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In re WILLIAM ALBERT TAHL on Habeas Corpus.
LeRue Grim, under appointment by the Supreme Court, for Petitioner.
Thomas C. Lynch, Attorney General, William E. James, Assistant Attorney General, and Ronald M. George, Deputy Attorney General, for Respondent.
In this habeas corpus proceeding petitioner contends (1) that his guilty plea was not made voluntarily and with full understanding of its consequences; and (2) that the manner of selection of the jury for the penalty phase of his trial was in violation of the standards subsequently established in Witherspoon v. Illinois (1968) 391 U.S. 510 [20 L. Ed. 2d 776, 88 S. Ct. 1770]. We conclude that petitioner's first contention lacks merit, but his second requires a reversal of his death sentence and a new penalty trial.
Petitioner contends that the trial court failed to inform him of the nature and consequences of his guilty plea, and that he at no time expressly waived his right to a jury trial or any other constitutional right. Whether or not petitioner is factually correct, we cannot agree with his legal conclusion that the guilty plea was therefore rendered invalid.
Following initial pleas of "not guilty" on all counts, empanelment of a [1 Cal. 3d 125] jury, and the prosecuting attorney's opening statement to the jury, petitioner asked for and received the trial court's permission to withdraw his pleas and enter pleas of "guilty" in their stead. The trial judge questioned petitioner and his attorney at length regarding these changed pleas; the significant portions of the colloquy among the trial court, petitioner, and his attorney are set forth in the margin. fn. 1 It is apparent that petitioner's [1 Cal. 3d 126] rights were waived more by inference than by express language. Whether such a record is sufficient to indicate a voluntary and understanding plea and an intelligent waiver of rights depends upon the standards which we must apply. As will be seen, these standards, fairly well established at the time of petitioner's conviction, have been altered since that time. It will be necessary to examine first the law as it existed when petitioner pleaded guilty, and then the extent to which that law has been changed by recent Supreme Court pronouncements and the effect, if any, of those changes on petitioner's plea.
 California law provides relatively few pronouncements, either legislative or judicial, regarding the acceptance of a guilty plea; but such authorities as exist appear to be in general agreement with the rules in other jurisdictions. Any variance tilts somewhat toward more tolerance and less precision. A review of these authorities convinces us that the guilty plea in the instant case was in conformity with then existing California law.
 In the recent case of Boykin v. Alabama (1969) 395 U.S. 238 [23 L. Ed. 2d 274, 89 S. Ct. 1709], the United States Supreme Court held it could not be assumed from a silent record that a guilty plea had been voluntarily made and that the constitutional rights necessarily forfeited by such a plea had been freely and intelligently waived. We conclude, however, that Boykin must be applied prospectively only and thus cannot be of aid to Tahl.
"Several federal constitutional rights are involved in a waiver that takes place when a plea of guilty is entered in a state criminal trial. First, is the privilege against compulsory self-incrimination....	[Citations.] Second, is the right to trial by jury. [Citation.] Third, is the right to confront one's accusers. [Citation.] We cannot presume a waiver of these three important federal rights from a silent record.
The quoted language, while not establishing precise guidelines, makes clear that a plea of guilty cannot stand unless the record in some manner indicates a free and intelligent waiver of the three enumerated rights necessarily abandoned by a guilty plea and an understanding of the nature and consequences of the plea. Clearly the judge's active participation "in canvassing the matter with the accused" is essential, and a fortiori a silent record is insufficient. The troublesome question is the type and quantum of affirmative record required to satisfy the newly prescribed constitutional standard.
