Source: https://scocal.stanford.edu/opinion/people-v-visciotti-30940
Timestamp: 2017-11-22 15:02:49
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Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 189', '§ 664', '§ 211', '§ 190', '§ 12022', '§ 13', '§ 664', '§ 353', '§ 773', '§ 767', '§ 217', '§ 190', '§ 190', '§ 721', '§ 191']

People v. Visciotti - 2 Cal.4th 1 S004597 - Thu, 03/12/1992 | California Supreme Court Resources
Home > Opinions > People v. Visciotti
Citation 2 Cal.4th 1
People v. Visciotti (1992) 2 Cal.4th 1 , 5 Cal.Rptr.2d 495; 825 P.2d 388
[No. S004597.
Mar 12, 1992.]
Defendant was convicted by a jury in the Orange County Superior Court of the November 8, 1982, first degree murder (Pen. Code, [2 Cal.4th 28] §§ 189, 187) fn. 1 of Timothy Dykstra (count I); attempted murder (§§ 664/187) of Michael Wolbert (count II); and robbery (§ 211) of those victims (count III). The jury also found that the murder was committed under the special circumstance of murder in the commission of robbery (§ 190.2, subd. (a)(17)(i)), and that defendant had personally used a firearm in the commission of the offenses (§ 12022.5). The same jury found that the killing of Dykstra was intentional and returned a penalty verdict of death.
Dykstra and Wolbert agreed to go to the party. They did not know defendant and Hefner well, however, and were cautious. They insisted on driving in Wolbert's car. They also removed most of their cash from their wallets and hid it behind the dashboard of their car. After leaving defendant's car at an apartment complex, the four drove to a remote area on Santiago Canyon Road where defendant asked Wolbert to stop so that defendant could relieve himself. It was then between 7 and 9 p.m. [2 Cal.4th 29]
Defendant and Hefner were arrested as they left their motel room about 9 a.m. on the morning after the robbery and murder. The murder weapon, a .22- caliber single action revolver which still held six expended shell cases in the cylinder, was found hidden in a space behind the bathroom sink. Defendant confessed his involvement and, at the request of the investigating [2 Cal.4th 30] officers, participated in a videotaped reenactment of those events that had taken place in Santiago Canyon.
Brian Hefner had owned both a .22-caliber rifle and the revolver, but defendant persuaded him to pawn the rifle to obtain money with which to buy cocaine. Hefner refused to pawn the revolver, but defendant was not aware that Hefner had the revolver with him on November 8, 1982, when the [2 Cal.4th 31] pair decided to find someone to rob. They had abandoned a plan to obtain money by selling sugar as cocaine, and Hefner had suggested that they find someone to go with them to buy cocaine, take the victims' money under that pretense, and "just split." They invited Dykstra and Wolbert to a party at which there would be girls and cocaine, but were unsuccessful in an attempt to get Dykstra and Wolbert to provide money with which to buy cocaine. Defendant and Hefner then decided to simply take them somewhere and take their money. Defendant alone decided where to take the victims and gave Wolbert directions to Santiago Canyon, which was an area to which he had been when committed to a county boys ranch.
At that point, however, Hefner said: "Don't let them go because they'll tell," and yelled at defendant to shoot them. Defendant testified that he did not know what happened then except that he started shooting. He shot until the gun was empty. He had not loaded the gun and did not know how many shells were in it. He did not know whether he used one hand or two. He had no idea where he was firing the gun. He did not intend to shoot anyone through the heart or in the side, and was not aiming there. Dykstra had not made any threatening move prior to being shot, but Wolbert stood up and came running toward him. Defendant did not know at that point that Wolbert [2 Cal.4th 32] had been hit by the prior shots. Earlier Wolbert had shown defendant a "weapon"-a glove with metal lining-that Wolbert said he carried in case there was "trouble." Defendant did not know he shot Wolbert in the face, but admitted that he had pulled the trigger and was pointing the gun at Wolbert.
Dr. Broussard also described the effects of prolonged use of cocaine, which resulted in some users becoming "ambulatory psychotics," having persecutory delusions similar to those of a person getting over acute schizophrenia, and experiencing hallucinations. Dr. Broussard had concluded that defendant was in a drug-induced psychotic state at the time of the events, could not and did not premeditate and deliberate, and was not in control of his senses when he agreed after his arrest to the police interview without counsel. Dr. Broussard also believed that when defendant responded to Hefner's command to shoot, he was behaving like a sleepwalker or person under hypnosis. His behavior was chaotic and drug controlled. [2 Cal.4th 33]
Cusack was permitted to testify in rebuttal to the mitigating evidence presented by defendant. She first met defendant on June 12, 1978, at a party in defendant's apartment. She had not seen him again until the early morning hours of June 15 when he and several other men broke into the apartment she shared with Scofield. Defendant had a knife. When the other men, who were beating Scofield with bats and sticks, dragged Scofield out of the room, defendant remained in the room where Cusack was standing on the bed. He stabbed her through the right forearm, which she had raised to protect herself, stabbed her farther up that arm, and when she fell down onto the bed, slashed her leg. He then stabbed her in the ankle. When defendant attempted to stab Cusack in the abdomen she told him she was pregnant. fn. 7 He nonetheless tried again to stab her in the abdomen, but she rolled over and he stabbed her in the side. He then stabbed her in the chest, slashed her shoulder, stabbed her in the area of her breast. After stabbing Cusack eight or [2 Cal.4th 34] more times, defendant began to carve up the walls of the apartment, and to cut up the posters and pictures. When Cusack hit him over the head with a stick, defendant ran out of the apartment. She, too, had to be hospitalized for treatment of her wounds.
[1] Relying on People v. Hale (1988) 44 Cal.3d 531 [244 Cal.Rptr. 114 [749 P.2d 769], and People v. Marks (1988) 45 Cal.3d 1335 [248 Cal.Rptr. 874, 756 P.2d 260], defendant argues that the trial court lacked jurisdiction to proceed to trial because the judge had expressed a doubt as to defendant's competency and had initiated proceedings under section 1368 to determine competency, which proceedings were never held.
We disagree with the initial premise that the court expressed doubt as to defendant's competence and had ordered that proceedings be conducted pursuant to section 1368. [2 Cal.4th 35]
It is apparent from this record that counsel's request for appointment of experts for the dual purpose of assisting counsel in making a decision on [2 Cal.4th 36] whether to enter a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity and to render an opinion on defendant's competence was preliminary to consideration by counsel, let alone the judge, of whether either had a doubt as to defendant's competence. Neither counsel nor the judge expressed a doubt as to defendant's competence and the judge did not order section 1368 proceedings. The typed recital in the form order to the effect that the defendant "may fall within the definition set forth in the appropriate statute indicated above" reflects nothing more than an explanation or justification for the appointment of the experts. fn. 9 It is not the statement contemplated by section 1368 that the court presently has a doubt as to the defendant's competency. fn. 10 (Cf. People v. Westbrook (1964) 62 Cal.2d 197, 203 [41 Cal.Rptr. 809, 397 P.2d 545] [criminal proceedings suspended and cause transferred to "psychiatric department," an order that could only be explained by the court having a doubt as to the defendant's sanity].)
In Hale, by contrast, the court expressed a doubt as to the defendant's competence based on the defendant's conduct and demeanor in the courtroom, inquired of counsel, who agreed that in his opinion the defendant was not competent, and ordered a hearing " 'on the question of the defendant's present mental competency.' " (People v. Hale, supra, 44 Cal.3d 531, 535-536.) Similarly, in People v. Marks, supra, 45 Cal.3d 1335, the trial court had stated a doubt as to the defendant's mental competence and had ordered " 'the question of his mental competence to be determined in a special hearing which will be held pursuant to Sections 1368.1 and 1369 of the Penal Code.' " (Id., at p. 1338, italics omitted.)
Defendant claims that the jury selection process denied him his rights under the Sixth and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution, and article I, section 16 of the California Constitution, to a randomly selected, representative jury; that the use of case specific hypothetical voir dire questions to "indoctrinate" potential jurors was prejudicial misconduct that resulted in a biased jury; that Witherspoon- Witt error (Witherspoon v. Illinois (1968) 391 U.S. 510 [20 L.Ed.2d 776, 88 S.Ct. 1770]; Wainwright v. Witt (1985) 469 U.S. 412 [83 L.Ed.2d 841, 105 S.Ct. 844]) occurred when [2 Cal.4th 37] prospective juror Rokes was excused; that three jurors who admitted bias in favor of the death penalty were improperly allowed to remain on the venire panel; and that the trial court erroneously permitted jury selection proceedings to be conducted in his absence. We address each claim in turn.
[2] Appellant contends first that the procedure by which the judge, with the acquiescence of counsel, filled the jury box to initiate the general voir dire following the sequestered Hovey death- qualification voir dire (see Hovey v. Superior Court (1980) 28 Cal.3d 1, 80-81 [168 Cal.Rptr. 128, 616 P.2d 1301]) denied him a randomly selected jury. Random selection, he contends, is mandated by statute and constitutional command, and may not be waived by counsel.
Section 1046 directs that juries be formed for criminal trials "in the same manner as trial juries in civil actions." Code of Civil Procedure section 197 provided at the time of this trial: "It is the policy of the State of California that all persons selected for jury service shall be selected at random from a fair cross section of the population of the area served by the court, and that all qualified persons have the opportunity, in accordance with this chapter to be considered for jury service in the state and an obligation to serve as jurors when summoned for that purpose. This chapter applies to all trial juries in all civil and criminal proceedings in all courts." [2 Cal.4th 38]
People v. Johnson, supra, 104 Cal. 418, was decided prior to the enactment of Code of Civil Procedure sections 191 and 197. We have not had occasion since the enactment of those sections to consider whether the establishment of random selection as a policy of the state affects the rule applied in Johnson. We conclude that it does not. While the parties are not free to waive, and the court is not free to forego, compliance with the statutory procedures which are designed to further the policy of random selection, equally important policies mandate that criminal convictions not be overturned on the basis of irregularities in jury selection to which the defendant did not object or in which he has acquiesced. (Cal. Const., art. VI, § 13; People v. Edwards (1991) 54 Cal.3d 787, 813 [1 Cal.Rptr.2d 696, 819 P.2d 436].) The failure to object will therefore continue to constitute a waiver of a claim of error on appeal.
[3] Notwithstanding the policy of random selection and equal opportunity for jury service by all qualified persons, not every departure from the statutory procedures constitutes reversible error. The Legislature also provided in former section 1059 that a challenge to the panel could be founded only on a material departure from those procedures. (See People v. Wright (1990) 52 Cal.3d 367, 394, 395 [276 Cal.Rptr. 731, 802 P.2d 221].) Clearly, therefore, the Legislature did not intend that minor deviations from the statutory procedure be grounds for reversal of a judgment of conviction. It follows that a defendant may not claim error on appeal if the procedure utilized in jury selection did not depart materially from the statutory procedures established to further the purpose of random selection.
[4a] The method by which prospective jurors were seated for the purpose of general voir dire in this case was not a material departure from the [2 Cal.4th 39] procedures established by statute. The nonstatutory procedure to which defendant now objects was used only to select (from the prospective jurors who remained on the venire after death qualification) the first 12 persons to be seated for general voir dire. Instead of directing the courtroom clerk to draw the names of 12 venirepersons at random, fn. 12 the court sought a stipulation that defendant waive his right to random selection of the initial group of jurors. Instead, each attorney was to submit a list of 20 prospective jurors from which the court would select the first 12 to be seated, matching any who appeared on both lists. fn. 13
Before the procedure was undertaken, defendant was advised by the court that he, like every other defendant, had a right to random, secret, impartial seating of all prospective jurors. The judge then said: "The inquiry the court [2 Cal.4th 40] will make is as follows: Does the defendant waive his right and agree that the court may chose the first 12 jurors to be seated, thereafter returning to the usual selection process?" At that point, defendant responded, "Yes."
