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Felony Assault in California

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  • 12-20-2005, 10:21 AM
    monroe
    Felony Assault in California
    California's penal code states charges must be commenced within 3 years of occurrence. In our particular case, the 3 years have expired and the suspect has just been discovered. Is there an exemption to the statute? I have not been able to decipher this from the penal code.

    Thanks.
  • 12-20-2005, 01:05 PM
    aaron
    California Criminal Statute of Limitations
    Presumably you are speaking of this limitations statute:
    Quote:

    Quoting California Penal Code Section 801.
    Except as provided in Sections 799 and 800, prosecution for an offense punishable by imprisonment in the state prison shall be commenced within three years after commission of the offense.

    The exceptions to the criminal statute of limitations are also set forth by statute:
    Quote:

    Quoting California Penal Code Section 803.
    (a) Except as provided in this section, a limitation of time prescribed in this chapter is not tolled or extended for any reason.

    (b) No time during which prosecution of the same person for the same conduct is pending in a court of this state is a part of a limitation of time prescribed in this chapter.

    (c) A limitation of time prescribed in this chapter does not commence to run until the discovery of an offense described in this subdivision. This subdivision applies to an offense punishable by imprisonment in the state prison, a material element of which is fraud or breach of a fiduciary obligation, the commission of the crimes of theft or embezzlement upon an elder or dependent adult, or the basis of which is misconduct in office by a public officer, employee, or appointee, including, but not limited to, the following offenses:
    • (1) Grand theft of any type, forgery, falsification of public records, or acceptance of a bribe by a public official or a public
      employee.
      (2) A violation of Section 72, 118, 118a, 132, 134, or 186.10.
      (3) A violation of Section 25540, of any type, or Section 25541 of the Corporations Code.
      (4) A violation of Section 1090 or 27443 of the Government Code.
      (5) Felony welfare fraud or Medi-Cal fraud in violation of Section 11483 or 14107 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
      (6) Felony insurance fraud in violation of Section 548 or 550 of this code or former Section 1871.1, or Section 1871.4, of the Insurance Code.
      (7) A violation of Section 580, 581, 582, 583, or 584 of the Business and Professions Code.
      (8) A violation of Section 22430 of the Business and Professions Code.
      (9) A violation of Section 10690 of the Health and Safety Code.
      (10) A violation of Section 529a.
      (11) A violation of subdivision (d) or (e) of Section 368.
    (d) If the defendant is out of the state when or after the offense is committed, the prosecution may be commenced as provided in Section 804 within the limitations of time prescribed by this chapter, and no time up to a maximum of three years during which the defendant is not within the state shall be a part of those limitations.

    (e) A limitation of time prescribed in this chapter does not commence to run until the offense has been discovered, or could have reasonably been discovered, with regard to offenses under Division 7 (commencing with Section 13000) of the Water Code, under Chapter 6.5 (commencing with Section 25100) of, Chapter 6.7 (commencing with Section 25280) of, or Chapter 6.8 (commencing with Section 25300) of, Division 20 of, or Part 4 (commencing with Section 41500) of Division 26 of, the Health and Safety Code, or under Section 386, or offenses under Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 2000) of Division 2 of, Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 4000) of Division 2 of, Section 6126 of, Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 7301) of Division 3 of, or Chapter 19.5 (commencing with Section 22440) of Division 8 of, the Business and Professions Code.

    (f)
    • (1) Notwithstanding any other limitation of time described in this chapter, a criminal complaint may be filed within one year of the date of a report to a responsible adult or agency by a child under 18 years of age that the child is a victim of a crime described in Section 261, 286, 288, 288a, 288.5, 289, or 289.5.

      (2) For purposes of this subdivision, a "responsible adult" or "agency" means a person or agency required to report pursuant to Section 11166. This subdivision applies only if both of the following occur:

      [list:3aa8c343e3] (A) The limitation period specified in Section 800, 801, or 801.1, whichever is later, has expired.
      (B) The defendant has committed at least one violation of Section 261, 286, 288, 288a, 288.5, 289, or 289.5 against the same victim within the limitation period specified for that crime in Section 800, 801, or 801.1.
    [/list:u:3aa8c343e3] (g)
    • (1) Notwithstanding any other limitation of time described in this chapter, a criminal complaint may be filed within one year of the date of a report to a California law enforcement agency by a person of any age alleging that he or she, while under the age of 18 years, was the victim of a crime described in Section 261, 286, 288, 288a, 288.5, 289, or 289.5.

      (2) This subdivision applies only if all of the following occur:

      [list:3aa8c343e3](A) The limitation period specified in Section 800, 801, or 801.1, whichever is later, has expired.
      (B) The crime involved substantial sexual conduct, as described in subdivision (b) of Section 1203.066, excluding masturbation that is not mutual.
      (C) There is independent evidence that corroborates the victim's allegation. If the victim was 21 years of age or older at the time of the report, the independent evidence shall clearly and convincingly corroborate the victim's allegation.

