People v. Jones CA4/2

I. FACTS

On June 8, 2020, the San Bernardino County District Attorney charged Jones with

one count of grand theft. (Pen. Code, § 487, subd. (a), unlabeled statutory citations refer

to this code.) On September 21, 2021, Jones pled no contest to the charge, waived a

report from a probation officer, and requested immediate sentencing. In exchange for his

plea, San Bernardino County Superior Court Judge Christopher Pallone sentenced Jones

to time served and 24 months’ probation.

Jones filed a timely notice of appeal stating his challenge was “based on the

sentence or other matters occurring after the plea that do not affect the validity of the

plea.” However, Jones also requested a certificate of probable cause, and specified that

the grounds were “I am not guilty of the crime . . . . There is camera footage showing that

I am not guilty of this crime.” San Bernardino County Superior Court Judge John P.

Vander Feer denied the request for certificate of probable cause the next day.

People v. Wende (1979) 25 Cal.3d 436; Anders v. California (1967) 386 U.S. 738.

II. ANALYSIS

We appointed counsel to represent Jones on appeal, and counsel has filed a brief

under the…