Notwithstanding defendant's present claim that he did not understand the procedure, he is not entitled to relief on appeal on grounds that the statutory jury selection procedures were not followed. We are not faced here with a complete abandonment of random selection. When the general voir dire commenced, the venires of prospective jurors had already been examined in the sequestered Hovey voir dire. There is no suggestion that these venires had not been selected at random, pursuant to Code of Civil Procedure section 222. The prospective jurors in them had been seated for the initial voir dire in accordance with that random draw. The procedure here differs, therefore, from that at issue in People v. Wright, supra, 52 Cal.3d 367, 393-395, in which the initial seating for voir dire was not conducted in conformity with former section 222 of the Code of Civil Procedure. [2 Cal.4th 41]
[4b] Defendant posits scenarios in which designation of acceptable jurors by the parties, or selection by the court, could result in exclusion by [2 Cal.4th 42] omission of categories of jurors in violation of People v. Wheeler (1978) 22 Cal.3d 258 [148 Cal.Rptr. 890, 583 P.2d 748], or in a jury not drawn from a true cross-section of the population (see Duren v. Missouri (1979) 439 U.S. 357 [58 L.Ed.2d 579, 99 S.Ct. 664]). He fails, however, to establish that the stipulation to seat the first 12 jurors for general voir dire, from prospective jurors already randomly selected for the sequestered voir dire, could or did have such an impact. To the contrary, the record confirms that during the general voir dire, 19 prospective jurors were randomly selected to replace those excused for cause or peremptorily challenged. Seven of the jurors seated to try the case were selected during this random draw. Five had been among the first twelve seated. This case differs markedly, therefore, from the jury selection process condemned in United States v. Kennedy (5th Cir. 1977) 548 F.2d 608, (hereafter Kennedy) on which defendant relies for his claim that relief is available without regard to a showing of actual harm.
The jurors in question had been randomly selected for the master jury list prepared for use at trials during the prior month. The court rejected that consideration as a basis for finding compliance with the statute, stating: "Nonrandom selection of a subgroup from a randomly selected group does not make for a randomly selected subgroup." (Kennedy, supra, 548 F.2d at p. 612.) Nonetheless, the defendant's "forfeiture of the statutory claim in no way affects the sanctity of a defendant's due process right to be tried by a jury drawn from a fair cross-section of the community. While a properly preserved claim of [2 Cal.4th 43] substantial noncompliance with the Act would of course require reversal if meritorious, the fundamental justice of a conviction remains intact if the jury selection procedure did not transgress that due process guarantee." (Id., at pp. 613-614.)
United States v. Northside Rlty. Assoc. (N.D.Ga. 1981) 510 F.Supp. 668 (hereafter Northside Rlty. Assoc.) offers no more support.
In Northside Rlty. Assoc., supra, 510 F.Supp. 668, the dispositive issue involved substantial noncompliance with the act in a manner not unlike that in the case before this court. In selecting prospective jurors for assignment to divisions within the district from master jury wheels of qualified prospective jurors by use of a newly developed computerized selection procedure, the clerk failed to designate by random process the "starting number" by which the computerized sequence of selection from the wheel was to commence. Instead the jury clerk picked the starting numbers with the result that six of more than five hundred numbers accounted for 32 percent of the choices.
The court dismissed indictments handed down by a grand jury in which the members had been selected in a process initiated in that manner, after finding that the deviation from the act was substantial, and was not an infrequent or inadvertent departure. In so doing the district court accepted the reasoning of the Fifth Circuit in Kennedy, supra, 548 F.2d 608, that a showing of prejudice was not necessary to establish a substantial failure to comply with the act. (510 F.Supp. at pp. 692-693.) [2 Cal.4th 44]
Unlike Kennedy (supra, 548 F.2d 608) and the instant case, however, the defendants in Northside Rlty. Assoc., supra, 510 F.Supp. 668, made a timely and procedurally proper challenge to the indictment, a challenge based on the departure from the statutory mandate of random selection. Thus, neither Kennedy nor Northside Rlty. Assoc. supports defendant's claim that even an insubstantial deviation from a policy mandating random selection justifies reversal of a judgment of conviction where no proper pretrial challenge was made and no resultant denial of a jury drawn from a representative cross-section is demonstrated.
[7a] Relying on language in Witherspoon v. Illinois, supra, 391 U.S. 510, 522, footnote 21 [20 L.Ed.2d 776, 785], which this court once understood to state the constitutional rule (see People v. Velasquez (1980) 26 Cal.3d 425, [2 Cal.4th 45] 436 [162 Cal.Rptr. 306, 606 P.2d 341]), defendant claims that the trial court erroneously excluded prospective juror Dale Rokes, who expressed an abstract opposition to the death penalty, but did not make it "unmistakably clear ... that [he] would automatically vote against the imposition of capital punishment without regard to any evidence that might be developed at the trial of the case ...." (Witherspoon v. Illinois, supra, 391 U.S. 510, 522, fn. 21 [20 L.Ed.2d 776, 785], italics omitted.)
Defendant recognizes that the United States Supreme Court has since clarified the governing principles, holding that a defendant's Sixth and Fourteenth Amendment right to an impartial jury is not compromised by the excusal of a prospective juror whose views about capital punishment give the "definite impression" that those views would " 'prevent or substantially impair the performance of his duties as a juror in accordance with his instructions and his oath.' " (Wainwright v. Witt, supra, 469 U.S. 412, 424 [83 L.Ed.2d 841, 851-852].) We have adopted the reformulated standard in applying the California Constitution. (People v. Cox (1991) 53 Cal.3d 618, 645 [280 Cal.Rptr. 692, 809 P.2d 351]; People v. Hamilton (1989) 48 Cal.3d 1142, 1165 [259 Cal.Rptr. 701, 774 P.2d 730]; People v. Ghent (1987) 43 Cal.3d 739, 767 [239 Cal.Rptr. 82, 739 P.2d 1250].)
When asked by defense counsel if his position was that the state did not have the right to take life, Rokes responded: "No, I don't disagree with the law. I couldn't see myself as passing that type of judgment." And, when asked by the prosecutor if he could imagine any circumstance so offensive that he would vote for the death penalty, he replied: "No, I can't." Finally, the court explained its responsibility to determine if it was "unmistakably clear that under no circumstance [he] would ever vote for the death penalty" and asked: "That's the position you've taken?" Rokes replied: "Yes." [2 Cal.4th 46]
"Let's assume you have a person who decides to commit a robbery because he wants to make some additional money. He goes out and gets [2 Cal.4th 47] himself a loaded handgun to make the odds more in his favor that he'll be successful. And he finds a victim that he thinks has some money and sure enough, the victim has some money when the defendant sticks him up. Sometime about this point the defendant has the brilliant thought that if I let this guy go, he's going to the police and I might get caught and whereas if I don't let him go, don't leave any witnesses, I won't get caught, in other words I'd better kill him to make myself more certain of getting away.
[8b] As we have observed before, "[t]he only question the court need resolve during this stage of the voir dire is whether any prospective juror has such conscientious or religious scruples about capital punishment, in the abstract, that his views would ' "prevent or substantially impair the performance of his duties as a juror in accordance with his instructions and his oath." ' " (People v. Mattson (1990) 50 Cal.3d 826, 845 [268 Cal.Rptr. 802, 789 P.2d 983].) [9b] The Hovey "voir dire seeks only to determine if, because of his views on capital punishment, any prospective juror would vote against the death penalty without regard to the evidence produced at trial." (Ibid.; People v. Clark (1990) 50 Cal.3d 583, 597 [268 Cal.Rptr. 399, 789 P.2d 127]. See also, Wainwright v. Witt, supra, 469 U.S. 412, 416 [83 L.Ed.2d 841, 846-847].)
[11a] Although voir dire is not a platform from which counsel may educate prospective jurors about the case, or compel them to commit themselves to a particular disposition of the matter, to prejudice them for or [2 Cal.4th 48] against a party, or to "indoctrinate" them (see People v. Williams (1981) 29 Cal.3d 392, 408 [174 Cal.Rptr. 317, 628 P.2d 869]), the scope of the inquiry permitted during voir dire is committed to the discretion of the court. [12] (See fn. 18.) , [11b] Absent a timely objection to questions that arguably exceed the proper scope, any claim of abuse of discretion is deemed to have been waived. fn. 18
[13] Defendant educes from this that Austin was committed to voting for death in any case involving an intentional murder, or at a minimum had a [2 Cal.4th 49] bias for death. The trial court denied a challenge for cause, however, concluding that Austin's replies did not make it unmistakenly clear that he would impose the death penalty in all cases. We agree, but more importantly, as respondent notes, Austin was not selected as a juror or even seated during the general voir dire. Similarly, prospective juror Wheeler, who defendant claims was also biased toward death, was removed by the People's exercise of a peremptory challenge, and prospective juror Worrell was excused for hardship by stipulation.
Defendant concedes that the written waiver executed by him and his attorney on July 5, 1983, is in the language prescribed by subdivision (b) of section 977. That section expressly permits a defendant to waive his right to be present at all felony proceedings other than the arraignment, plea, preliminary hearing, taking of evidence, and imposition of sentence, i.e., proceedings at which the presence of the defendant "bears a reasonably substantial relation to the fullness of his opportunity to defend against the charge." (People v. Cooper (1991) 53 Cal.3d 771, 825 [281 Cal.Rptr. 90, 809 P.2d 865]; People v. Holloway (1990) 50 Cal.3d 1098, 1116 [269 Cal.Rptr. 530, 790 P.2d 1327].) It provides, however, that the defendant must, "with leave of court, execute in open court, a written waiver of his right to be personally present."
Defendant asserts that "apparently" his written waiver was not executed in open court. The minute order for that date recites, however: "A Waiver of Defendant's Personal Presence is received and ordered filed." Defendant offers no support for his assertion that the waiver was not executed in open court other than the omission of a recital to that effect in the minute order. The minutes recite that defendant and his counsel were present at the time the waiver was received. In the absence of any indication to the contrary we presume, as we must, that a judicial duty is regularly performed. (Evid. Code, § 664. See Ross v. Superior Court (1977) 19 Cal.3d 899, 913 [141 Cal.Rptr. 133, 569 P.2d 727].)
[15] Even absent such presumption, however, an irregularity in the procedure by which the waiver is executed is not grounds for reversal of the [2 Cal.4th 50] judgment in the absence of a showing both that the irregularity affected the voluntary and intelligent nature of the waiver, and that the defendant suffered prejudice as a result of his absence from those aspects of jury selection from which he had absented himself. (People v. Medina (1990) 51 Cal.3d 870, 903 [274 Cal.Rptr. 849, 799 P.2d 1282]; People v. Garrison (1989) 47 Cal.3d 746, 782-783 [254 Cal.Rptr. 257, 765 P.2d 419].)
We have repeatedly rejected the argument that presence at all stages of a capital case is indispensible and thus unwaivable. (People v. Sully (1991) 53 Cal.3d 1195, 1238 [283 Cal.Rptr. 144, 812 P.2d 163]; People v. Cooper, supra, 53 Cal.3d 771, 825; People v. Medina, supra, 51 Cal.3d 870, 903; People v. Robertson (1989) 48 Cal.3d 18, 60-61 [255 Cal.Rptr. 631, 767 P.2d 1109]; People v. Grant (1988) 45 Cal.3d 829, 845 [248 Cal.Rptr. 444, 755 P.2d 894]; People v. Odle (1988) 45 Cal.3d 386, 406-407 [247 Cal.Rptr. 137, 754 P.2d 184]; People v. Hovey (1988) 44 Cal.3d 543, 585-586 [244 Cal.Rptr. 121, 749 P.2d 776].) We are not persuaded that this conclusion should be reconsidered.
[16] Defendant next claims that reversal of the judgment is required because the public and the press were excluded from the sequestered "death-qualification" voir dire conducted pursuant to Hovey v. Superior Court, supra, 28 Cal.3d 1. He concedes that the issue was not raised in the trial court (People v. Thompson, supra, 50 Cal.3d 134, 156-157), but argues that the trial court did not give counsel "any real opportunity to do so" and suggests that defendant might not have been competent to waive the right.
The record is also devoid of any support for defendant's claim that trial counsel had no opportunity to object to the sequestered voir dire. Nor will we infer such an inhibition, particularly since the right to a sequestered voir dire was recognized in response to concerns of capital defendants over the [2 Cal.4th 51] potentially prejudicial effect of an open voir dire on jurors' views and willingness to reveal their views about capital punishment. (Hovey v. Superior Court, supra, 28 Cal.3d 1, 80.) As we observed in People v. Thompson, supra, 50 Cal.3d 134, 156-157, there was active litigation of the question of the right of the press to attend jury voir dire in 1983 when this trial occurred, and because the sequestered voir dire is for the benefit of the defendant "it is doubtful that any competent defense counsel would have objected to it."