There are at least two plausible interpretations of Boykin. First, it may be sufficient that there are statements and facts in the record from which a [1 Cal. 3d 131] reasonable presumption could be drawn that a defendant has been apprised of and has voluntarily waived his rights, and has intelligently pleaded guilty. The record in the instant case might well support such a presumption, based largely on the circumstances surrounding petitioner's plea, including but not limited to the presence of and statements by counsel. It is clear from the record, for example, that petitioner knew the nature of the charge and the consequences of his plea: he was present at the voir dire examination of prospective jurors, during which the indictment was read in substance and the possibility of the death penalty was announced by the prosecution and made the subject of an extensive inquiry of the jurors. (See People v. Murray (1967) 247 Cal. App. 2d 730 733 [56 Cal. Rptr. 21]; People v. Doyle (1960) supra, 169 N.E.2d 250 252.) In addition, petitioner was asked whether he understood "the nature of the charges," to which he answered, "Yes, sir, I do." As to the degree of the crime, the court, at the prosecutor's behest, inquired, "This has been explained to you, about murder in the first degree if it's committed while committing a robbery? You understand that, is that right, Mr. Tahl?" Petitioner replied, "Yes," and agreed that the murder was first degree.
Similarly we can presume petitioner was advised of his rights of confrontation and against self-incrimination from his acknowledgment that his attorney had explained his "constitutional rights" to him. However, there was an apparent deficiency regarding a specific waiver of petitioner's right to a jury trial, since in California such a waiver must be expressed in words by the defendant and cannot be implied from the defendant's conduct. (Cal. Const., art. I, § 7; People v. Holmes (1960) supra, 54 Cal. 2d 442; People v. Walker (1959) 170 Cal. App. 2d 159 [338 P.2d 536]; cf. People v. McDaniel (1958) 157 Cal. App. 2d 492 [321 P.2d 497]; see fn. 4, ante.) Waiver by counsel is not sufficient; a fortiori, having been "advised" by counsel is not sufficient. On the other hand, there can be little dispute under the unusual circumstances of this case that the record demonstrates petitioner actually knew of his right to a jury, since a jury had already been empaneled when he changed his plea. To Tahl, a jury was not an esoteric concept but an existential reality in the guise of 12 identifiable veniremen before whom he stood face to face. But if it is now necessary that an accused specifically waive his right to a jury, California law would seem to require some express courtroom statement by the accused and to preclude waiver by even the most redoubtable inference from the record.
This does not require the recitation of a formula by rote or the spelling out of every detail by the trial court. It does mean that the record must contain on its face direct evidence that the accused was aware, or made aware, of his right to confrontation, to a jury trial, and against self-incrimination, as well as the nature of the charge and the consequences of his plea. Each must be enumerated and responses elicited from the person of the defendant. Because mere inference is no longer sufficient, the presence of an attorney cannot alone satisfy these requirements; as noted, the defendant in Boykin was represented by counsel.
However, where, as here, the accused has been present at voir dire and has heard the indictment read and the consequences in terms of penalty discussed, the court would not necessarily be expected to repeat each of those matters verbatim, a brief examination to ascertain defendant's understanding being sufficient. While much remains within the trial court's discretion, in light of the importance of the rights involved and the consequent exactitude with which constitutional guarantees must necessarily be protected, a trial court would be well advised to err on the side of caution and employ the time necessary to explain adequately and to obtain express waiver of the rights involved. At stake is the protection of both the accused and the People, the latter by the assurance that an otherwise sound conviction will not fall due to an inadequate record.
In concluding that McCarthy should apply only to guilty pleas accepted subsequent to that decision, the court relied on its recently developed three criteria for determining retroactivity of constitutional rulings: fn. 9 "(1) the purpose of the new rule; (2) the extent of reliance upon the old rule; and (3) the effect retroactive application would have upon the administration of justice." (394 U.S. at p. 832 [23 L.Ed.2d at p. 19].) The court then explained the purposes of McCarthy: to assure application of the procedural safeguards of the rule and to provide a "complete record" for a "more expeditious disposition of a post-conviction attack on the plea." Similar purposes are expressed in Boykin, the gist of the constitutional defect there being a silent record, inutile on appeal.
