People v. Thomas CA2/1

Filed 5/28/15 P. v. Thomas CA2/1 NOT TO BE PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL REPORTS California Rules of Court, rule 8.1115(a), prohibits courts and parties from citing or relying on opinions not certified for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 This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for purposes of rule 8.1115.

IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

SECOND APPELLATE DISTRICT

DIVISION ONE

THE PEOPLE, B257025

Plaintiff and Respondent, (Los Angeles County Super. Ct. No. BA416667) v.

WILLIAM CURTIS THOMAS,

Defendant and Appellant.

APPEAL from a judgment of the Superior Court of Los Angeles County, Edmund Wilcox Clarke, Jr., Judge. Affirmed. Katharine Eileen Greenebaum, under appointment by the Court of Appeal, for Defendant and Appellant. No appearance for Plaintiff and Respondent. ——————————

FACTUAL BACKGROUND Shelly Lawson lived at 838 West 40th Place in Los Angeles. Defendant William Curtis Thomas lived in the building next door to her. On September 23, 2013, in the evening, Lawson heard Thomas “ranting and raving and screaming obscenities” in the front yard of his building. Thomas broke a glass coffee maker and screamed, “I’m gonna kill you” and “I’m gonna get you.” Thomas was lying down on the ground and was staring at Lawson on her porch. Thomas looked like he wanted to “draw blood.” Thomas had a gasoline can of the type used to carry spare gasoline when a car ran out of gas. He said to Lawson, “You’re gonna die tonight” and “I’m gonna kill you” and “I’m a Marine.” Lawson felt threatened, and called the police. Her only previous contact with Thomas had been a confrontation over a parking stall. Sonia Phillips lived in the same building as Thomas. On September 23, 2013, she was out in the back of the building. Thomas was holding a long bed rail (a piece of metal). Thomas said he was going to kill everybody in the building. Thomas had a red gas can in his hand and she believed he was going to throw gas on her. Thomas would not stop screaming, “I’m a Marine, I’m a Marine. I kill people, I’m a Marine.” The police and the bomb squad responded, but Thomas went inside his apartment and stacked chairs against the door. The police were able to arrest him around 2:00 a.m. PROCEDURAL HISTORY In an information filed October 24, 2013, Thomas was charged with two counts of making criminal threats (Pen. Code, § 422, subd. (a))1 against Phillips and Lawson, with the further allegation pursuant to section 1170, subdivision (h)(3) that the offenses were serious felonies, violent felonies, or felonies requiring registration pursuant to section 290, subdivision (c).