[17] Defendant now claims that the cross-examination during which the People elicited these answers was an improper inquiry into inadmissible evidence which implied that he had stabbed Cusack. The prosecutor's questions, defendant claims, were testimony. He did not object on those grounds, however, or on grounds that the cross-examination exceeded the scope of direct. He made only a relevance objection to a question asking if he had decided to plead guilty and go to state prison, and objected, on grounds that [2 Cal.4th 52] the questions assumed facts not in evidence, to a question asking if he recalled that the initial argument had been over the loss of Cusack's cat. Therefore, even were we to assume that questions were improper, the failure to object bars reversal on that ground. (Evid. Code, § 353, subd. (a).)
We make no such assumption, however, since the inquiry into all of the circumstances of the attack on Scofield was well within the scope of defendant's testimony on direct examination, and sought to elicit evidence relevant to whether defendant had purposefully engaged in violent assaults in the past. Defendant having introduced evidence that his conviction of assault with a deadly weapon was based on conduct he took in self-defense, the People were not precluded by Evidence Code sections 761 and 787 from attempting to rebut that evidence by bringing out all of the circumstances of the incident in which Scofield was attacked. Defendant had placed his character in issue, attempting to show that he did not commit a premeditated murder, and in aid of that effort to cast a favorable light on the circumstances of his prior conviction. The People were, therefore, entitled to cross-examine him regarding all of the circumstances for purposes of impeachment. (Evid. Code, §§ 773, 780; People v. Lang (1989) 49 Cal.3d 991, 1017 [264 Cal.Rptr. 386, 782 P.2d 627]; People v. Wagner (1975) 13 Cal.3d 612, 617 [119 Cal.Rptr. 457, 532 P.2d 105]; People v. Schader (1969) 71 Cal.2d 761, 770-771 [80 Cal.Rptr. 1, 457 P.2d 841].)
[18] Defendant's effort to convert the issue into one of prosecutorial misconduct fares no better. Defendant seeks to rely on the well-established rule that a prosecutor may not examine a witness solely to imply or insinuate the truth of the facts about which questions are posed. (See People v. Wagner, supra, 13 Cal.3d 612, 619; People v. Hamilton (1963) 60 Cal.2d 105, 116 [32 Cal.Rptr. 4, 383 P.2d 412], disapproved on another point in People v. Morse (1964) 60 Cal.2d 631, 649 [36 Cal.Rptr. 201, 388 P.2d 33, 12 A.L.R.3d 810].) That reliance is misplaced. Here the inquiry about the assault on Cusack was unquestionably predicated on evidence available to the prosecution. This is not a case in which the evidence would have been inadmissible but for the fact that defendant's answers may have been untruthful. (See People v. Lavergne (1971) 4 Cal.3d 735, 744 [94 Cal.Rptr. 405, 484 P.2d 77].) The evidence would have been admissible. A prosecutor is not under compulsion to anticipate that a witness's memory of additional details regarding events about which he has testified will suddenly fail on cross-examination. The questions were leading, but such questions are not improper when asked in good faith of a presumptively hostile witness on cross-examination. (Evid. Code, § 767, subd. (a)(2); People v. Williams (1957) 153 Cal.App.2d 5, 8 [314 P.2d 161]; People v. Kostal (1954) 123 Cal.App.2d 120, 123 [266 P.2d 205].) [2 Cal.4th 53]
The record confirms that the trial court properly weighed the probative value of the photos against their prejudicial impact before admitting them. There was no abuse of discretion. (People v. Harris, supra, 47 Cal.3d 1047, 1095.)
[21a] In a related argument, defendant contends that the prosecutor improperly implied, during closing argument at the guilt phase, that defendant had stabbed Cusack. fn. 20 The argument was closely tied to the impeaching evidence, however, and defendant did not object. [22] (See fn. 21.) , [21b] To [2 Cal.4th 54] the extent that it might have lacked a basis in the evidence, fn. 21 any harm could have been cured by such objection and an admonition by the court. Absent objection, the issue has not been preserved for appeal. (People v. Lewis, supra, Cal.3d 262, 283; People v. Green (1980) 27 Cal.3d 1, 28 [164 Cal.Rptr. 1, 609 P.2d 468].)
The trial court found, and defendant does not challenge the finding, that prior to making the taped statement to police in which he admitted shooting Dykstra, defendant had "waived his rights under the Miranda decision, that the waiver is freely, voluntarily, knowingly, and intelligently given." [23] Defendant now claims, however, that the officers were obligated, but failed, to properly repeat the Miranda advisement (see Miranda v. Arizona (1966) 384 U.S. 436 [16 L.Ed.2d 694, 86 S.Ct. 1602, 10 A.L.R.3d 974]) prior to the videotaping session conducted six hours later.
We reject this claim. First, defendant did not object to admission of the videotaped reenactment on this ground at trial and thus did not preserve the issue for appeal. (People v. Mattson, supra, 50 Cal.3d 826, 853-854; People v. Milner (1988) 45 Cal.3d 227, 236 [246 Cal.Rptr. 713, 753 P.2d 669].) Moreover, he agreed to participate in the reenactment during the initial interrogation at which he had voluntarily waived his rights. fn. 22 Defendant cites no authority for the proposition that, notwithstanding the initial waivers and agreement to the procedure, further warnings and waivers were necessary at the time of the actual videotaping. [2 Cal.4th 55]
Assuming that agreement to continue the interrogation process later was not a sufficient waiver, however, in circumstances such as those here, where the subsequent interrogation took place only a few hours thereafter, the truncated advice given was sufficient. When a subsequent interrogation is reasonably contemporaneous it is not necessary to repeat the full Miranda warning. (People v. Braeseke (1979) 25 Cal.3d 691, 701-702 [159 Cal.Rptr. 684, 602 P.2d 384], vacated and cause remanded (1980) 446 U.S. 392 [64 L.Ed.2d 784, 100 S.Ct. 2147], reiterated 28 Cal.3d 86 [168 Cal.Rptr. 603, 618 P.2d 149], and cases cited.) Defendant was told that his statements could be used against him, and was reminded of the rights he had waived earlier in the day. In asking defendant if he still wanted to waive his rights, Officer Sidebotham clearly implied that those rights were still available to defendant. (See People v. Mattson, supra, 50 Cal.3d 826, 858; People v. Duren (1973) 9 Cal.3d 218, 242 [107 Cal.Rptr. 157, 507 P.2d 1365].)
The rule is otherwise. "Although the trial court may in an appropriate case instruct sua sponte on the limited admissibility of evidence of past criminal conduct, we have consistently held that it is under no duty to do so." (People v. Collie (1981) 30 Cal.3d 43, 63 [177 Cal.Rptr. 458, 634 P.2d 534, 23 A.L.R.4th 776].) We are not persuaded that an exception is warranted in this case. Indeed, defendant's reason for offering evidence of his past misconduct was to persuade the jury that his present offense, like the earlier ones, was the product of his abuse of drugs. He invited the jury to consider those offenses in determining his guilt, and may not complain on appeal that it did so. (See People v. Williams (1988) 44 Cal.3d 883, 958-959 [245 Cal.Rptr. 336, 751 P.2d 395].)
[25a] Defendant claims that the instructions given by the court were not adequate to advise the jury of the relevance of the evidence of drug-induced [2 Cal.4th 56] psychosis, sleep deprivation, and "near automated response to his accomplice's command" to finding the existence or absence of the mental elements of the offenses with which he was charged-murder, attempted murder, and robbery. He complains in particular that the court refused to give instructions on "diminished actuality."
The trial court instructed the jury: "In the crimes charged in counts I, II, and III of the Information, namely murder, attempted murder and robbery, a necessary element is the existence in the mind of the defendant of a certain [2 Cal.4th 57] specific intent or mental state. These are included in the definition of the crimes charged.
With respect to felony-murder-robbery, the court instructed the jury: "Before the defendant may be found guilty of the unlawful killing of a human being as a result of the commission or attempt to commit the crime of [2 Cal.4th 58] robbery, you must take all the evidence into consideration and determine therefrom, if at the time of the commission or attempt to commit such crime, the defendant was suffering from some abnormal mental or physical condition, however caused, which prevented him from forming the specific intent to commit such crime."
[28a] Defendant correctly observes, and the People concede, that the trial court erred in failing to limit the instructions on implied malice to the murder count. [29] As we explained in People v. Murtishaw (1981) 29 Cal.3d 733, 764-765 [175 Cal.Rptr. 738, 631 P.2d 446]: "[O]nce a defendant intends to kill, any malice he may harbor is necessarily express malice. Implied malice ... cannot coexist with a specific intent to kill. To instruct on implied malice in that setting, therefore, may confuse the jury by suggesting that they can convict without finding a specific intent to kill." fn. 28 While assault with intent to commit murder (former § 217) was in issue in Murtishaw, that rule applies equally to attempted murder since intent to kill is also an element of attempted murder. (People v. Ratliff (1986) 41 Cal.3d 675, 695 [224 Cal.Rptr. 705, 715 P.2d 665]; People v. Ramos (1982) 30 Cal.3d 553, 583 [180 Cal.Rptr. 266, 639 P.2d 908] revd. on other grounds sub nom. California v. Ramos (1983) 463 U.S. 992 [77 L.Ed.2d 1171, 103 S.Ct. 3446].)
[28b] The court also failed to instruct that an intent to kill is an element of attempted murder, telling the jury only that there must be "a specific intent to commit the crime, and the direct but ineffectual act done toward its commission." As a result, defendant argues, the jury might have believed [2 Cal.4th 59] that an attempted murder verdict, like a verdict on second degree murder on which it had been instructed, could be returned if implied malice were found.
The People, relying on People v. Dyer (1988) 45 Cal.3d 26, 65 [246 Cal.Rptr. 209, 753 P.2d 1], and People v. Lee (1987) 43 Cal.3d 666, 677 [238 Cal.Rptr. 406, 738 P.2d 752], contend that the error was harmless. Dyer is not helpful to their position, however, since in that case the jury convicted the defendant of attempted first degree murder and had been instructed that a specific intent to kill was an element of that offense. The Lee jury had also been instructed that the prosecution had to prove that the defendant shot with the specific intent to kill, and the arguments of counsel were directed to the existence of that intent.
The argument of defense counsel was directed primarily to the murder count, but in his attempt to persuade the jury that defendant did not intend to kill, he made reference to the shooting of Wolbert as well as that of Dykstra. There is no question, therefore, but that the jury was aware that a specific intent to kill was an element of attempted murder. (Cf. People v. Howard (1992) 1 Cal.4th 1132, 1173 [5 Cal.Rptr.2d 268, 824 P.2d 1315].) The instructional error was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt.
[30] The court instructed that the jury must unanimously agree and sign a verdict finding that the defendant was not guilty of first degree murder [2 Cal.4th 60] before the jury could find defendant guilty or not of second degree murder. Defendant claims that the court erred in giving an instruction that required an acquittal of first degree murder before consideration of lesser included offenses.
The instructions were proper. They did not preclude consideration of lesser offenses. "Stone [Stone v. Superior Court (1982) 31 Cal.3d 503 (183 Cal.Rptr. 647, 646 P.2d 809)] should be read to authorize an instruction that the jury may not return a verdict on the lesser offense unless it has agreed beyond a reasonable doubt that defendant is not guilty of the greater crime charged, but it should not be interpreted to prohibit a jury from considering or discussing the lesser offenses before returning a verdict on the greater offense." (People v. Kurtzman (1988) 46 Cal.3d 322, 329 [250 Cal.Rptr. 244, 758 P.2d 572], original italics.) We concluded in Kurtzman that this rule was adequate to protect the defendant's interest that jury deliberations not be improperly restricted.
[32a] The flight instruction, given in the language of CALJIC No. 2.52, advised the jury that evidence of flight alone is insufficient to establish guilt, but may be considered with other proven facts in deciding the question of guilt or innocence. It followed the language of section 1127c. [33] "An instruction on flight is properly given if the jury could reasonably infer that the defendant's flight reflected consciousness of guilt, and flight requires neither the physical act of running nor the reaching of a far-away haven. [Citation.] Flight manifestly does require, however, a purpose to avoid being observed or arrested." (People v. Crandell (1988) 46 Cal.3d 833, 869 [251 Cal.Rptr. 227, 760 P.2d 423].)