[5a] Finally, we consider petitioner's contention that the jury selection violated the standards established in Witherspoon v. Illinois (1968) supra, 391 U.S. 510. We agree, and remand the case for a new trial on the issue of penalty.
The first juror improperly excluded in the instant case was Mrs. Sonneborn. She initially told the court she was "against capital punishment." The court then stated generally to the veniremen: "I think I should ask any of you at this time if you feel so strongly against the death penalty that you can't impose the death penalty under any circumstances, I wish you'd tell me now." Had the court stopped at this point, Mrs. Sonneborn's reply, "I would not, no" might have been sufficient to exclude her. However, before that reply the court added to its general statement the following specific question: "We'll take Mrs. Sonneborn--you are against capital punishment and would not want to sit on such a case, I take it?" (Italics added.) The juror then replied, as indicated, "I would not, no." She was then excused for cause.
Applying the above test, looking to the only specific question asked of Mrs. Sonneborn and the answer she gave to that question, which answer resulted in her exclusion, the court clearly excused Mrs. Sonneborn after having ascertained only that she "would not [want to sit on such a case], no."  We need not belabor an obvious point: a prospective juror's personal wants or desires, so long as they do not preclude an impartial determination of guilt or render automatic a vote against the death penalty, are wholly irrelevant and provide no basis for exclusion under the Witherspoon standard.
The above exchange indicates only that Mrs. Delaney entertained a bias against the death penalty which would preclude her sitting as a "fair and impartial" juror at the penalty (second) phase of the trial.  As set out earlier, the Witherspoon court made it abundantly clear that partial jurors could only be excused where their bias would result in an automatic vote against the death penalty or would preclude impartiality on the question of guilt. (391 U.S. at pp. 522-523, fn. 21 [20 L.Ed.2d at p. 785].) [5c] Mrs. Delaney stated only that she could not be impartial on the question of penalty--a circumstance she necessarily shared with all persons predisposed against the death penalty. Again, the only question asked Mrs. Delaney, like that asked Mrs. Sonneborn, in no way related back to the court's original general statement about imposition "under any circumstances." The exclusion of both Mrs. Sonneborn and Mrs. Delaney was reversible error under Witherspoon.
The writ is granted as to the penalty trial. The remittitur issued in People [1 Cal. 3d 138] v. Tahl, Crim. 9960, is recalled, and the judgment imposing the death penalty is reversed insofar as it relates to the penalty. In all other respects the judgment is affirmed.
Traynor, C. J., Tobriner, J., Burke, J., and Sullivan, J., concurred.
I would deny the writ of habeas corpus.
I concur with the majority's conclusion that the exclusion of jurors Sonneborn and Delaney constituted reversible error as to the penalty verdict, and with the majority's reading of Boykin v. Alabama (1969) 395 U.S. 238 [23 L. Ed. 2d 274, 89 S. Ct. 1709] as requiring a trial judge expressly to explain, and a defendant expressly to waive, constitutional rights to a jury trial, to confrontation, and against self-incrimination before a guilty plea is accepted. I also concur with the majority's refusal to apply to decisions final prior to Boykin that case's requirement that express explanations and waivers appear on the record.
I believe, however, that the realities of criminal justice demand a more basic reform of plea procedures than that undertaken by the majority if we are to serve the laudable objectives of Boykin. A trial judge cannot meaningfully assess the voluntariness of a guilty plea, and the record of plea proceedings cannot fairly preclude a claim of the plea's invalidity, as long as defendants are expected to hide the most common motivation for such pleas: plea bargains. I would require that all plea bargains be set forth on the record and that defendants be fully advised of the possible consequences of the bargain they have entered.
