LOS ANGELES, CA – An accused who could not pay for his probation requirements instead was charged with a felony—up from a misdemeanor—here in a probation and sentencing hearing in the Los Angeles County Superior Court this week.
The defense request for the accused’s sentence to be lowered from a felony to misdemeanor charge was rejected by Superior Court Judge Kathryn Solorzano.
The accused in this case had been charged with the crime of assault with deadly weapon with force in 2022. In the same year, the accused entered an agreement in which his sentence would be reduced from a felony to a misdemeanor, following the completion of probation requirements.
The proceeding in court this week was meant to examine the status of the accused’s progress in his probation requirements, which Judge Solorzano stated included community service and anger management classes. Additionally, the accused had been ordered to pay victim restitution.
On the matter of probation requirements, the deputy public defender assigned to the accused explained the accused had completed some community service hours, but the accused had been unable to take the anger management classes or pay for the victims restitution of $3,765, because of a “lack of funding.”
The DPD added the accused was currently living with his father and has begun working to gather the funds necessary to meet the probation requirements, and provided a letter to the court from the accused’s employer, in which they state the accused has a “strong work ethic and a positive attitude.”
The deputy public defender noted the accused had been 20 years old at the time of the offense and that the “young man doesn’t want a felony on record,” and asked if the court would reduce the accused’s sentence to a misdemeanor.
Deputy District Attorney Juliet Schmidt for the prosecution would not agree to the sentencing of a misdemeanor.
Judge Solorzano stated she had given the accused “numerous chances” to demonstrate that he was working toward meeting the probation requirements, noting the agreement created in 2022 was “very lenient” and the accused “should have taken advantage” of it.
Judge Solorzano noted there was “still a chance” for a reduced statement in the future, adding it is up to the accused to “earn a reduction,” although not this week.
