syfert
People v. Pace, 94 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 6283 (Cal. Ct. App. 1994). Cases Citing This Book View Copy Cite
28 citation events (19 in the last 25 years) across 1 distinct court.
Strongest positive: People v. Banerjee CA1/2 (calctapp, 2024-06-28)
Treatment trajectory · 1995 → 2026 · click a year to view as-of
1995 2010 2026
Top citers, strongest first. 9 distinct citers.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) People v. Banerjee CA1/2
Cal. Ct. App. · 2024 · confidence medium
As a result, Banerjee was “unable to rationally communicate interpersonally.” This evidence established Banerjee was exhibiting symptoms of a mental disorder that posed “adverse effects” to her mental health. (§ 1370, subd. (a)(2)(B)(i)(I); cf. People v. Wright (2005) 35 Cal.4th 964, 970 [expert testimony that delusions are psychotic symptoms]; People v. Pace (1994) 27 Cal.App.4th 795, 798 [expert testimony that delusions were a symptom of defendant’s severe mental disorder].) 10 In his written report, Dr. Perez concluded Banerjee suffered from a “brain disease with a deterioratin…
discussed Cited as authority (rule) People v. Espinoza CA3
Cal. Ct. App. · 2023 · confidence medium
(See People v. Pace (1994) 27 Cal.App.4th 795, 799 [a mental health professional, when assessing a defendant’s risk of physical harm to others, “should take into account the prisoner’s entire history . . . .
discussed Cited as authority (rule) People v. Rivera CA2/8
Cal. Ct. App. · 2022 · confidence medium
(People v. Pace (1994) 27 Cal.App.4th 795, 799 (a mental health professional, when assessing a defendant's risk of physical harm to others, “should take into account the prisoner's entire history . . . .
discussed Cited as authority (rule) People v. Griffith CA6
Cal. Ct. App. · 2014 · confidence medium
(Ibid.; cf. People v. Wright (2005) 35 Cal.4th 964, 970 [expert testimony that delusions are psychotic symptoms]; People v. Pace (1994) 27 Cal.App.4th 795, 798 [expert testimony that delusions were a symptom of defendant’s 9 severe mental disorder].) In his written report, Dr. Greene opined that without antipsychotic medication, defendant’s “mental health would be substantially compromised, and that eventually, serious harm will come to him regarding his mental health.” Dr. Greene did not specify the type of “serious harm” that would occur, but he did state that defendant’s delus…
cited Cited as authority (rule) People v. Butler
Cal. Ct. App. · 1999 · confidence medium
(People v. Pace (1994) 27 Cal.App.4th 795, 797 [ 33 Cal.Rptr.2d 352 ].) Dr. Burton concluded that appellant suffered from a bipolar disorder.
cited Cited as authority (rule) People v. Campos
Cal. Ct. App. · 1995 · confidence medium
(People v. Miller, supra, 25 Cal.App.3d 913, 919-920 ; People v. Pace (1994) 27 Cal.App.4th 795, 797-798 [ 33 Cal.Rptr.2d 352 ].) The order under review is affirmed.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) People v. Campos
Cal. Ct. App. · 1995 · confidence medium
The jury credited this testimony and we do not reweigh it. ( People v. Miller, supra, 25 Cal. App.3d 913, 919-920 ; People v. Pace (1994) 27 Cal. App.4th 795, 797-798 [ 33 Cal. Rptr.2d 352 ].) The order under review is affirmed.
discussed Cited "see" People v. Moore CA2/6
Cal. Ct. App. · 2015 · signal: accord · confidence high
(E.g., People v. Miller(1994) 25 Cal.App.4th 913 , 919 . . . .) ' " 'Although we must ensure the evidence is reasonable, credible, and of solid value, nonetheless it is the exclusive province of the trial judge or jury to determine the credibility of a witness and the truth or falsity of the facts on which that determination depends. [Citation.] Thus, if the [finding] is supported by substantial evidence, we must accord due deference to the trier of fact and not substitute our evaluation of a witness's credibility for that of the fact finder....' [Citation.]" ' (Ibid., quoting People v. Ochoa …
discussed Cited "see" People v. Clark (2×)
Cal. Ct. App. · 2000 · signal: accord · confidence high
(E.g., People v. Miller (1994) 25 Cal.App.4th 913, 919 [ 31 Cal.Rptr.2d 423 ].) “ ' “Although we must ensure the evidence is reasonable, credible, and of solid value, nonetheless it is the exclusive province of the trial judge or jury to determine the credibility of a witness and the truth or falsity of the facts on which that determination depends. [Citation.] Thus, if the [finding] is supported by substantial evidence, we must accord due deference to the trier of fact and not substitute our evaluation of a witness’s credibility for that of the fact finder. . . .” [Citation.]’ ” (…
The PEOPLE, Plaintiff and Respondent,
v.
THOMAS PACE, Defendant and Appellant
B073790.
California Court of Appeal.
Aug 16, 1994.
94 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 6283
Counsel, Christopher L. Haberman, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Defendant and Appellant., Daniel E. Lungren, Attorney General, George Williamson, Chief Assistant Attorney General, Carol Wendelin Pollack, Assistant Attorney General, Linda C. Johnson and Ellen Bimbaum Kehr, Deputy Attorneys General, for Plaintiff and Respondent.
Yegan.
Cited by 18 opinions  |  Published

Opinion

YEGAN, J.