We have recognized that a substantial portion -- probably the vast majority--of criminal cases are disposed of through the process of plea bargaining. (In re Hawley, 67 Cal. 2d 824, 828 [63 Cal. Rptr. 831, 433 P.2d 919].) We also know that most bargains do not appear on the record, and that defendants whose pleas have been obtained by promises of leniency are usually expected to deny the existence of such promises in spite of the common knowledge of judge, prosecutor, and defense counsel to the contrary. (See, e.g., American Bar Assn. Advisory Committee on the Criminal Trial, Standards Relating to Pleas of Guilty (tentative draft 1967) p. 61.) The result, in such cases, is that the entry of the plea is a ritual in which the recitations of the participants have little relation to reality. A defendant who is expected to lie when the judge asks if a guilty plea is the result of a promise of leniency is in no position to engage in a forthright exchange with the same judge at the same time when the question is the defendant's understanding and relinquishment of his constitutional rights. Only if the defendant can be expected to be truthful will the Boykin [1 Cal. 3d 139] procedure protect against unknowing or involuntary waivers. If the defendant is expected merely to recite a script, a full record will be of absolutely no use in distinguishing the meritorious from the frivolous collateral attacks on guilty pleas.
An important part of a trial judge's task is to ensure that a guilty plea is not the product of "`duress, fraud, or other fact overreaching the free will and judgment of a defendant'" (People v. Wadkins, 63 Cal. 2d 110, 114 [45 Cal. Rptr. 173, 403 P.2d 429]), and to forestall frivolous attacks on such pleas. Accordingly, I believe that whenever such information is relevant to the terms of a disclosed bargain, a defendant should be told of the broad discretion of the Adult Authority (Pen. Code, §§ 1168, 3020, 5077), that the authority is apprised of the prosecutor's and judge's views of the defendant and his crime (Pen. Code, § 1203.01), and that in determining the defendant's sentence and parole eligibility, the authority may consider charges that the prosecutor has agreed to drop in return for the guilty plea.
In two respects, I disagree with the majority. I would hold (1) that Boykin's formal requirement of record proof of explanations and waivers applies to all cases not yet final, and (2) that Boykin's substantive requirement that valid waivers in fact accompany a plea--regardless of the state of the record--is entitled to full retroactive effect.
My second disagreement with the majority relates to the substantive law [1 Cal. 3d 140] enunciated by Boykin. Faced with a record which revealed nothing more than the fact of the petitioner's guilty plea, Boykin noted that such a plea is "more than a confession" and involves a waiver of rights to a jury trial, to confrontation, and against self-incrimination.	(395 U.S. at pp. 242-243 [23 L.Ed.2d at pp. 279-280].) Boykin reasoned that since the admission of a confession must be based on a "`reliable determination on the voluntariness issue,'" and since a waiver of the right to counsel is invalid unless the record, or allegation and evidence, shows an intelligent and understanding rejection of counsel by the accused, "[w]e think that the same standard must be applied to determining whether a guilty plea is voluntarily made." (Id, at p. 242 [23 L.Ed.2d at p. 279].) Because prior case law precluded presuming a waiver of counsel from a silent record, and in order to facilitate direct and collateral review, Boykin concluded that "[w]e cannot presume a waiver of these three important federal rights from a silent record." (Id, at pp. 242-244 [23 L.Ed.2d at pp. 279-280].) I agree with the majority that Boykin's concern with the state of the record means that in the future we must presume the absence of constitutional waivers from the existence of a silent record. This is the formal and prophylactic aspect of Boykin. But Boykin also stands for the proposition that a guilty plea includes constitutional waivers and is therefore invalid unless in fact entered by a defendant who understands the implications of the plea and has decided voluntarily to forego his rights.
Although the majority does not address itself to this substantive aspect of Boykin, its affirmance of petitioner's guilt verdict in the face of his allegations implies a denial of retroactivity not only to Boykin's formal demands, but also to the substantive rights which those demands were designed to protect.
Accordingly, the logic of Johnson v. New Jersey, supra, Stovall v. Denno, supra, and Halliday v. United States, supra, means that today's decision should deny retroactive effect only to the formal requirements of Boykin, and that we should give full retroactive effect to the substantive rights which the formalities were designed to protect. Any prisoner convicted on a guilty plea should be entitled to collateral relief if he can show that the plea was not voluntary in the constitutional sense because unaccompanied by understanding and voluntary waivers of constitutional rights to confrontation, to a jury trial, and against self-incrimination.