    (3) No evidence may be used to corroborate the victim's allegation that otherwise would be inadmissible during trial. Independent evidence does not include the opinions of mental health professionals.[/list:u:3aa8c343e3] (h)
    • (1) Notwithstanding any other limitation of time described in this chapter, a criminal complaint may be filed within one year of the date on which the identity of the suspect is conclusively established by DNA testing, if both of the following conditions are met:

      [list:3aa8c343e3] (A) The crime is one that is described in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 290.
      (B) The offense was committed prior to January 1, 2001, and biological evidence collected in connection with the offense is analyzed for DNA type no later than January 1, 2004, or the offense was committed on or after January 1, 2001, and biological evidence collected in connection with the offense is analyzed for DNA type no later than two years from the date of the offense.

    (2) For purposes of this section, "DNA" means deoxyribonucleic acid.[/list:u:3aa8c343e3] (i) For any crime, the proof of which depends substantially upon evidence that was seized under a warrant, but which is unavailable to the prosecuting authority under the procedures described in People v. Superior Court (Laff) (2001) 25 Cal.4th 703, People v. Superior Court (Bauman & Rose) (1995) 37 Cal.App.4th 1757, or subdivision (c) of Section 1524, relating to claims of evidentiary privilege or attorney work product, the limitation of time prescribed in this chapter shall be tolled from the time of the seizure until final disclosure of the evidence to the prosecuting authority. Nothing in this section otherwise affects the definition or applicability of any evidentiary privilege or attorney work product.

    (j)
    • (1) In a criminal investigation involving child sexual abuse as described in subdivision (f) or (g), when the limitations period set forth therein has not expired, that period shall be tolled from the time a party initiates litigation challenging a grand jury subpoena until the end of that litigation, including any associated writ or appellate proceeding, or until the final disclosure of evidence to the investigating or prosecuting agency, if that disclosure is ordered pursuant to the subpoena after the litigation.

      (2) Nothing in this subdivision affects the definition or applicability of any evidentiary privilege.

      (3) This subdivision shall not apply where a court finds that the grand jury subpoena was issued or caused to be issued in bad faith.
    (k) As used in subdivisions (f) and (g), Section 289.5 refers to the statute enacted by Chapter 293 of the Statutes of 1991 relating to penetration by an unknown object.

  • 12-22-2005, 02:59 AM
    cdwjava
    Re: Felony assault in CA
    Quote:

    Quoting monroe
    California's penal code states charges must be commenced within 3 years of occurrence. In our particular case, the 3 years have expired and the suspect has just been discovered. Is there an exemption to the statute? I have not been able to decipher this from the penal code.

    Thanks.

    If you were to care to elaborate on the nature of the offense, the age of the victim, how the offense was discovered, and when it was reported, someone might be able to help you. But there are enough exceptions in the Penal Code that a blanket response is impossible without details.

    The "suspect" may want to consult a local attorney. Or, he/she can wait until the police knock at his/her door.

    - Carl
  • 12-22-2005, 10:45 AM
    monroe
    To be brief:
    The victim was a 22 year old man who was killed the same evening as the assault. The killer and the assailant are two different people. The homicide is in litigation.

    We are the family of the victim. The assault was never investigated until we hired a PI to do so. We have strong evidence identifying the assailant. The victim would never have been in a position to be killed had he not been assaulted.

    The 3 years has expired, and we are trying to find out if we have any options at this point, criminally and/or civilly. Our attorney is not from the area and has not researched the penal code as of yet. We are just trying to help him out by gathering as much info as possible.
  • 12-22-2005, 02:55 PM
    cdwjava
    What was the nature of the assault? How was he injured by the assault and how was the prior and unrelated assault discovered?

    - Carl
  • 12-22-2005, 04:12 PM
    monroe
    The victim was abducted from his home, taken to a quarry, beaten, his shoes and glasses taken, he was coatless in 20 degree weather, and left for dead. He managed to escape the assailant and travel barefoot through hills, rocks and brush to a residential area where he yelled for help. He had a broken nose and numerous injuries all over his body.

    Through numerous people in the town, it was discovered that the assailant had been bragging about the assault, we have statements from these people. The assailant made up an alibi of where he was that evening and it has since been destroyed. The people he says he was with say it is not true. That's basically the gist of it.

    It took a very long time to discover who the assailant was and now we are trying to figure out if we have any options left.
  • 12-22-2005, 04:17 PM
    cdwjava
    It sounds like the beating was the proximate cause of death ... why is he not being charged with manslaughter or murder? If they charged him with those crimes then they wouldn't have to worry about the SOL.

    I don't see where the three year SOL is applicable here.

    Have you talked to the police or the DA? Ultimately THE POLICE have to verify the information and file charges with the DA, and the DA will decide if they can go to court or not. You cannot force the issue. You need to get a hold of the police ASAP and give them everything you have so they can follow it up.

    - Carl
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