People v. Singleton CA4/1
Court
California Court of Appeal
Decided
June 25, 2025
Jurisdiction
SA
Importance
45%
Practice Areas
Case Summary
Filed 6/25/25 P. v. Singleton CA4/1 NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN OFFICIAL REPORTS California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for publication or ordered published, except as specified by rule 8.1115(b). This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115. COURT OF APPEAL, FOURTH APPELLATE DISTRICT DIVISION ONE STATE OF CALIFORNIA THE PEOPLE, D085303 Plaintiff and Respondent, v. (Super. Ct. No. SCN440538) DAVID PALLERA SINGLETON, Defendant and Appellant. APPEAL from a judgment of the Superior Court of San Diego County, Sim von Kalinowski, Judge. Affirmed. Laura Beth Arnold, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Defendant and Appellant. No appearance for Plaintiff and Respondent. David Pallera Singleton appeals the judgment sentencing him to prison for 10 years after he pled guilty to attempted murder and admitted a firearm enhancement allegation. His appointed counsel filed a brief in which she raised no claims of error and invited us to review the record independently for error. (See People v. Wende (1979) 25 Cal.3d 436 (Wende).) We have done so and found no error requiring reversal or modification of the judgment. We therefore affirm. BACKGROUND Singleton and Wyatt Laney were members of a motorcycle gang. Laney saw a member of a rival gang at a bar and contacted Singleton. Singleton met Laney outside the bar and acted as a lookout as Laney fired his handgun four times into the bar at the rival gang member. Laney missed his target. He and Singleton fled the scene in separate vehicles. The People charged Singleton with conspiracy to commit murder (Pen. Code, §§ 182, subd. (a), 187, subd. (a); subsequent undesignated section references are to this code), attempted murder (§§ 21a, 187, subd. (a)), and shooting at an occupied building (§ 246). They alleged gang and firearm enhancements (§§ 186.22, subd. (b)(1)(C), (4)(B), (5), 12022, subd. (a)(1), 12022.53, subds. (c), (e)(1)) as to all charges, and also alleged Singleton had a prior conviction that qualified as a serious felony for purposes of a five-year enhancement (§ 667, subd. (a)(1)) and a strike under the “Three Strikes” law (§§ 667, subds. (b)–(i), 1170.12) and served a prior prison term (Cal. Rules of Court, rule 4.421(b)(3)). Singleton pled not guilty to all charges and denied all allegations. On the eve of trial, Singleton filed a motion for mental health diversion. (§ 1001.36.) The parties agreed the motion would be heard during trial, and the People later filed opposition to the motion. The jury was unable to reach any verdicts, and the court declared a mistrial. The court denied the motion for mental health diversion. Before a second trial began, the parties reached a plea agreement. Singleton agreed to plead guilty to attempted murder and to admit the attached gang and firearm enhancement allegations and the allegation of 2 service of a prior prison term. In exchange, the People agreed to dismiss the remaining charges and allegations. The parties stipulated to imposition of the upper prison term of nine years for attempted murder (§ 664, subd. (a)) plus a consecutive prison term of one year for the firearm enhancement (§ 12022, subd. (a)(1)) and to striking the punishment for the gang enhancement (§ 1385, subd. (b)(1)). After reviewing the terms of the plea agreement with Singleton and his counsel and ensuring Singleton understood the trial-related constitutional rights he was waiving, the court found Singleton knowingly, voluntarily, and intelligently entered into the plea agreement, accepted his guilty plea and admissions, and dismissed the remaining charges and allegations. At the sentencing hearing, the court imposed the stipulated 10-year prison term. It also imposed a $300 restitution fine (§ 1202.4, subd. (b)(1)), a $300 parole revocation restitution fine (§ 1202.45, subd. (a)), a $40 court operations assessment (§ 1465.8, subd. (a)(1)) and a $30 court facilities assessment (Gov. Code, § 70373, subd. (a)(1)). DISCUSSION Singleton’s appointed counsel filed a brief in which she summarized the proceedings, raised no claims of error, and asked us to review the record independently for error. (See Wende, supra, 25 Cal.3d at p. 441 [appellate court must “conduct a review of the entire record whenever appointed counsel submits a brief which raises no specific issues”].) We advised Singleton he could file a supplemental brief, but he did not. We have reviewe
Case Details
Case Details
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Status
Decided
Date Decided
June 25, 2025
Jurisdiction
SA
Court Type
federal
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Case Overview
Case Name: People v. Singleton
Court: California Court of Appeal, Fourth Appellate District
Date Filed: June 25, 2025
Citation: Not Published
In People v. Singleton, the California Court of Appeal affirmed the judgment of the Superior Court of San Diego County, sentencing David Pallera Singleton to 10 years in prison after he pled guilty to attempted murder and admitted to a firearm enhancement allegation.
Key Legal Issues
- Attempted Murder under California Penal Code § 187
- Firearm Enhancement under Penal Code § 12022
- Gang Enhancements under Penal Code § 186.22
- Mental Health Diversion under Penal Code § 1001.36
Court's Decision
The court affirmed Singleton's sentence, concluding that there were no errors in the proceedings that warranted reversal or modification of the judgment. Singleton's appointed counsel filed a brief without raising any claims of error, prompting an independent review of the record by the appellate court.
Legal Reasoning
The appellate court conducted a thorough review of the case, including:
- The circumstances surrounding Singleton's involvement in a motorcycle gang and the attempted murder incident.
- The plea agreement reached before the second trial, where Singleton pled guilty to attempted murder and admitted to enhancements, which led to a stipulated sentence.
- The court's denial of Singleton's motion for mental health diversion, which was filed on the eve of trial.
The court found that Singleton had received competent representation and had knowingly, voluntarily, and intelligently entered into the plea agreement.
Key Holdings
- The judgment was affirmed with no grounds for reversal.
- Singleton's guilty plea to attempted murder was accepted, along with the firearm enhancement.
- The court imposed a 10-year prison term, which included a $300 restitution fine, a $300 parole revocation restitution fine, and additional court assessments.
Precedents and Citations
- People v. Wende (1979)
- Established the procedure for independent review when appointed counsel raises no specific issues on appeal.
- California Penal Code § 187 - Defines the crime of murder.
- California Penal Code § 12022 - Details firearm enhancements.
Practical Implications
The ruling in People v. Singleton underscores the importance of:
- Understanding the consequences of plea agreements, especially in serious felony cases involving gang-related activities.
- The role of mental health considerations in criminal proceedings, particularly regarding diversion programs.
- The appellate process and the significance of independent reviews in cases where no claims of error are raised by counsel.
This case serves as a critical reference for legal professionals dealing with similar issues of attempted murder, firearm enhancements, and the implications of gang affiliations in California law.
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Case Details
Legal case information
Status
Decided
Date Decided
June 25, 2025
Jurisdiction
SA
Court Type
federal
Legal Significance
Case importance metrics
Metadata
Additional information
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Case management tools