[32b] The jury could infer from the actions of defendant immediately following the crime that his flight with Hefner reflected consciousness of [2 Cal.4th 61] guilt. This conclusion is not affected by defendant's decision to contest only the mental state with which he acted. Even were we to conclude that the instruction should not have been given, however, it was clearly harmless. As in Crandell, supra, 46 Cal.3d 833, the instruction did not assume that flight was established, leaving that factual determination and its significance to the jury.
The jury was thereby required to find all of the elements of the offense of first degree murder. The jury was also instructed that "the burden is on the state to prove beyond a reasonable doubt each of the elements of murder." Contrary to defendant's claim, the instructions did not shift the burden to the defendant, nor would they confuse the jury as to the elements that had to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt. fn. 31 Although the general rule is that the order in which instructions are given is immaterial and is left to the sound discretion of the trial court (People v. Sanders (1990) 51 Cal.3d 471, 519 [273 Cal.Rptr. 537, 797 P.2d 561]; People v. Carrasco (1981) 118 Cal.App.3d 936, 942 [173 Cal.Rptr. 688]), we have reviewed the order in which the instructions were given in this case and are satisfied that the order was logical and that no confusion was reasonably possible. (People v. Ford (1964) 60 Cal.2d 772, 793 [36 Cal.Rptr. 620, 388 P.2d 892].) [2 Cal.4th 62]
[36] Defendant argues that the failure of the trial court to instruct the jury pursuant to People v. Garcia (1984) 36 Cal.3d 539 [205 Cal.Rptr. 265, 684 P.2d 826] and Carlos v. Superior Court (1983) 35 Cal.3d 131 [197 Cal.Rptr. 79, 672 P.2d 862], that a specific intent to kill is a necessary element of a felony-murder special circumstance was error that requires that the felony-murder-robbery special circumstance be set aside. It is not sufficient, he claims, that the jury found, under other proper instructions, that the murder was intentional because the jury must also find that the murder was committed with express malice, premeditation, and deliberation.
This claim lacks merit. Carlos v. Superior Court, supra, 35 Cal.3d 131, was reconsidered and overruled in People v. Anderson (1987) 43 Cal.3d 1104 [240 Cal.Rptr. 585, 742 P.2d 1306], in which we held that intent to kill is not necessary if a defendant convicted of first degree murder personally killed the victim. Consequently, Carlos applies only to murder committed between December 12, 1983, the date on which Carlos was decided, and October 13, 1987, the date on which it was overruled. (People v. Whitt (1990) 51 Cal.3d 620, 637 [274 Cal.Rptr. 252, 798 P.2d 849]; People v. Thompson, supra, 50 Cal.3d 134, 175; In re Baert (1988) 205 Cal.App.3d 514, 517-522 [252 Cal.Rptr. 418].) The jury found on other properly given instructions that defendant personally killed Dykstra. It is also well established that the felony-murder special circumstances (§ 190.2, subd. (a)(17)) are not limited to premeditated and deliberate murders, and that such a requirement is not mandated by the Eighth Amendment or other constitutional considerations. (People v. Belmontes (1988) 45 Cal.3d 744, 794-795 [248 Cal.Rptr. 126, 755 P.2d 310].)
"However, if you determine that the mitigating circumstances outweigh the aggravating circumstances, you shall impose a sentence of confinement in the state prison for life without possibility of parole." [2 Cal.4th 63]
[37a] Relying on People v. Brown (1985) 40 Cal.3d 512, 538-545 [220 Cal.Rptr. 637, 709 P.2d 440] (revd. on other grounds sub nom. California v. Brown (1987) 479 U.S. 538 [93 L.Ed.2d 934, 107 S.Ct. 837]), defendant contends that this instruction and the prosecutor's penalty phase argument, without further explanation of the weighing process and the role of the jury in determining the appropriate penalty, misled the jury. fn. 32 Together these factors restricted the jury to implementing a mechanical weighing formula under which imposition of the death penalty was mandatory if "bad" outweighed "good," and left the jury without an understanding of its role and responsibility in determining the appropriate penalty.
[39] When addressing such claims we examine the entire record, including the instructions and arguments, to determine whether the jury was misled to the prejudice of the defendant about the scope of its sentencing discretion. (People v. Brown, supra, 40 Cal.3d 512, 544, fn. 17.) We must ascertain whether, overall, the jury was adequately informed of the full nature of its sentencing responsibility, both as to the manner in which the various factors are to be weighed and as to the scope of its sentencing discretion. (People v. Belmontes, supra, 45 Cal.3d at pp. 802-803.)
[37b] Having reviewed the record here, we are satisfied that the argument of counsel clearly informed the jury that the weighing process was not [2 Cal.4th 64] mechanical, and impressed on the jurors that they had both the discretion and the responsibility to determine whether death was the appropriate penalty in light of all of the evidence. Indeed, the prosecutor opened his argument by advising the jury that at this stage of the trial the only question to be answered was "in light of what you know this defendant has done, what penalty or punishment does he deserve?"
We see no likelihood, based on the prosecutor's argument, that the jury would have believed that the weighing process involved nothing more than adding the number of mitigating and aggravating factors. In summation, he [2 Cal.4th 65] told the jurors that it was their duty and obligation to return a verdict of death "if that's what he deserves." [40] (See fn. 34.), [37c] The jury was thus impressed with the scope of its discretion and its responsibility to determine the appropriate penalty. fn. 34
[38b] We reject petitioner's argument that the jury may not have known that it could consider all mitigating evidence that was before it. Here, as in [2 Cal.4th 66] past cases, defendant argues that the jury may have believed it was limited because the statutory factors referred only to "extreme" mental or emotional disturbance and "extreme" duress. Again we are satisfied that this language did not impermissibly restrict the jury's exercise of discretion. (See People v. Morris (1991) 53 Cal.3d 152, 225-226 [279 Cal.Rptr. 720, 807 P.2d 949], and cases cited.) There was no suggestion in the argument of counsel, for instance, that the jury could not consider whether defendant acted under duress because the instruction referred only to "extreme" duress. The prosecutor argued that the jury should reject defendant's attempt to persuade them that Hefner had "convinced him he should," but never suggested that the rejection should be because the evidence did not demonstrate "extreme" duress. Indeed, the arguments of both counsel assumed, and made clear to the jury, that counsel assumed that the jury would consider all of the mitigating evidence and inferences that might be drawn therefrom. Recognizing that the jury might not find the mitigating evidence persuasive, however, counsel made no effort to rely on it. We are satisfied, nonetheless, that the jury was not misled, and was aware that it was free to consider any evidence presented at the guilt and penalty phases of the trial in mitigation. fn. 35
We agree that the evidence was relevant. We do not agree that any instructional error misled the jury as to that relevance, however. As we noted [2 Cal.4th 67] above, it is clear that the jury was aware that intent to kill was an element of attempted murder and rejected the evidence that defendant's intoxication negated the existence of that intent. And, as noted earlier, the jury was instructed that it should take into account the evidence of both defendant's abnormal mental state and his drug-induced intoxication. The jury rejected defendant's attempt to establish reduced, culpability on that basis when it returned the guilt verdict.
We reject his claim that the instructions were inadequate in this regard. The jury was instructed that robbery was a specific intent crime, that the specific intent to commit robbery had to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt, and that defendant's intoxication should be considered in determining if he had the requisite specific intent. Instructions on larceny were given, and the jury was told that if it was not satisfied that the defendant was guilty of the charged offense it could convict on any lesser included offense. The instructions were adequate. (People v. Jones (1991) 53 Cal.3d 1115, 1145 [282 Cal.Rptr. 465, 811 P.2d 757].)
[43] Defendant claims that the court erred in refusing to instruct the jury that before it could impose the death penalty it had to find beyond a [2 Cal.4th 68] reasonable doubt that aggravating factors outweighed mitigating and that death was the appropriate penalty. We have repeatedly rejected the argument that the reasonable doubt standard, one required when determining guilt and making factual determinations, is appropriate to assessing the penalty to be imposed in a capital case. (See, e.g., People v. Bacigalupo (1991) 1 Cal.4th 103, 146 [2 Cal.Rptr.2d 335, 820 P.2d 559]; People v. Gordon (1990) 50 Cal.3d 1223, 1273-1274 [270 Cal.Rptr. 451, 792 P.2d 251]; People v. Jennings (1988) 46 Cal.3d 963, 992 [251 Cal.Rptr. 278, 760 P.2d 475].)
[45a] Evidence of prior assaultive conduct is expressly made admissible as a statutory aggravating factor by section 190.3, factor (b)-"The presence ... of criminal activity by the defendant which involved the use or attempted use of force or violence or the express or implied threat to use force or violence." As such it is a matter which the state believes to be particularly relevant to the penalty decision. (People v. Jennings, supra, 46 Cal.3d 963, 988; People v. Melton (1988) 44 Cal.3d 713, 770 [244 Cal.Rptr. 867, 750 P.2d 741].) [46] (See fn. 36.), [45b] Therefore, while we recognize that the court has authority under Evidence Code section 352 to control the manner in which evidence of past criminal conduct is offered, it has no discretion to exclude all evidence related to a statutory sentencing factor. (People v. Douglas (1990) 50 Cal.3d 468, 531 [268 Cal.Rptr. 126, 788 P.2d 640]; People v. Karis (1988) 46 Cal.3d 612, 641, fn. 21 [250 Cal.Rptr. 659, 758 P.2d 1189].) fn. 36 [44b] The evidence was properly offered in rebuttal to defendant's attempt to persuade the jury that his violent acts were uncharacteristic and that he normally treated people with concern and respect. ( People [2 Cal.4th 69] v. Rodriguez (1986) 42 Cal.3d 730, 791-792 [230 Cal.Rptr. 667, 726 P.2d 113].)
The prosecution may rebut mitigating character evidence with evidence related to the character trait raised by defendant. (People v. Mickle (1991) 54 Cal.3d 140, 191 [284 Cal.Rptr. 511, 814 P.2d 290]; People v. Rodriguez, supra, 42 Cal.3d 730, 792, fn. 24.) A number of witnesses testified to defendant's kind, loving, and compassionate behavior. [47] (See fn. 37.), [44c] A capital defendant who offers, as mitigating evidence relevant to whether he should live or die, fn. 37 evidence that he is a kind and considerate person may not restrict the scope of evidence offered to rebut that inference by arguing that he intended only to demonstrate that he was kind and considerate under limited circumstances or to particular people. Evidence that defendant violently assaulted a pregnant woman who was in bed and stabbed her several times even after being told of her condition was relevant and proper rebuttal to the evidence that he was a kind and considerate person.
[48] Defendant also makes a wide-ranging constitutional attack on introduction of evidence of unadjudicated criminal conduct, asserting, without elaboration, that he was denied due process and equal protection, that his [2 Cal.4th 70] right against self-incrimination was violated, that the presumption of innocence was infringed, that the right to confrontation was denied, and that the right to a reliable penalty determination was affected. He concedes that a due process-based claim was considered and rejected in People v. Balderas (1985) 41 Cal.3d 144, 204-205 [222 Cal.Rptr. 184, 711 P.2d 480], in which we found no support in decisions of the United States Supreme Court for the suggestion that due process requires impanelment of a separate jury to determine the penalty in a capital case. We decline his invitation to reconsider our conclusion that admission of unadjudicated criminal acts as aggravating factors is constitutionally permissible.
[50] Notice that evidence will be presented regarding a specific prior crime or crimes should alert counsel that evidence of all crimes committed as part of the same course of conduct may be offered, and, therefore, substantially complies with the notice requirement of section 190.3. (People v. Cooper, supra, 53 Cal.3d 771, 842.) [49b] Finally, the court did order that all police reports related to the 1978 incident, those about Scofield and Cusack, be delivered to counsel immediately, and she was not called until the following day. Under the circumstances, there was no abuse of discretion in denying the request for a continuance. The ruling is one that is committed to the sound discretion of the trial court. (People v. Ainsworth (1988) 45 Cal.3d 984 [248 Cal.Rptr. 568, 755 P.2d 1017].)
