Opinion ID: 2639434
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The Three Trips to the Murder Scene

Text: As more fully explained in our opinion in the automatic appeal ( People v. Cox, supra, 30 Cal.4th at pp. 931-932, 135 Cal. Rptr.2d 272, 70 P.3d 277), on two occasions prior to trial, Joanna led Dr. Dougherty and El Dorado Sheriffs deputies, Detective Harnage and Sergeant Wilson to the scene of Denise's murder. The first time, on November 2, 1984, Joanna directed them to Ferrari Mill Road as far as the intersection known as Four Corners, where she became nonresponsive. On November 6, 1984, they returned to Four Corners and Joanna, who had started to cry, recognized a tree stump painted with yellow paint and told them to go straight ahead but, after they had gone about a half-mile, said they were on the wrong road. They returned to Four Corners and Joanna pointed to the road on their left, which was the road leading to where Denise's remains had been found. During trial, Joanna returned to Four Corners with Sergeant Wilson. She told him to drive straight ahead but after they had gone about 75 yards she told him to return to the intersection and directed him to the right. After they had gone about 150 yards, she again had him return to the intersection and take the road to the left, which was the road leading to where Denise's remains had been found. When they reached the area where Denise's body had been found, she asked Sergeant Wilson to stop the car. She exclaimed, This is the spot, and began to cry. During the January 16, 1992 interview in which Joanna recanted her testimony, Dr. Dougherty asked Joanna how she was able to give directions to the murder location. Joanna said: We drove up there, and the only reason why I did know was that I, somehow I ... I knew that it was off of Ferrari Mill Road. She continued: And so I was able to show you that was where it was. And I don't know if I read that in the paper. There's a possibility that maybe the bodies had been found there ... or ... ahm ... somebody maybe had said that to me. But I think it was through the paper. Dr. Dougherty asked Joanna how she knew how to get to Ferrari Mill Road, adding that he did not know how to get to that location. She replied: I didn't really know. Joanna continued: I didn't really know, but ... since I had found Debbie's clothes approximately, I don't know, a few miles around that area, I assumed that it was in the same area. And I was looking for the road. When asked how she knew to get to the Sly Park area, Joanna replied: Ah, I had found Debbie's clothes in that ... in a similar area. I'm not sure if it's the same road but called Camp Creek which is up Sly Park, same area. Later, Joanna was asked if it was just a coincidence that she began crying when they reached the scene of the murder. Joanna replied: I have no idea how I did that, I have no idea. In fact, Joanna claimed she learned the location of the body was on Ferrari Mill Road, Not long before they ... they had taken me out there. I, in fact, maybe it had been the day before.