Can a jury convict a defendant of multiple crimes arising from a single act?

A jury can convict a defendant of multiple crimes arising from a single act, but a court can punish the defendant for only one of those crimes. "An act or omission that is punishable in different ways by different provisions of law shall be punished under the provision that provides for the longest potential term of imprisonment, but in no case shall the act or omission be punished under more than one provision." ( 654, subd. (a).) The purpose of section 654 is to ensure a defendant's punishment is commensurate with his or her culpability. (People v. Latimer (1993) 5 Cal.4th 1203, 1211.)

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