California v. Anderson
Annotate this CaseA jury convicted Melvin James Anderson of residential burglary, first degree robbery, assault with a firearm, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. The jury found true allegations that Anderson personally used a handgun within the meaning of section Penal Code 12022.5, subdivision (a) in the commission of the burglary and assault, and personally used a handgun within the meaning of section 12022.53, subdivision (b) in the commission of the robbery. Anderson admitted that he had incurred three prison priors, one serious felony prior, and one strike prior. Anderson argued on appeal that: (1) the trial court erred by failing to instruct the jury on a claim-of-right defense; (2) the court erred by admitting impeachment evidence regarding his prior gun use and possession, which the court had previously ruled inadmissible, and defense counsel rendered ineffective assistance by failing to object to the prosecution's irrelevant examination that was designed to open the door to that impeachment evidence; (3) the court prejudicially erred in allowing the prosecution to impeach him with a 23-year-old prior robbery conviction; (4) the cumulative effect of the above errors deprived him of due process; and (5) his burglary sentence should have been stayed under section 654's prohibition against multiple punishment for crimes arising out of a single act. The State conceded that Anderson's burglary sentence should have been stayed under section 654. The Court of Appeal modified the judgment accordingly and affirmed the judgment as modified.
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