Jump To

Top Caption Combined Opinion

Support FLP

CourtListener is a project of Free
Law Project, a federally-recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit. Members help support our work and get special access to features.

Please become a member today.

Join Free.law Now

March 3, 2026 Get Citation Alerts Download PDF Add Note

People v. Vessels CA3

California Court of Appeal

• Citations: None known
• Docket Number: C103139

• Precedential Status: Non-Precedential

• Opinion

• Authorities (2)

• Cited By (0)

• Summaries (0)

• Similar Cases (0)

• PDF

Combined Opinion

Filed 3/3/26 P. v. Vessels CA3
NOT TO BE PUBLISHED
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 This opinion has not been certified for publication or ordered published for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

THIRD APPELLATE DISTRICT

(Butte)

THE PEOPLE, C103139 & C104167

Plaintiff and Respondent, (Super. Ct. Nos. 24CF03825
& CR65857)
v.

JAMES RANDELL VESSELS,

Defendant and Appellant.

Appointed counsel for James Randell Vessels asked this court to review the record
in this consolidated appeal and determine whether there are any arguable issues that
would result in a disposition more favorable to defendant. (People v. Wende (1979)
25 Cal.3d 436.) We will affirm the judgment.
FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND
Butte County Superior Court Case No. 24CF03825
In Butte County Superior Court case No. 24CF03825, on September 4, 2024, (the
Butte County case), defendant swung a baseball bat at two employees of a retail store,
threatening to crack one of their heads open. Defendant used the bat to damage
approximately $700 worth of items in the store. Before fleeing the scene, defendant

1
threw the bat at one of the employees, narrowly missing them. When responding officers
arrived, defendant tried to run and struck one of the officers.
Defendant was charged with making criminal threats (Pen. Code,1 § 422, subd.
(a); count 1), assault with a deadly weapon (§ 245, subd. (a)(1); count 2), felony
vandalism (§ 594, subd. (a); count 3), battery with injury on a peace officer (§ 243, subd.
(c)(2); count 4), resisting an executive officer (§ 69, subd. (a); count 5), and misdemeanor
resisting a peace officer (§ 148, subd. (a)(1); count 6).
Defendant applied for mental health diversion (§ 1001.36) in September 2024 but
later withdrew his application.
In December 2024, defendant pled no contest to the assault with a deadly weapon
and battery with injury on a peace officer counts. Defendant stipulated to an aggregate
prison term of three years eight months. The remaining allegations were dismissed with
a Harvey waiver.2
Later that month, the trial court sentenced defendant to prison for three years eight
months, as follows: The middle term of three years for the assault count and eight
months (one-third the middle term) consecutive for the battery count. The court also
imposed a $300 restitution fine (§ 1202.4, subd. (b)), a corresponding $300 parole
revocation fine (suspended unless parole is revoked) (§ 1202.45), an $80 court operations
assessment (§ 1465.8, subd. (a)(1)), and a $60 criminal conviction assessment (Gov.
Code, § 70373). Defendant did not object to the fines or fees. The trial court awarded
defendant 213 days of custody credit.
Defendant did not obtain a certificate of probable cause.

1 Undesignated section references are to the Penal Code.
2 People v. Harvey (1979) 25 Cal.3d 754.

2
Colusa County Superior Court Case No. CR65857
In Colusa County Superior Court case No. CR65857, on February 13, 2024, (the
Colusa County case), defendant poured gasoline outside the victim’s apartment and tried
to light the apartment on fire.
Defendant was charged with felony vandalism (§ 594, subd. (b)(1)) with an
enhancement for use of a deadly weapon (§ 12022, subd. (b)(1)).
Defendant was released on bail in August 2024. In April 2025, defendant waived
his right to a preliminary hearing.
In May 2025, defendant pled no contest to felony vandalism. The trial court
dismissed the remaining allegations. The court sentenced defendant to prison for an
aggregate term of four years four months, as follows: (1) in the Butte County case the
middle term of three years for the assault count and eight months (one-third the middle
term) consecutive for the battery count and (2) in the Colusa County case eight months
(one-third the middle term) consecutive for the felony vandalism count. The court
awarded defendant 520 days of custody credit in the Butte County case, and 32 days of
custody credit in the Colusa County case. The court ordered defendant to pay the same
fines and fees that were previously imposed in the Butte County case. As to the Colusa
County case, the court imposed a $300 restitution fine (§ 1202.4, subd. (b)), a
corresponding $300 parole revocation fine (suspended unless parole is revoked)
(§ 1202.45), a $40 court operations assessment (§ 1465.8, subd. (a)(1)), and a $30
criminal conviction assessment (Gov. Code, § 70373). Defendant did not object to any of
the fines or fees.
Defendant did not obtain a certificate of probable cause on appeal. This court
granted defendant’s request to consolidate his appeals of the Butte and Colusa County
cases.

3
DISCUSSION
Appointed counsel filed an opening brief setting forth the facts of the case and
asking this court to review the record and determine whether there are any arguable
issues on appeal. (People v. Wende, supra, 25 Cal.3d 436.) Defendant was advised by
counsel of the right to file a supplemental brief within 30 days of the date of filing the
opening brief. More than 30 days have elapsed, and we have received no communication
from defendant.
Having undertaken an examination of the entire record, we find no arguable error
that would result in a disposition more favorable to defendant.
DISPOSITION
The judgment is affirmed.

\s\ ,
Krause, J.

We concur:

\s\ ,
Robie, Acting P. J.

\s\ ,
Duarte, J.

4