Unlike the situation in Lankford v. Idaho (1991) 500 U.S. ___ [114 L.Ed.2d 173, 111 S.Ct. 1723] on which defendant relies, ample notice that the state [2 Cal.4th 71] would seek the death penalty was given from the outset of this prosecution. Special circumstances were charged and the People gave notice of the aggravating evidence it intended to offer at the penalty phase. Defendant was not denied notice of the issue to be resolved at the penalty phase of the trial.
[51] Relying on People v. Jackson (1985) 37 Cal.3d 826 [210 Cal.Rptr. 623, 694 P.2d 736], and People v. Crowson (1983) 33 Cal.3d 623 [190 Cal.Rptr. 165, 660 P.2d 389], defendant claims that it was error to permit Scofield to testify regarding the details of defendant's 1978 assault on him. Evidence of a prior felony conviction must be limited, he claims, to evidence of the minimal, or least adjudicated, elements of the prior offense to avoid the double jeopardy and speedy trial implications of litigating the truth of the past offense.
Defendant concedes that no objection was made to the evidence. Moreover, we have rejected similar claims (see People v. Karis, supra, 46 Cal.3d 612, 640; People v. Melton, supra, 44 Cal.3d 713, 755-756; People v. Gates (1987) 43 Cal.3d 1168, 1203 [240 Cal.Rptr. 666, 743 P.2d 301]), and are not persuaded that these decisions should be reconsidered. The presentation of evidence of past criminal conduct at a sentencing hearing does not place the defendant in jeopardy with respect to the past offenses. He is not on trial for the past offense, is not subject to conviction or punishment for the past offense, and may not claim either speedy trial or double jeopardy protection against introduction of such evidence. (People v. Melton, supra, 44 Cal.3d 713, 756, fn. 17.) [2 Cal.4th 72]
Not only did defendant fail to request a limiting instruction, but his assumption that violent juvenile conduct was inadmissible is unwarranted. Section 190.3 permits consideration of "other criminal activity by the defendant which involved the use or attempted use of force or violence or which involved the express or implied threat to use force or violence." Evidence of violent juvenile conduct is admissible under that section. (People v. Burton (1989) 48 Cal.3d 843, 862 [258 Cal.Rptr. 184, 771 P.2d 1270]; People v. Lucky (1988) 45 Cal.3d 259, 295 [247 Cal.Rptr. 1, 753 P.2d 1052].)
Evidence of nonviolent criminal activity that did not result in a felony conviction is, as defendant claims, inadmissible as an aggravating factor. (People v. Burton, supra, 48 Cal.3d 843, 862.) Here, however, the evidence that defendant now claims should not have been considered was evidence that he himself had introduced in support of his effort to establish that his criminal conduct was attributable to his use of drugs and that he was otherwise a loving, caring, nonviolent and law-abiding person. The court did limit consideration of the evidence by instructing the jury to consider the statutory factors (§ 190.3) in determining the penalty. Having introduced the evidence himself, defendant may not now complain that the jury might have concluded that the factor to which it was relevant was aggravating rather than mitigating. (People v. Williams, supra, 44 Cal.3d 883, 957.) fn. 38 [2 Cal.4th 73]
[53a] Notwithstanding his attorney's approval of the response, defendant claims that it was inadequate since the response did not further define the terms and did not correct a misunderstanding which he claims was implicit in the inquiry as to the power of the jury to consider any factor calling for a sentence less than death even if not specifically enumerated in the statute. Even now, however, defendant does not suggest what more appropriate "clarification" might have been given. (See People v. Gonzalez (1990) 51 Cal.3d 1179, 1227 [275 Cal.Rptr. 729, 800 P.2d 1159].)
Assuming the issue was preserved for appeal, there was no error. "Claims of vagueness directed at aggravating circumstances defined in capital punishment statutes are analyzed under the Eighth Amendment and characteristically assert that the challenged provision fails adequately to inform juries [2 Cal.4th 74] what they must find to impose the death penalty and as a result leaves them and appellate courts with the kind of open-ended discretion which was held invalid in Furman v. Georgia, 408 U.S. 238 (1972)." (Maynard v. Cartwright (1988) 486 U.S. 356, 361-362 [100 L.Ed.2d 372, 380, 108 S.Ct. 1853].) The statutory factor in Maynard v. Cartwright, supra, was that the murder be "especially heinous, atrocious, or cruel." Those adjectives failed to give the jury adequate guidance since they suggested only that the individual juror was to determine if the murder was more than "just heinous," and an ordinary person could believe that all unjustified, intentional taking of life was "especially heinous." (486 U.S. at p. 364 [100 L.Ed.2d at p. 382].)
Factors (f) and (g) of section 190.3, by contrast, are not "aggravating circumstances" comparable to those under consideration in Maynard v. Cartwright, supra, 486 U.S. 356, or Lewis v. Jeffers (1990) 497 U.S. 764 [111 L.Ed.2d 606, 110 S.Ct. 3092], on which defendant also relies. [54] Neither is a "special circumstance" whose function in this state is to channel jury discretion by narrowing the class of defendants who are eligible for the death penalty. [55] Under the California death penalty law an "aggravating factor" identifies a matter which the jury may consider in deciding whether a defendant who has already been found eligible for the death penalty should receive that punishment. "[W]ith respect to the process of sentencing from among that class those defendants who will actually be sentenced to death, '[w]hat is important ... is an individualized determination on the basis of the character of the individual and the circumstances of the crime. [Citation.] It is not simply a finding of facts which resolves the penalty decision, ' "but ... the jury's moral assessment of those facts as they reflect on whether the defendant should be put to death ...." ' " (People v. Brown, supra, 40 Cal.3d 512, 540, italics omitted.) Consideration of statutory aggravating and mitigating factors as part of the jury's normative function of determining the appropriate punishment is, therefore, distinguishable from the factual determination made when the jury finds that a special circumstance allegation is true.
Nonetheless, the jury must "be properly instructed regarding all facets of the sentencing process. It is not enough to instruct the jury in the bare terms of an aggravating circumstance that is unconstitutionally vague on its face." (Walton v. Arizona (1990) 497 U.S. 639, ___ [111 L.Ed.2d 511, 528, 110 S.Ct. 3047, 3057].) This obligation undoubtedly extends to aggravating factors identified in section 190.3. Factors (f) and (g), however, are mitigating factors which call to the attention of the jury only two of an unlimited number of matters which the jury may consider as weighing against imposition of the death penalty. Moreover, these factors do not describe the relevant consideration solely in terms of vague and pejorative adjectives as [2 Cal.4th 75] does subdivision (a)(14) of section 190.2, the California equivalent of the "heinous, atrocious, and cruel" aggravating factor considered by the Supreme Court in Maynard v. Cartwright, supra, 486 U.S. 356. This court held subdivision (a)(14) invalid as an unconstitutionally vague special circumstance in People v. Superior Court (Engert) (1982) 31 Cal.3d 797 [183 Cal.Rptr. 800, 647 P.2d 76], noting that none of the terms met "the standards of precision and certainty required of statutes which render persons eligible for punishment, either as elements of a charged crime or as a charged special circumstance." (Id., at p. 802.)
[57] Defendant complains that the court's instructions, tracking the statutory language of factors (a), (b), and (c) of section 190.3, fn. 39 without further clarification, permitted the jury to consider some evidence under more than one of the factors, thus artificially inflating that evidence. [2 Cal.4th 76]
The "prior convictions" encompassed in factor (c) do not include the offenses of which the defendant had been convicted in the current proceeding (People v. Balderas, supra, 41 Cal.3d 144, 201), and the circumstances of the current offenses which reflect violence and/or threats of violence are to be considered only under factor (a). Factor (b) relates to other unadjudicated criminal conduct. (People v. Miranda (1987) 44 Cal.3d 57, 105-106 [241 Cal.Rptr. 594, 744 P.2d 1127].)
The jury was not told that it should or could "double count" or "triple count" evidence under these factors, however, and the court is not under a duty to instruct sua sponte that such consideration would be improper. (People v. Guzman (1988) 45 Cal.3d 915, 966 [248 Cal.Rptr. 467, 755 P.2d 917].) Since the prosecutor did not mislead the jury, or suggest that the evidence be considered more damning because it related to more than one factor, fn. 40 we do not agree that it is likely the jury overemphasized its importance.
[58] Defendant urges the court to reconsider our conclusion in People v. Lucky, supra, 45 Cal.3d 259, 302, that age-related matters suggested by the evidence and relevant to the penalty decision are not limited to consideration as mitigating evidence under factor (i) of section 190.3. He argues that, as defined by the court in Lucky, the age factor fails to offer guidance to the jury and invites arbitrary and capricious sentencing. This, he suggests, renders factor (i) unconstitutionally vague, and its use a violation of the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments.
Lucky, supra, 45 Cal.3d 259, and People v. Rodriguez, supra, 42 Cal.3d 730, 789, make it clear, however, that chronological age alone may not be deemed aggravating. As long as neither the prosecutor in argument, nor the court in its instructions, suggests that age is to be considered aggravating, the jurors may determine the relevance, if any, of the defendant's age to the appropriate penalty. (People v. Hernandez (1988) 47 Cal.3d 315, 362 [253 Cal.Rptr. 199, 763 P.2d 1289].) Permitting the jury to make this decision, as [2 Cal.4th 77] part of what we have described as the "essentially normative task" (People v. Allen (1986) 42 Cal.3d 1222, 1287 [232 Cal.Rptr. 849, 729 P.2d 115]) of determining the appropriate penalty after weighing the evidence and applying its own moral standard, contravenes no constitutional principle.
None of these considerations warrants reversal of the penalty under any of the theories proposed by defendant. "Unless the state's capital punishment system is shown by the defendant to operate in an arbitrary and capricious manner, the fact that such defendant has been sentenced to death and others who may be similarly situated have not does not establish disproportionality violative of constitutional principles. (McCleskey v. Kemp (1987) 481 U.S. 279, 306-312 [95 L.Ed.2d 262, 287-291, 107 S.Ct. 1756, 1774- 1777])." (People v. McLain (1988) 46 Cal.3d 97, 121 [249 Cal.Rptr. 630, 757 P.2d 569].)
The basis for these claims is an assertion that the court considered and referred to information contained in the probation report prior to ruling on [2 Cal.4th 78] the motion, and failed to refer to evidence that might have been considered mitigating.
[61] A judge should not consider the probation officer's report prior to ruling on a modification motion. In making that ruling the judge is limited to consideration of the evidence that was before the penalty jury. (People v. Gonzalez, supra, 51 Cal.3d 1179, 1238.) [60b] While the recitals of the judge state only that the report had been reviewed prior to "sentencing," that statement was made at the hearing in which the motion for modification was denied. The record supports defendant's assumption that the judge had already reviewed the probation report when he denied the motion therefor.
Nonetheless the judge set out in great detail the evidence on which he relied for his conclusion that the aggravating factors "overwhelmingly" outweighed the mitigating. No mention of evidence other than that before the jury, and thus properly before the court, is made in the court's statement. The judge stated expressly that he had considered all of the evidence that had been presented to the jury in making his determination of the proper penalty, and that this included the "totality of the penalty phase evidence." We must assume, therefore, that the judge considered only evidence that had been before the jury in making his ruling. (People v. Sully, supra, 53 Cal.3d 1195, 1250; People v. Douglas, supra, 50 Cal.3d 468, 539-540.) It is also clear that he was aware of, understood why the jury might have discounted, and did himself consider all of the potentially mitigating evidence.
This argument is not supported by either empirical evidence or authority which suggests that the manner in which prosecutors exercise their discretion in seeking the death penalty in murder prosecutions in which special circumstances appear to be present is arbitrary. (People v. Keenan (1988) 46 Cal.3d 478, 506 [250 Cal.Rptr. 550, 758 P.2d 1081].) It requires nothing more than a review of the facts of other cases recently before this court to refute defendant's speculation that prosecutors in other heavily populated [2 Cal.4th 79] counties such as Los Angeles County would not seek the death penalty for murder committed in comparable circumstances. (See, e.g., People v. Fuentes (1991) 54 Cal.3d 707 [286 Cal.Rptr. 792, 818 P.2d 75]; People v. Duncan (1991) 53 Cal.3d 955 [281 Cal.Rptr. 273, 810 P.2d 131]; People v. Lewis, supra, 50 Cal.3d 262.)