Thomas Pace appeals from a jury determination that he is a mentally disordered offender (MDO; see Pen. Code, § 2960 et seq.). The effect of this order is that he will be an “inpatient” unless the State Department of Mental Health certifies to the Board of Prison Terms that there is reasonable cause to believe appellant can be safely and effectively treated as an outpatient. (Pen. Code, § 2964, subd. (a).) He appeals contending: “I. There was insufficient evidence to support the verdict that the petitioner met the MDO criteria. []]] II. It was error for the court to allow the jury to hear evidence of the rape, as it was not the ‘controlling offense.’ ” These contentions are without merit and we affirm the judgment.

We recently held that the substantial evidence rule, restated in People v. Ochoa (1993) 6 Cal.4th 1199, 1206 [26 CaI.Rptr.2d 23, 864 P.2d 103] applies to appellate review of MDO proceedings. (People v. Miller (1994) 25 Cal.App.4th 913, 919-920 [31 Cal.Rptr.2d 4423].) When the record is viewed in this light, it is apparent that substantial evidence supports the MDO determination.

Appellant has a long criminal record and a long history of mental illness. He was convicted of rape and forcible oral copulation in 1988 and was serving a prison term therefor when he was convicted of battery upon a custodial officer in 1990. A concurrent prison sentence was imposed on the battery conviction. Prior thereto, he had been convicted of two felonious assaults and served two prison terms in Ohio.

[*798] Doctor Audrey Mertz, appellant’s treating psychiatrist at Atascadero State Hospital, testified that appellant suffered from a severe mental disorder, i.e., a schizoaffective disorder. Appellant had previously been diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic. He suffered from mood disturbances, delusions, grandiosity, narcissism, and hallucinations. He was an abuser of cocaine. He had attempted suicide, threatened hospital staff members, and exposed himself. He claimed to have magical powers and to be Jesus Christ.

In connection with the sex offenses, appellant acted like he was “possessed by a demon." He held the victim captive for more than six hours and told her, “Rah wants his hair; Rah is losing his kingdom because of this black bitch.” [1]

Doctor Mertz testified: 1. appellant had a severe mental disorder, 2. the severe mental disorder was not in remission and could not be kept in remission without treatment, 3. the severe mental disorder was one of the causes or an aggravating factor in the sex offenses and the battery upon a custodial officer, 4. appellant had been in treatment for the severe mental disorder for 90 days or more within the year prior to his parole release date, and 5. the certification to the Board of Prison Terms met the Penal Code section 2962, subdivision (d)(1) criteria, 6. the battery offense was a crime involving force and violence, and 7. appellant represented a “substantial danger of physical harm to others.” (See Pen. Code, §§ 2962, 2972, subd. (c).)

Appellant’s first contention is in essence a request that we reweigh the evidence credited by the trier of fact. We do not reweigh or reinterpret the evidence on appeal. (People v. Miller, supra, 25 Cal.App.4th at p. 919; People v. Culver (1973) 10 Cal.3d 542, 548 [111 Cal.Rptr. 183, 516 P.2d 887].) The evidence is sufficient to support the jury determinations that appellant suffered from a severe mental disorder which could not be kept in remission without further treatment in the state hospital and that it was one of the causes or an aggravating factor in the commission of the battery on a custodial officer as well as the sex crimes.

We cannot say, as a matter of law, that appellant suffered only from a “personality or adjustment disorder,” (see Pen. Code, § 2962, subd. (a)), or that the reason for his acts was substance abuse or “unflagging religious beliefs.” These were inferences that could have been drawn by the jury but were not.

[*799] Appellant’s second contention is also without merit. The MDO certification petition listed the 1990 battery offense as the “controlling offense” and the sex offenses as “noncontrolling.” Appellant claims that the People were unfairly allowed to introduce evidence of both the battery offense and the 1988 sex offenses. According to appellant, this “doubled” the chance of showing appellant met the criteria for MDO. We reject the contention.

No objection was made at trial to the introduction of the sex offenses and the issue is waived on appeal. (Evid. Code, § 353, subd. (a); People v. Garceau (1993) 6 Cal.4th 140, 179 [24 Cal.Rptr.2d 644, 862 P.2d 664]; People v. Pretzer (1992) 9 Cal.App.4th 1078, 1085 [11 Cal.Rptr.2d 860].) Had objection been made, it would have been overruled. A psychiatrist may and should take into account the prisoner’s entire history in making an MDO evaluation. This includes prior violent offenses as well as the prisoner’s mental health history. Objection to the introduction of the sex offenses “. . . would have been a classic exercise in futility.” (People v. Eckstrom (1974) 43 Cal.App.3d 996, 1003 [118 Cal.Rptr. 391].)

The jury’s consideration of the battery and sex offenses was not “fundamentally unfair.” Other than Evidence Code section 352, there is no rule precluding the People from introducing evidence of appellant’s prior violent crimes in an MDO proceeding. The certification petition gave appellant fair notice that the People would be introducing evidence of the 1988 sex offenses. The chief psychiatrist’s MDO certification listed the sex offenses as “noncontrolling.” We cannot say that the sex offenses were “irrelevant” to a potential MDO finding. Appellant was serving concurrent sentences for the 1988 sex offenses and the 1990 battery. A prior violent offense has a tendency in reason to show that the prisoner poses a “substantial danger of physical harm to others.” (Pen. Code, §§ 2962, subd. (d), 2972, subd. (c).)

The judgment is affirmed.

Stone (S. J.), P. J., and Gilbert, J., concurred.

1

According to appellant “Rah” is the Egyptian sun god. In all probability “Rah” was reported phonetically by the court reporter. “Ra” is defined as follows: “The sun god, the supreme deity of ancient Egyptians, represented as a man with the head of a hawk crowned with a solar disk and uraeus.” (American Heritage Diet. (2d college ed. 1982) p. 1020, col. 1.)