Although the petition before us is primarily concerned with the inadequacy of the record of the plea proceedings, the petitioner expressly alleges that at the time of his plea he did not comprehend the nature of the charges against him, that he was ignorant of the felony-murder doctrine, and had no appreciation of the fact that his plea made him eligible for capital punishment--in part because he was under the influence of "six doses" of phenobarbital. In response, the majority cites In re Cameron, 68 Cal. 2d 487, 501, fn. 8 [67 Cal. Rptr. 529, 439 P.2d 633], for the proposition that "[w]ith a hypnotic drug ... the fact that the individual is conscious indicates that he is no longer under the influence of the drug." That quote paraphrases medical testimony in a totally unconnected case which is in no way binding on the present petitioner. Especially when the People admit that petitioner had been receiving three 1/4 grain doses of phenobarbital a day, and when medical authorities indicate that barbituates affect different subjects in different ways and may result in the subject becoming mentally confused (see Brown, The Enigma of Drug Addiction (1961) p. 27; 1 Lundquist, Methods of Forensic Science (1962) p. 377), I do not think we should dismiss the allegation summarily.
The majority also alludes to the petitioner's affirmative responses to questions as to whether he had been advised of his rights, the nature of the charges against him, and the consequences of his plea. But these responses beg the questions in issue: only if petitioner in fact understood the felony-murder doctrine, the nature of the charges against him, the fact that his plea [1 Cal. 3d 143] made him eligible for capital punishment, and the extent of his constitutional rights could he have been competent to answer.
In my view the petitioner has sufficiently alleged that his plea was involuntary and that he did not knowingly waive his rights. I believe he should be afforded a hearing to determine the truth of his allegations.
FN 1. Upon petitioner's request, through his attorney, to withdraw his plea of not guilty, the following exchange is revealed by the record: "THE COURT: All right, Mr. Tahl, you come up here with your attorney. Mr. Tahl, your attorney has indicated you want to withdraw your plea of not guilty as to the charges, and we'll take them one at a time. Do you want to withdraw your plea of not guilty as to the first Count?
"THE COURT: That's the Count charging you with the murder of Vernice Bowen. You do now withdraw your plea of not guilty?
"THE DEFENDANT: Yes, I do.
"THE COURT: Counsel, do you concur in the withdrawal of the plea of not guilty as indicated?
"MR. SMITH [petitioner's attorney]: Yes, your Honor.
"THE COURT: All right, I'll grant you permission to withdraw your plea of not guilty. You understand the nature of the charges against you in this Count?
"THE DEFENDANT: Yes, sir, I do.
"THE COURT: You've discussed this all with Mr. Smith, have you?
"THE DEFENDANT: Yes, I have.
"THE COURT: Your attorney has explained your constitutional rights to you, has he, Mr. Tahl?
"THE COURT: Are you changing your plea freely and voluntarily, without threat or fear to yourself or to anyone closely related to or associated with you?
"THE DEFENDANT: Yes, your Honor.
"THE COURT: Has anyone made you any promise of a lesser sentence, or probation, reward or immunity, or anything else, in order to induce you to change your plea?
"THE COURT: You understand that the matter of sentence is to be determined by the jury or by the Court in this case?
"MR. SMITH: Yes, your Honor.
"THE COURT: Are you changing your plea to guilty because in truth and in fact you are guilty, and for no other reason, Mr. Tahl?
"THE COURT: Do you waive a further reading of the Indictment as to Count one?
"THE COURT: What is your plea, Mr. Tahl?
"THE COURT: All right. The Court will find that the degree of murder as to Count one and Count two is first degree.
"MR. IREDALE [the deputy district attorney]: Your Honor, I think on that matter, if the defense is willing, we'd be willing to stipulate to that.