Defendant also asks that we reconsider prior decisions (see People v. Sully, supra, 53 Cal.3d 1195, 1250- 1251, and cases cited) upholding the 1978 death penalty law against challenges attacking the omission of requirements for written findings on the presence of aggravating factors; proof beyond a reasonable doubt of those factors; jury unanimity on aggravating factors; agreement beyond a reasonable doubt that aggravating outweigh mitigating factors, and that death is the appropriate penalty; additional procedures for appellate review of the sentencing decision; or a presumption in favor of life without parole. fn. 41 We decline the invitation.
[63] A defendant who does not object and seek an admonition to disregard improper statements or argument by the prosecutor is deemed to have waived any error unless the harm caused could not have been corrected by appropriate instructions. (People v. Bell, supra, 49 Cal.3d 502, 547; People v. Green, supra, 27 Cal.3d 1, 34.) Because we do not expect the trial court to recognize and correct all possible or arguable misconduct on its own motion (People v. Bell, supra, 49 Cal.3d 502, 542; People v. Adcox (1988) 47 Cal.3d 207, 261 [253 Cal.Rptr. 55, 763 P.2d 906]; People v. Poggi (1988) 45 Cal.3d 306, 335-336 [246 Cal.Rptr. 886, 753 P.2d 1082]), defendant bears the responsibility to seek an admonition if he believes the prosecutor has overstepped the bounds of proper comment, argument, or inquiry.
Defendant claims the prosecutor acted improperly in a variety of ways-by comments designed to appeal to the fears and prejudices of the jurors, by [2 Cal.4th 80] casting aspersions on the defense case with accusations of perjury and deceit, and by inviting consideration of irrelevant issues and facts not supported by the evidence. Much of the conduct on which he relies for these claims cannot reasonably be characterized in that manner, however.
[64] Defendant complains in particular that the prosecutor attempted to impeach his credibility by asking if defendant had changed his appearance because he was to appear before the jury. This, he suggests, was an appeal to passion and prejudice, but People v. Kirkes (1952) 39 Cal.2d 719, 724 [249 P.2d 1], on which he relies, hardly supports that argument. In Kirkes the prosecutor, stating facts not in evidence, had asserted personal knowledge of the defendant's guilt, implied he would not have prosecuted had he not believed in the defendant's guilt, and pictured the defendant as a person who would kill again to cover his crime and prevent witnesses from testifying. While we may question the relevance of defendant's possibly improved appearance to assessing his veracity, the misconduct, if any, in the line of questioning could easily have been cured by an admonition had an objection been made. fn. 42
[66a] In further cross-examination the prosecutor questioned Dr. Broussard about "the Rosenhan" study, with which the expert was not acquainted, [2 Cal.4th 81] defendant's extrajudicial statements and his testimony at trial, the prosecutor asking questions that were assertions of fact or conclusions reached in that study, the import of which was that psychiatrists are unable to accurately diagnose schizophrenia and paranoia. The study itself was not introduced.
Referring to a similar attempt to impeach an expert on the basis of the same study, the Court of Appeal held that overruling an objection to the questioning was patent error. "It consists mainly in the prosecutor's having insinuated by his questions that half of all mental illness is feigned, and that the 'test'-whatever it is or may be-was-again in the prosecutor's opinion-settled and irrefutable. In fact, all of these assumptions were and are extremely dubious. Further, it is error to permit the use of professional studies not relied upon by an expert in the formulation of his opinion. (Evid. Code, § 721, subd. (b).) To allow their use would be to circumvent the hearsay rule." (People v. Criscione (1981) 125 Cal.App.3d 275, 286 [177 Cal.Rptr. 899], fn. omitted.)
We agree that the manner in which the prosecutor cross-examined Dr. Broussard was improper in these instances. The misconduct here was more egregious than that considered by the Court of Appeal in Criscione, supra, 125 Cal.App.3d 275, because the expert in that case was familiar with the Rosenhan study. [67] It is proper to question an expert about matter on which the expert bases his or her opinion and on the reasons for that opinion. A party attacking the credibility of the expert may bring to the jury's attention material that is relevant to the issue of which the expert was unaware (People v. Bell, supra, 49 Cal.3d 502, 532), but that party may not by its questions testify regarding the content of that material.
[69] (See fn. 45.), [70] We see no misconduct in that part of the prosecutor's penalty phase argument in which, addressing inconsistencies between defendant's extrajudicial statements and his testimony at trial, the prosecutor [2 Cal.4th 82] accused defendant of lying. Comment based on a reasonable inference drawn from the evidence is not improper even when the inference is that a witness has lied. fn. 45
This was not, as defendant argues, an improper means of putting before the jury damaging facts that were not in evidence. Defendant himself had testified that as far as he knew Hefner had not been to prison or arrested for any crimes of violence. The prosecutor misspoke when he said that Hefner had never been arrested. Defendant had testified that Hefner told him he had [2 Cal.4th 83] been arrested. Again, however, had defendant objected this discrepancy could easily have been clarified by the court.
[74] The remaining citations of misconduct fall into similar categories-attacking hyperbole in argument, or possibly questionable comments that were sufficiently innocuous that an admonition could easily have cured any harm. fn. 46 Neither these comments, nor any of those discussed above that might arguably have been misconduct, were such as to deny the defendant a fair trial, divert the jury from its proper role, or invite an irrational, purely subjective response. (See People v. Lewis, supra, 50 Cal.3d 262, 284.)
Lucas, C. J., Panelli, J., Kennard, J., Arabian, J., and George, J., concurred. [2 Cal.4th 84]
Agajanian's deficiencies at trial compel this conclusion: his failings resulted in a breakdown of the adversarial process at trial; that breakdown establishes a violation of defendant's federal and state constitutional right to the effective assistance of counsel; and that violation mandates reversal of the judgment even in the absence of a showing of specific prejudice. (See United States v. Cronic (1984) 466 U.S. 648, 653-662 [80 L.Ed.2d 657, 664-670, 104 S.Ct. 2039] [speaking of the federal constitutional guaranty only]; People v. Ledesma (1987) 43 Cal.3d 171, 242-245 [233 Cal.Rptr. 404, 729 P.2d 839] (conc. opn. of Grodin, J.) [speaking of both the federal and state constitutional guaranties].) fn. 3
"The very premise of our adversary system of criminal justice is that partisan advocacy on both sides of a case will best promote the ultimate objective that the guilty be convicted and the innocent go free." ( Herring v. [2 Cal.4th 85] New York (1975) 422 U.S. 853, 862 [45 L.Ed.2d 593, 600, 95 S.Ct. 2550]; accord, United States v. Cronic, supra, 466 U.S. at p. 655 [80 L.Ed.2d at p. 665].) In other words, "The system assumes that adversarial testing will ultimately advance the public interest in truth and fairness." (Polk County v. Dodson (1981) 454 U.S. 312, 318 [70 L.Ed.2d 509, 516, 102 S.Ct. 445].) It follows that the system requires "meaningful adversarial testing." (United States v. Cronic, supra, 466 U.S. at p. 656 [80 L.Ed.2d at p. 666].) "When"-as here-"such testing is absent, the process breaks down and hence its result must be deemed unreliable as a matter of law." (People v. Bloom (1989) 48 Cal.3d 1194, 1237 [259 Cal.Rptr. 669, 774 P.2d 698] (conc. & dis. opn. of Mosk, J.); see United States v. Cronic, supra, 466 U.S. at p. 659 [80 L.Ed.2d at p. 668]; see also Rose v. Clark (1986) 478 U.S. 570, 577-578 [92 L.Ed.2d 460, 470-471, 106 S.Ct. 3101] [to similar effect].)
­FN 2. Hefner was tried separately, convicted of the same offenses, and sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole. The People did not seek the death penalty for Hefner.
­FN 3. All alcohol and drug tests of Dykstra's blood were negative.
­FN 4. Defendant testified that Hefner was younger. He was not sure of Hefner's age, but believed him to have been 19.
­FN 5. In his guilt phase testimony, defendant claimed that the 1978 incident occurred when two men who had a problem with his roommate, Doug Favello, kicked in the door of the apartment he shared with Favello, ran in, and cut Favello's throat. A third person with a gun remained at the door. Defendant testified that he picked up the knife dropped by the person who had stabbed Favello, ran after the fleeing intruders, and stabbed the one who had slashed Favello's throat just as that person (Scofield) was trying to enter his own room.
­FN 6. Defendant had told police that he was "loaded up on crank," or methamphetamine.
­FN 7. Cusack testified that she was, in fact, four months pregnant.
­FN 8. The entire colloquy is set out below:
­FN 9. Evidence Code section 730 authorizes the appointment of experts when it appears to the court that "expert evidence is or may be required by the court or by any party to the action."
­FN 10. Defendant does not argue that he was incompetent or that it appears as a matter of law from the record that he was incompetent, thus obligating the court to order a section 1368 hearing. (Cf. People v. Gomez (1953) 41 Cal.2d 150 [258 P.2d 825].) He seeks reversal only on the ground that the court expressed doubt as to his sanity and did order such a hearing.
­FN 11. Article I, section 16 of the California Constitution: "Trial by jury is an inviolate right and shall be secured to all, ... A jury may be waived in a criminal cause by the consent of both parties expressed in open court by the defendant and the defendant's counsel. ..."
­FN 12. Code of Civil Procedure section 197, as it presently reads, implements the state policy of random selection: "(a) All persons selected for jury service shall be selected at random, from a source or sources inclusive of a representative cross-section of the population of the area served by the court," while Code of Civil Procedure section 198, directs: "(a) Random selection shall be utilized in creating master and qualified jurors lists ...."
­FN 13. The court made the following proposal: "I was hoping that we could come up with a list of 20 prospective jurors that each of you would find acceptable and hopeful that we could arrive at a stipulation with the People and the defense, the defendant personally waiving his right to a secret-at-random selection of jurors, depending on the court's matching up specific jurors that fall onto both lists that the attorneys would provide me with.
­FN 14. The state policy enunciated in the statutes mandating random draw reflects concern "that all qualified persons have an equal opportunity ... to be considered for jury service in the state and an obligation to serve as jurors when summoned for that purpose ...." (Code Civ. Proc., § 191.) The rights of prospective jurors are not before us in this appeal, however. We consider only whether the procedure ensured a fair trial at which the defendant's fundamental constitutional rights were protected. (See People v. Harris (1989) 47 Cal.3d 1047, 1071 [255 Cal.Rptr. 352, 767 P.2d 619].)
­FN 15. We also reject defendant's argument that excusing jurors for hardship denied him a representative jury. (People v. Thompson (1990) 50 Cal.3d 134, 157-158 [266 Cal.Rptr. 309, 785 P.2d 857].) He fails to demonstrate how a panel from which persons have been excused for hardship reasons is less representative. Code of Civil Procedure section 204, subdivision (b), now expressly permits such excusals, and they are to be granted only on a sufficient showing that the individual circumstances of the prospective juror make it unreasonably difficult for the person to serve or that hardship to the public will occur if the person must serve in the particular case.
Defendant makes no effort to identify any cognizable sector of the population that was underrepresented as a result of hardship excusals granted in this case, or to demonstrate that the trial court abused its discretion in granting any particular hardship excuse (to most of which defendant stipulated). Moreover, as we have observed elsewhere, there is no authority for the proposition implicit in this argument that disparity which results notwithstanding the application of neutral and presumptively constitutionally permissible jury selection criteria, including discretionary hardship excuses, is a product of the "systematic exclusion" which the Constitution forbids. (See People v. Bell (1989) 49 Cal.3d 502, 530 [262 Cal.Rptr. 1, 778 P.2d 129].)
­FN 16. The question to be resolved under Witherspoon and its progeny is whether the juror's views about capital punishment would prevent or impair the juror's ability to return a verdict of death in the case before the juror. The impact the juror's views might have in actual or hypothetical cases that are not before the juror are irrelevant to that determination. (People v. Fields (1983) 35 Cal.3d 329, 357 [197 Cal.Rptr. 803, 673 P.2d 680].)
­FN 17. We will not presume, even assuming arguendo that the voir dire exceeded proper limits of inquiry, that counsel should have done so. He may well have believed that this method of acquainting jurors with the evidence they were to hear would blunt its eventual impact. Having been forewarned, conditioned, or "indoctrinated," the jurors would not find the circumstances of the crime as shocking as they might otherwise.
