P.

DISCUSSION

I

THE COURT ESTABLISHED A SUFFIENT FACTUAL BASIS FOR THE PLEA

Melton contends the court abused its discretion because it failed to establish a

factual basis to accept Melton's guilty plea. Melton contends the court should have

inquired further into Melton's conduct because the court's express inquiry, the complaint,

3 and the plea agreement lacked a sufficiently detailed account of the underlying facts. We

disagree.

Under section 1192.5, when a trial court accepts a conditional plea, it must

establish that there is a prima facie factual basis for the plea and the defendant pleads

freely and voluntarily. (People v. Holmes (2004) 32 Cal.4th 432, 438 (Holmes).) A

factual basis for the plea is necessary "to protect against the situation where the

defendant, although he realizes what he had done, is not sufficiently skilled in law to

recognize that his acts do not constitute the offense with which he is charged." (People v.

Watts (1977) 67 Cal.App.3d 173, 178 (Watts).) Thus, establishing a factual basis for a

plea helps ensure that " 'the constitutional standards of voluntariness are met.' " (Holmes,

supra, at p. 683, quoting People…