"THE COURT: I think so. I understood there would be a stipulation that it was first degree, is that right?
"MR. SMITH: So stipulated. "MR. IREDALE: The People so stipulate; does the defendant?
"THE COURT: Mr. Tahl, I think since you've entered your plea, you've got to concur also that this is murder in the first degree.
"MR. SMITH: Your Honor, is it my understanding that murder in the first degree is stipulated to, since the robbery Count would be first degree robbery, and this is a murder committed in the course of a robbery or attempted robbery?
"THE COURT: Well, I don't know if the District Attorney wants to be limited to that or not.
"MR. IREDALE: My feeling is that I would assume that the defense attorney has explained to his client, and I would appreciate it if the Court would inquire of the defendant whether he fully understands what we are now talking about, and it has been explained to him, so that he would stipulate.
"THE COURT: I think so. This has been explained to you, about murder in the first degree if it's committed while committing a robbery? You understand that, is that right, Mr. Tahl?
"THE COURT: With that in mind, do you agree that this is murder in the first degree?
"THE COURT: In both Counts?
"MR. IREDALE: Your Honor, may we go back to Count number three? There's a further matter charged there, and I think in the attempt[ed] robbery that should be established as to degree.
"THE COURT: Yes. Mr. Tahl, I think in the third Count I neglected to ask you if at the time of the commission of the offense--it says `said defendant was armed with a deadly weapon, to-wit, a .410 gauge shotgun.' Do you admit that you were so armed?
"THE COURT: Mr. Mendez, you have considered that matter [of pleading guilty] carefully, have you?
"THE DEFENDANT: Yes, I have, your Honor.
"THE COURT: You have advised with your attorney, Mr. Hill?
"THE DEFENDANT: I did talk it over with him.
"THE COURT: You feel, because you are guilty, that you want to plead guilty, and that you want the court to hear evidence to determine the degree of your guilt; is that correct?
"THE DEFENDANT: That is correct, your Honor.
"THE COURT: You have been fully advised, so the District Attorney may rearraign you."
FN 3. Petitioner contends that his answers of "yes" to the queries of the trial court are not sufficient substitutes for more elaborate statements of fact by petitioner himself. He cites no supporting authority in this or any other jurisdiction.
FN 4. California law has long required that waiver of a jury trial be express. (People v. Holmes (1960) 54 Cal. 2d 442 [5 Cal. Rptr. 871, 353 P.2d 583].) However, prior to Boykin v. Alabama, discussed infra, it was not necessary that acceptance of a guilty plea be preceded by a specific waiver of the right to a jury trial, or any other right (except the right to counsel, where none was present). Therefore, although the present record would be insufficient now to constitute a valid waiver of a jury trial, this does not necessarily preclude holding the plea of guilty to be acceptable under then existing California law.
FN 6. Thus were the court to ask counsel whether he had advised the defendant of his right of confrontation and ask the defendant whether he waived that right, receiving an affirmative reply to both inquiries, this would satisfy the requirement of an express, on-the-record waiver of that right. (Cf. People v. Evanson (1968) supra, 265 Cal. App. 2d 698.) What is required is evidence that the particular right was known to and waived by the defendant. The explanation need not necessarily be by the court, although the waiver must be by the defendant. We reiterate, however, that wherever there is doubt an explicit and direct canvassing of the right with the defendant by the trial court is to be preferred, and may be necessary.
FN 7. That quotation is as follows: "A majority of criminal convictions are obtained after a plea of guilty. If these convictions are to be insulated from attack, the trial court is best advised to conduct an on the record examination of the defendant which should include, inter alia, an attempt to satisfy itself that the defendant understands the nature of the charges, his right to a jury trial, the acts sufficient to constitute the offenses for which he is charged, and the permissible range of sentences."