Because a reviewing court is unable to ascertain the reasoning of trial counsel from the appellate record, a conclusion that a failure to object reflects incompetence is unwarranted. Unlike the dissent, we believe the rule of People v. Pope (1979) 23 Cal.3d 412 [152 Cal.Rptr. 732, 590 P.2d 859] is sound and must be followed here. "Where the record does not illuminate the basis for the challenged acts or omissions, a claim of ineffective assistance is more appropriately made in a petition for writ of habeas corpus." (23 Cal.3d at p. 426.)
­FN 18. Defendant suggests that an objection would have been futile because the judge participated in part of the voir dire to which he now objects. He also claims that the magnitude of the "error" is such that it is reversible per se, faulting the judge for failing to carry out the court's independent duty to ensure the fair selection of an impartial jury.
Among the inquiries which defendant identifies as improper were questions asked by defense counsel in an effort to convince jurors reluctant to impose the death penalty that there might be circumstances in which they would vote for death. These inquiries were not improper. At the time of this trial both court and counsel could reasonably believe that excusal of a prospective juror for cause related to scrupled opposition to the death penalty was permissible only if he or she would "automatically vote against the imposition of capital punishment without regard to any evidence that might be developed at the trial of the case before them." (Witherspoon v. Illinois, supra, 391 U.S. 510, 522, fn. 21 [20 L.Ed.2d 776, 785] italics omitted; People v. Lanphear (1980) 26 Cal.3d 814, 840 [163 Cal.Rptr. 601, 608 P.2d 689].) The questions reflect an attempt to retain reluctant jurors, a purpose to which defendant can have no legitimate objection.
­FN 19. Defendant contends that the court should have excluded McKay's testimony as irrelevant on its own motion. For the reasons stated we do not agree with the assumption that this testimony was irrelevant. Nor is the issue preserved for appeal.
While a court may exercise such authority under Evidence Code section 352 (People v. Hall (1986) 41 Cal.3d 826, 834- 835 [226 Cal.Rptr. 112, 718 P.2d 99]; People v. Jackson (1971) 18 Cal.App.3d 504, 509 [95 Cal.Rptr. 919]), the failure to so act cannot be urged on appeal as error. Neither this court, nor defendant, can avoid the command of Evidence Code section 353, that "A verdict ... shall not be set aside, nor shall the judgment or decision based thereon be reversed, by reason of the erroneous admission of evidence unless:
­FN 20. This argument was directed to the prosecutor's emphasis on the evidence that impeached defendant's testimony that although he had been convicted on a plea of guilty of the stabbing of Scofield, he had been acting in self-defense. The prosecutor referred to defendant's denials that the door had been kicked in, that more than one person had been in the room, and that a second person had been stabbed. He then reminded the jury of the photographs of the crime scene depicting the door and the blood on both the bed and the floor. Finally he stated: "I asked the defendant, are you sure there wasn't a girl there that night? Are you sure about that? Are you sure you didn't stab somebody else?" and "Kathy Cusack, the woman who didn't exist in the defendant's story, was stabbed seven times."
­FN 21. We recently affirmed that "the prosecutor has a wide-ranging right to discuss the case in closing argument. He has the right to fully state his views as to what the evidence shows and to urge whatever conclusions he deems proper. Opposing counsel may not complain on appeal if the reasoning is faulty or the deductions are illogical because these are matters for the jury to determine. [Citation.] The prosecutor may not, however, argue facts or inferences not based on the evidence presented." (People v. Lewis (1990) 50 Cal.3d 262, 283 [266 Cal.Rptr. 834, 786 P.2d 892].)
­FN 22. At the conclusion of the interview during which defendant confessed, the interrogating officer asked defendant: "Would there be any problem with you in doing re-enactment of what happened last night. ... We'll do it in video and take the cameras out, our cameras, for-for investigative purposes, out taking pictures of you and explaining what happened as things went along." Defendant asked, "Yeah, at the scene of the crime?" and then stated: "Sure, I guess I wouldn't mind doing it." Asked twice after that if this would "be a problem" for him, defendant twice replied, "No," adding, "I'll do it" the second time.
­FN 23. Section 25, subdivision (a) provides: "The defense of diminished capacity is hereby abolished. In a criminal action, as well as any juvenile court proceeding, evidence concerning an accused person's intoxication, trauma, mental illness, disease, or defect shall not be admissible to show or negate capacity to form the particular purpose, intent, motive, malice aforethought, knowledge, or other mental state required for the commission of the crime charged."
­FN 24. The jury made a special finding that the murder was intentional.
­FN 25. Defendant claims the court refused to instruct on voluntary manslaughter. The record confirms that two instructions on manslaughter were given. In the first, the court did not define voluntary manslaughter.
The jury found under properly given instructions that the murder was intentional, and was committed in the perpetration of robbery, thus establishing that the killing was murder of the first degree under the felony-murder rule and section 189 without the necessity of proving malice. Any error in failing to instruct on voluntary manslaughter was harmless. (People v. Sedeno (1974) 10 Cal.3d 703, 721 [112 Cal.Rptr. 1, 518 P.2d 913]. See also People v. Saille (1991) 54 Cal.3d 1103, 1114 [2 Cal.Rptr.2d 364, 820 P.2d 588] [Malice shown whenever killing is intentional unless negated by evidence of sudden quarrel or heat of passion].)
­FN 26. Defendant claims that these instructions, "diminished capacity" instructions, were given erroneously. The instructions could only have been beneficial to him, however, since they permitted the jury to speculate whether the evidence indicated that he lacked the capacity to harbor the relevant mental states, while the other instructions limited the jury to determining whether, in fact, the mental elements of the offenses were present.
­FN 27. In an attempt to establish prejudicial error in the instruction, defendant claims that these instructions, coupled with the omission of a voluntary manslaughter instruction, prevented the jury from considering whether he intended to kill, but did not do so unlawfully because of some provocation spurred by drug use or impulse. Defendant acknowledges that the robbery verdict undercuts this argument, but claims that inadequate instructions make the jury finding of intent to rob "suspect." We are not persuaded. Defendant's own statements establish beyond any question the existence of an intent to rob.
­FN 28. The court gave only a general instruction on the elements of attempt. This was followed by instructions on the elements of murder and defining express and implied malice.
­FN 29. Anticipating the instructions to be given, the prosecutor stated:
­FN 30. Defendant also claims that his waiver of the right to be present throughout the voir dire of prospective jurors was ineffectual, that reversal should also be granted because he was absent during discussions in chambers between the judge and counsel regarding instructions and moving admission of exhibits. Our conclusion above that neither section 977 nor constitutional authority supports defendant's claim that the voluntary absence of a defendant during some proceedings, even in a capital case is impermissible, disposes of this claim as well.
­FN 31. Defendant apparently concedes that jury unanimity on the theory of first degree murder is not required. (See Schad v. Arizona (1991) 501 U.S. ___, ___ [115 L.Ed.2d 555, 572-574, 111 S.Ct. 2491, 2503-2504 (plur. opn.), 2506-2507, conc. opn. of Salia, J.)]; People v. Milan (1973) 9 Cal.3d 185, 194-195 [107 Cal.Rptr. 68, 507 P.2d 956]; People v. Nicholas (1980) 112 Cal.App.3d 249, 273 [169 Cal.Rptr. 497].)
­FN 32. In support of his claim that the jury was misled, defendant also points to statements and questions by both the judge and the prosecutor during the voir dire which may have led prospective jurors to believe that assessment of the penalty was a mechanical process which they would be obligated to carry out. The prosecutor's explanation to the jurors in the penalty phase argument, coming weeks after the voir dire, and immediately before the matter was submitted to the jury, was unquestionably adequate to dispel any misunderstanding of their role these statements and questions may have invited.
­FN 33. Pursuant to agreement by counsel, the court's instruction on this factor supplemented the statutory language with: "or any factor offered by the defense as a factor in mitigation of the penalty," thus making it clear that the jury could consider any mitigating evidence.
­FN 34. In support of his claim that the jury was misled, defendant argues that the prosecutor also argued that the absence of some statutory mitigating factors should be considered aggravating. After the trial of this case we held in People v. Davenport (1985) 41 Cal.3d 247, 289-290 [221 Cal.Rptr. 794, 710 P.2d 861], that such argument was improper and should not be permitted in the future because it was likely to confuse the jury as to the meaning of the terms "aggravation" and "mitigation." It is not improper, however, to review each factor and the possible relevance of the evidence to finding it present.
­FN 35. Defendant's counsel told the jury that in addition to the statutory factors "we have in addition ... any other factor that you think is relevant in considering whether or not this case should be mitigated. We also have one that is not listed there. You may consider pity or sympathy for the particular defendant, so we have a lot of different factors to consider."
­FN 36. Defendant's reliance on People v. Harvey (1979) 25 Cal.3d 754 [159 Cal.Rptr. 696, 602 P.2d 396], for his further claim that the plea bargain in which he pleaded guilty to the assault with a deadly weapon on Scofield precludes consideration of the attack on Cusack in this proceeding, is misplaced. We held there that it would be unfair to permit a court to consider the facts underlying counts dismissed in a plea bargain in sentencing for the charge to which the defendant had pleaded guilty. We reasoned that absent a contrary agreement it was implicit in such a bargain "that defendant will suffer no adverse sentencing consequences by reason of the facts underlying, and solely pertaining to, the dismissed count." (Id., at p. 758.)
The sentence to which we referred, however, was the sentence then being imposed. Nothing in Harvey, supra, 25 Cal.3d 754, precludes consideration of all incidents of assaultive conduct in sentencing for subsequent offenses, including capital sentencing, whether or not the defendant has been charged with those offenses, or had them dismissed in a bargained-for disposition of other charges. (People v. Robertson, supra, 48 Cal.3d 18, 47; People v. Melton, supra, 44 Cal.3d 713, 755.)
­FN 37. Defendant's reliance on Evidence Code section 1102 is misplaced. That section permits the prosecution to introduce evidence of a trait of character "in the form of an opinion or evidence of his reputation" in order to rebut evidence the defendant has offered to prove the defendant's "conduct in conformity with such character or trait of character."
­FN 38. The prosecutor did refer to the evidence of defendant's prior criminal conduct, stating that it reflected a person "with a fairly aggravated background," but he did so in arguing that the testimony by members of defendant's family did not accurately portray his character, and that the jury was not being asked to impose the death sentence on a person who had only "one bad day in his 25 years." In his subsequent discussion of the factors the jury was to consider he did not argue that this evidence was aggravating under any of the factors.
­FN 39. The part of the instruction of which defendant complains advised the jury that in determining the penalty it should consider:
­FN 40. In his penalty phase argument the prosecutor carefully and properly segregated the evidence. He told the jury that the first factor "deals specifically with the crime that you've heard about and convicted this man of, and the special circumstance involved." He then reminded the jury of the evidence concerning the shooting of Dykstra and Wolbert in the course of a robbery.
­FN 41. Counsel acknowledges our rejection of these claims in prior cases and explains that they are presented here in part in order to ensure preservation for federal review.
­FN 42. Counsel did object on relevancy grounds to a question asking if defendant had "any particular reason" for having cut his hair 10 months before trial, and when defendant answered "no" to the question asking if he cut his hair because he was to appear before a jury, counsel objected to a follow-up inquiry: "It is totally coincidental?"
­FN 43. The "squiggles" reference was to markings made by the subject of a Bender Visual Motor Gestalt test. Dr. Broussard had testified on direct that his opinion was based in part on his administration of that test to defendant. A copy of his report was being used on cross- examination. He had explained that the test involved showing the subject drawings or designs on paper, and asking the subject to copy what he had been shown on a sheet of paper. The prosecutor then characterized what was written as "those little squiggles on that paper."
­FN 44. Defendant also cites as misconduct the prosecutor's reference to Dr. Broussard as a "prostitute" in penalty phase argument. Assuming that this characterization was not mere hyperbole or exaggeration, and exceeded the bounds of permissible argument, however, it was not so potentially prejudicial that a prompt objection and admonition could not have averted any such prejudice. The failure to object precludes consideration of the claim here. (See People v. Carrera (1989) 49 Cal.3d 291, 320 [261 Cal.Rptr. 348, 777 P.2d 121].)
­FN 45. One such comment related to defendant's attempt to characterize his conduct in the Scofield incident as self-defense. Another was directed to defendant's denial that Cusack had been present or had been attacked.
