Calcrim-1831-extortion By Threatening Letter Penal Code 523 - Judicial Council Of California Criminal Jury Instructions - Sacramento Family Law Court - Lawyer Misconduct - Judge Misconduct - Court Employee Misconduct -supreme Court Of California - 3rd District Court Of Appeal Sacramento

Judicial Council of California Jury Instructions For the latest news about Sacramento Family Law Court controversies visit this page at Sacramento Family Court News: http://sacramentocountyfamilycourtnews.blogspot.com/p/temporary-judges.html Sacramento Family Court News is a nonprofit journalism organization publishing original, independent news, aggregated news, news analysis, opinion, satire and parody. Unlike the Sacramento Bee, Daily Journal Corporation publications, and local broadcast media we are independent of corporate, shareholder, advertiser and government influence. Our independence from outside influence allows SFCN to investigate and publish the stories that the self-censoring Judicial Branch legal community and mainstream media often are reluctant to report. Like ProPublica, much of our work is public interest investigative journalism that "shines a light on the exploitation of the weak by the strong and on the failures of those in power to vindicate the trust placed in them." We report on virtually all family court issues including divorce, child custody and visitation, child and spousal support, attorney fees and sanctions, court procedure and policy, and appeals from family court. We cover the financial and socioeconomic power imbalances often prevalent in family court cases. Oligarchical factions exert significant influence over many government institutions in California, and Sacramento Family Court is no exception. Socioeconomically disadvantaged court users often are treated as second-class citizens by the court, which operates a two-track system of justice providing preferential treatment to litigants who can afford representation by members of the Sacramento County Bar Association Family Law Section, according to evidence compiled by family court watchdogs and whistleblowers. Sacramento Family Court News Home Page: http://sacramentocountyfamilycourtnews.blogspot.com
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1831. Extortion by Threatening Letter (Pen. Code, § 523) The defendant is charged [in Count ] with sending a threatening letter with the intent to extort [in violation of Penal Code section 523]. To prove that the defendant is guilty of this crime, the People must prove that: 1. The defendant sent or delivered a threatening letter [or other writing] to another person; [2. In the letter [or writing], the defendant threatened to unlawfully injure (the other person or someone else/ [or] the property of the other person or someone else);] [2. In the letter [or writing], the defendant threatened to accuse the other person[, or that person’s relative or family member,] of a crime;] [2. In the letter [or writing], the defendant threatened to expose a secret about the other person[, or that person’s relative or family member,] [or to expose or connect (him/her/any of them) with a (disgrace[,]/ [or] crime[,]/ [or] deformity)];] AND 3. When sending or delivering the letter [or writing], the defendant intended to use fear to obtain (money [or property]/[or] the performance of an official act) with the other person’s consent. The term consent has a special meaning here. Consent for extortion can be coerced or unwilling, as long as it is given as a result of the wrongful use of force or fear. [The threat can be directly stated in the letter [or writing] or can be implied by the contents of the letter [or writing] and the surrounding circumstances or can be intended by the sender to be understood as a threat by the recipient.] [Threatening to do something that a person has a legal right to do is not a threat to commit an unlawful injury.] [The letter [or writing] does not need to be signed and does not need to have been (written/dictated/composed) by the defendant.] [The crime is complete when the letter [or writing] is either delivered to 1168 This version provided by LexisNexis® Matthew Bender®, Official Publisher, 800-533-1637, www.lexisnexis.com/bookstore, for public and internal court use. (Pub. 1284) THEFT AND EXTORTION CALCRIM No. 1831 someone or deposited in a post office or any other place, with the intent that the letter [or writing] be forwarded to the intended recipient. It is not required that the intended recipient actually receive the letter [or writing].] [It is not required that the intended recipient actually (give the defendant money [or property]/ [or] do an official act).] [An official act is an act that a person does in his or her official capacity, using the authority of his or her public office.] [A secret is a fact that: 1. Is unknown to the general public or to someone who might be interested in knowing the fact; AND 2. Harms the threatened person’s reputation or other interest so greatly that he or she would be likely to (give the defendant money[or property]/ [or] do an official act) to prevent the fact from being revealed.] New January 2006 BENCH NOTES Instructional Duty The court has a sua sponte duty to give this instruction defining the elements of the crime. Depending on the evidence, in element 2, give the appropriate alternative A–C describing the threat. (Pen. Code, § 519.) AUTHORITY • • • • • Elements. Pen. Code, § 523. Pen. Code, § 520. Crime Complete When Mailed. Pen. Code, § 660. Felony Punishment. Threats. Pen. Code, § 519. Coerced Consent. People v. Goodman (1958) 159 Cal.App.2d 54, 61 [323 P.2d 536]; People v. Peck (1919) 43 Cal.App. 638, 645 [185 P. 881] [extortion under Pen. Code, §§ 518, 519]. Official Act Defined. See People v. Mayfield (1997) 14 Cal.4th 668, 769–773 [60 Cal.Rptr.2d 1, 928 P.2d 485] [kidnapping for extortion]; People v. Norris (1985) 40 Cal.3d 51, 55–56 [219 Cal.Rptr. 7, 706 P.2d 1141] [same]. Secret Defined. People v. Lavine (1931) 115 Cal.App. 289, 295 [1 P.2d 496] [extortion under Pen. Code, §§ 518, 519]. 1169 This version provided by LexisNexis® Matthew Bender®, Official Publisher, 800-533-1637, www.lexisnexis.com/bookstore, for public and internal court use. (Pub. 1284) • • CALCRIM No. 1831 • • THEFT AND EXTORTION Unlawful Injury Defined. People v. Schmitz (1908) 7 Cal.App. 330, 369–370 [94 P. 407] [extortion under Pen. Code, §§ 518, 519]. Threat to Accuse of Crime Includes Threat to Continue Pursuit of Criminal Charge. People v. Umana (2006) 138 Cal.App.4th 625, 640–641 [41 Cal.Rptr.3d 573]. Secondary Sources 2 Witkin & Epstein, California Criminal Law (3d ed. 2000) Crimes Against Property, § 109. 6 Millman, Sevilla & Tarlow, California Criminal Defense Practice, Ch. 143, Crimes Against Property, § 143.02 (Matthew Bender). COMMENTARY Adding “official act” to section 518 expanded the definition of extortion in the related code sections, including section 523, to include extortion of an official act. (Isaac v. Superior Court (1978) 79 Cal.App.3d 260, 263–264 [146 Cal.Rptr. 396].) LESSER INCLUDED OFFENSES • Attempted Extortion. Pen. Code, § 524. 1170 This version provided by LexisNexis® Matthew Bender®, Official Publisher, 800-533-1637, www.lexisnexis.com/bookstore, for public and internal court use. (Pub. 1284)