This is in effect the type of inquiry long recognized in California as essential if the accused desires to proceed without counsel. (E.g., In re Johnson (1965) 62 Cal. 2d 325 [42 Cal. Rptr. 228, 398 P.2d 420]; In re James (1952) 38 Cal. 2d 302 [240 P.2d 596]; People v. Chesser (1947) 29 Cal. 2d 815 [178 P.2d 761, 170 A.L.R. 246].) Our holding today may thus be seen as an extension of the concepts first developed in those cases.
FN 8. Rule 11 provides, in pertinent part, that a court "shall not accept [a guilty plea] without first addressing the defendant personally and determining that the plea is made voluntarily with understanding of the nature of the charge and the consequences of the plea.... The court shall not enter a judgment upon a plea of guilty unless it is satisfied that there is a factual basis for the plea."
In McCarthy there was a failure to address the defendant personally to determine whether he understood the nature of the charge against him.
FN 9. Although McCarthy was based solely on rule 11 and not on constitutional considerations, the court in Halliday found it "appropriate to analyze the question of that decision's retroactivity in terms of the same criteria we have employed to determine whether constitutionally grounded decisions that depart from precedent should be applied retroactively." (394 U.S. at p. 832 [23 L.Ed.2d at, p. 19].) Thus the Halliday determination is properly applicable to the constitutionally grounded decision in Boykin.
FN 10. The magnitude of the potential effect on the administration of justice is apparent when we note that in California for the years 1960 through 1967 felony convictions obtained on pleas of guilty totaled 173,496. (Crime and Delinquency in California (1967) p. 100.) The number of misdemeanor convictions would be considerably higher.
FN 11. A plea of guilty is in essence a confession in open court, and the procedures necessitated by the Boykin decision are analogous to those set out for in-custody interrogation in Miranda v. Arizona (1966) 384 U.S. 436 [16 L. Ed. 2d 694, 86 S. Ct. 1602, 10 A.L.R.3d 974.] In Johnson v. New Jersey, supra, the Supreme Court declined to apply Miranda retroactively, recognizing that confessions lacking Miranda warnings were not necessarily involuntary and that those warnings simply added "important new safeguards" against coerced confessions. Similarly, the absence of Boykin warnings does not necessarily negate the voluntary nature of a guilty plea, and the "important new safeguards" herein established may fairly be applied prospectively only.
FN 12. Petitioner now alleges that at the time he pleaded guilty he was under the influence of "six dosages of phenobarbital," allegedly obtained partly from a cellmate and partly from prison authorities. This is petitioner's first mention of the ingestion of a drug, or indeed of any condition rendering his plea of guilty or his conduct at any other stage of his trial involuntary, although petitioner filed an extensive brief on direct appeal from his conviction. Petitioner offers no explanation of his failure to raise this issue on his automatic appeal. (See In re Shipp (1965) 62 Cal. 2d 547 [43 Cal. Rptr. 3, 399 P.2d 571]; In re Swain (1949) 34 Cal. 2d 300 [209 P.2d 793].) Moreover, petitioner relates no details as to how, when, or why the drugs were taken, and offers no information as to the probable or necessary effect of "six dosages" of phenobarbital. The only evidence of any relevance on this point is contained in the People's brief, which points out that petitioner was apparently receiving three 1/4 grain doses of phenobarbital per day while in jail three weeks following his guilty plea. We take judicial notice under Evidence Code section 452, subdivision (h), that six 1/4-grain doses of phenobarbital would be the normal "hypnotic" (sleep-inducing) dose (see Osol, Pratt & Altschule, The United States Dispensatory and Physicians' Pharmacology (26th ed. 1967) pp. 886-887; Goodman & Gilman, The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics (3d ed. 1965) p. 122); we consider it most unlikely that a man who had taken no more than the normal sleep-inducing amount of a common sleeping medicine would be disabled from understanding the consequences of a plea of guilty to murder. Nothing in the record shows that petitioner was less than fully conscious and alert at the time of his plea. Petitioner's allegation is patently improbable and affords no basis for an evidentiary hearing.

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