­FN 46. The claimed misconduct was:
­FN 1. Agajanian also served as counsel in this court from the commencement of the appeal in 1983 until his suspension from the practice of law in 1990. Shortly thereafter, present counsel was appointed in his place.
­FN 2. Agajanian's deficiencies as appellate counsel were also pervasive and serious. Witness the fact that the sole act of any significance that he performed on behalf of defendant over the course of almost seven years of representation before this court was the filing of a single thirty-page brief raising only two insubstantial penalty claims.
­FN 3. Agajanian's deficiencies on appeal would have compelled the same conclusion had he not been suspended from the practice of law and been replaced by present counsel.
Thu, 03/12/1992 2 Cal.4th 1 S004597 Automatic Appeal closed; remittitur issued
VISCIOTTI (JOHN L.) ON H.C. (S031247)
VISCIOTTI (JOHN L.) ON H.C. (S074291)
Janelle Marie Boustany, Deputy Attorney General
2 Visciotti, John Louis (Appellant)
Mar 12 1992 Opinion: Affirmed
Oct 21 1983 Judgment of death
Oct 27 1983 Filed certified copy of Judgment of Death Rendered
10-21-83.
Apr 12 1984 Record on appeal filed
C-1 (359 Pp); R-20 (3453 Pp). (record subsequently refiled after corrections)
May 10 1984 Motion filed
By App to vacate Cert of Record.
May 24 1984 Order filed:
Certification of Record Vacated and Record Ordered returned to Superior Court.
C-1; R-20.
Dec 26 1984 Application for Extension of Time filed
Jan 3 1985 Extension of Time application Granted
To App To 1/25/85 To file Aob.
Jan 25 1985 Appellant's opening brief filed
Feb 25 1985 Respondent's brief filed
Jul 28 1986 Application filed to:
File A/C brief by Calif Appellate Project.
Jul 29 1986 Order filed:
Appication of Cap Is Granted. brief Due: 8-27-86; answer Due: 9-26-86.
Aug 27 1986 Amicus Curiae Brief filed by:
California Appellate Project (CAP) - S.F.
Sep 25 1986 Application for Extension of Time filed
Re Resp to answer A/C brief.
To Resp To 10-31-86 To answer A/C brief of Cap.
Oct 31 1986 Application for Extension of Time filed
Oct 31 1986 Filed document entitled:
App's Adoption by Reference of AC of Cap.
To Resp To 12/1/86 To answer AC of Cap.
Dec 1 1986 Filed document entitled:
Resp's brief in response to A/C of Cap.
Dec 29 1986 Application filed to:
Reply to response of Resp to A/C of Cap (Cap's Application)
Dec 31 1986 Order filed:
Perm granted to Cap to file Reply. brief Due: 1/28/87.
Jan 28 1987 Filed:
Reply of California Appellate Project to Resp's response to A/C.
Oct 17 1988 Filed:
Applic. of Calif. Appellate Project for Leave to file Suppl brief as A/C and filed brief. (Perm to file Granted). (12 Pp.)
Resp Attorney General (22 Pp)
Oct 18 1988 Letter sent to:
Resp Advising that Any response to Suppl brief of A/C Calif. Appellate Project Is Due 11-10-88.
Counsel Advising that case Will not be Argued in December 1988. Matter will be Rescheduled for early 1989; Counsel to be Notified of Future Date.
Nov 10 1988 Filed:
A.G.'s response to Supp brief of A/C C.A.P. (7 Pp.)
Jan 31 1989 Received:
Letter from A/C Calif. Appellate Project Re Supplemental Intervening Authority. (3 Pp.)
Jul 20 1989 Letter sent to:
Counsel Advising that Court Is now Reviewing Appeal in Prep. for Assignmt to Future Calendar. Any Necessary Suppl briefs Due 8-21-89, & Any Response to Opposing Party's brief Due 9-11-89.
Applic. of Calif. Appellate Project for Perm. to file Second Suppl brief of Amicus Curiae in Suppt of Applt Granted. Any answer Due 9-6-89.
Aug 23 1989 Filed:
Second Suppl brief of Amicus Curiae Calif. Appellate Project in support of Applt. (14 Pp.)
Sep 5 1989 Filed:
Second Suppl brief of Resp in response to brief of A/C Calif. Appellate Project (Cap). (11 Pp.)
Oct 13 1989 Letter sent to:
Aty Hayes Ct Cannot grant Req to Withdraw. Ct Req Written Progress no Later Than 10-30-89. Until Ct Grants Mot/Withdraw, He Shall Remain as Counsel.
Consent of Visciotti to Withdrawal of W. Michael Hayes as Counsel of Record.
Withdrawal of W. Michael Hayes as Counsel for Applt.
Apr 20 1990 Exhibits Lodged:
People's No. 34 & 35.
Apr 24 1990 Exhibits Lodged:
People's #41.
May 4 1990 Filed:
Additional Record (1 Vol. Sealed R.T. of 8-2-83 in Camera Hearing).
The Reporter's Transcript of The in Camera Proceeding Conducted on 8-2-83, Is no Longer Sealed. The Clerk Shall Forward copies of said Transcript to Applt & Resp.
Sep 28 1990 Counsel appointment order filed
On application of appellant for appointment of counsel, Timothy J. Foley, Esq., is hereby appointed to represent appellant in his automatic appeal before this court.
Feb 22 1991 Motion filed
By Applt for Augmentation and Settlement of Record (9 Pp.)
Feb 26 1991 Association of attorneys filed for:
Applt (Richard L. Schwartzberg, Esq.)
Mar 4 1991 Opposition filed
To Applt's motion for Augmentation & Settlement of Record. (9 Pp.)
Mar 28 1991 Order filed:
Applt's motion for Augmentation & Settlement of Record on Appeal Is denied. the Supr. Crt. for the Co. of Orange Is Ordered to Provide to Applt's Counsel in this Matter copies of all Questionnaires submitted to Prospective Jurors, & all Questionnaires Completed & returned by the Prospective Jurors, in People V. John L. Visciotti No. C-50770.
Apr 8 1991 Received:
Copy of letter from Judge Robert Fitzgerald to Atty Foley Advising that Written Responses were Neither requested Nor received from Any Prospective Juror (to Four Written Questions). (See this Court's Order of 3-28-91.
Apr 8 1991 Motion filed
By Applt for Leave to Submit Suppl briefing.
Apr 10 1991 Order filed:
Motion of Applt for Leave to file Suppl brief Granted: Due 6-10-91. Any reply by Resp Due 7-10-91.
By Applt to file Suppl brief
To Applt To 7-10-91 To file Suppl brief. Any reply by Resp Due 8-9-91
Jul 10 1991 Supplemental Brief filed by:
Applt (73 Pp. Excluding Appendix)
Jul 11 1991 Order filed re Habeas Funds Request
re: request filed May 6, 1991.
Jul 25 1991 Filed:
Applic. for Approval of Second Counsel.
Jul 30 1991 Order filed:
The application of appellant for approval of association of counsel is granted. Richard L. Schwartzberg, Esq., is hereby appointed as associate counsel to represent appellant on his automatic appeal now pending in this court, including any related habeas proceedings.
Aug 9 1991 Supplemental Brief filed by:
Resp (Third) (22 Pp.)
Aug 15 1991 Motion filed
Aug 19 1991 Order filed:
Granting Applt's motion for Leave to file Suppl reply brief. Due 9-4-91.
Sep 4 1991 Supplemental Brief filed by:
Applt (3 Pp.)
Sep 4 1991 Habeas funds request filed (confidential)
Nov 12 1991 Motion filed
Nov 14 1991 Letter sent to:
Counsel Advising case will be on January 1992 Calendar for Oral Argument.
Wed., Jan 8, 1992, 9 A.M. - L.A.
Dec 11 1991 Compensation awarded counsel
Dec 11 1991 Order filed re Habeas Funds Request
re: request filed 9-4-91.
Dec 17 1991 Motion filed
By Applt to Continue Oral Argument.
Applt's Confidential Memo in support of motion to Continue Argument.
Dec 18 1991 Letter sent to:
Counsel Advising that Applt's request to Continue Oral Argument Is denied.
Jan 8 1992 Cause Called and Argued (not yet submitted)
Jan 8 1992 Submitted by order
Atty Timothy Foley to correct His response to A Question from Justice George At Oral Argument.
Mar 12 1992 Opinion filed: Judgment affirmed in full
Mar 27 1992 Rehearing Petition filed by:
(by Applt) & request for Modification (17 Pp.)
Mar 31 1992 Time extended to consider modification or rehearing
to 6-10-92
Apr 29 1992 Rehearing denied
Request for Modification of opinion denied. Mosk, J. Is of the opinion the Petn should be Granted.
Apr 29 1992 Remittitur issued (AA)
May 1 1992 Exhibits Returned to:
May 29 1992 Habeas funds request filed (confidential)
Jun 24 1992 Application to stay execution filed
Jul 6 1992 Order filed (150 day statement)
Execution of judgment of death stayed pending final determination of certiorari petition to be filed in U.S.S.C. This stay shall terminate on the later date of 7-29-92, or the expiration of any extension of time for filing petition granted by U.S.S.C. if no petition has been filed within said period.
Notice from U.S.S.C. of filing Petn for Cert. on 7-24-92, No. 92-5375.
Sep 2 1992 Order filed re Habeas Funds Request
re: request filed 5-29-92.
Sep 16 1992 Compensation awarded counsel
U.S.S.C. Advising that Petn for Rehearing Was filed on 10-28-92.
Nov 24 1993 Habeas funds request filed (confidential)
(Fourth Applic.)
Mar 16 1994 Habeas funds request filed (confidential)
Mar 17 1994 Order filed re Habeas Funds Request
re: fourth request, filed 11-24-93.
Mar 21 1994 Filed:
Applt's Supplement to Fifth Applic. for Habeas Funds (Confidential).
Mar 30 1994 Order filed re Habeas Funds Request
(Re: request filed 3-15-94)
Jun 23 1994 Compensation awarded counsel
Sep 16 1994 Habeas funds request filed (confidential)
Sep 19 1994 Order filed re Habeas Funds Request
re: request filed on 9-16-94.
Oct 4 1994 Habeas funds request filed (confidential)
(7th Applic.)
Confidential Habeas Funds Request, filed 10-4-94, Withdrawn by Counsel (per Telephone Call from Tim Foley; to be Followed-Up by letter)
Letter from Applt withdrawing Habeas Funds request filed 10-4-94.
Nov 21 1994 Compensation awarded counsel
Nov 28 1994 Habeas funds request filed (confidential)
(Seventh Applic.)
Re: request filed 11-28-94.
Feb 22 1995 Compensation awarded counsel
Jul 29 1997 Filed:
Sep 23 1997 Order filed:
The request of Applt to Review & copy The Materials contained in The Court's Records, Including Any Materials Designated as Confidential Or Under Seal in this Appeal (S004597/Crim. 23385) & in the Related case of in Re Visciotti on H.C. (S031247), Is Granted. Applt Will Supply the Personnel & Equipment Necessary to Undertake this Review & Copying of the Records, which Shall Occur on the Premises of this Court.
Dec 17 1997 Compensation awarded counsel
Oct 26 1998 Motion filed
By Atty Timothy J. Foley to withdraw as Counsel of Record for Applt.
By Federal public Defender for appointment as Counsel of Record.
Oct 27 1998 Motion filed
By Atty Richard Schwartzberg to withdraw as Assoc. Counsel for Applt.
Granting Applications of appointed Lead Counsel & Associate Counsel for permission to withdraw as Attys of Record for Visciotti. the Order Appointing Timothy J. Foley as Counsel of Record, filed 9-28-90, Is Vacated; and the Order Appointing Richard L. Schwartzberg as Associate Counsel, filed 7-30-91, Is Vacated. the Federal public Defender for the Central District of Calif. Is appointed as Atty of Record For Visciotti. Counsel Is appointed For Purposes of all Post-Conviction Proceedings in this Court, and For Subsequent Proceedings, Including the Preparation and filing of A Petn for Clemency with the Governor of California, as Appropriate.
Attorney General - San Diego Office (Janelle Marie Boustany, Deputy Attorney General)
SCOCAL, People v. Visciotti , 2 Cal.4th 1 available at: (https://scocal.stanford.edu/opinion/people-v-visciotti-30940) (last visited Wednesday November 22, 2017).