Opinion ID: 1121458
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Religion

Text: (51) Defendant asserts error in the prosecutor's introduction of rebuttal testimony on the subject of whether defendant was wearing a cross after the crime or at the time of his arrest. Defendant contends that the prosecutor's conduct introduced lack of religion as a factor in aggravation and violated his First Amendment rights. Defendant's contentions lack merit. Defendant wore a cross every day of his trial. On direct examination during the penalty phase, his mother testified that appellant wore a cross off and on throughout his childhood. Defendant thus introduced the subject of religion at the penalty phase and the defense testimony gave the impression that defendant was a religious person. The prosecutor was entitled to present evidence to rebut the mother's testimony and this inference. (See People v. Mason (1991) 52 Cal.3d 909, 961 [277 Cal. Rptr. 166, 802 P.2d 950].) The fact that this testimony related to the exercise of the defendant's First Amendment rights does not affect the admissibility of the testimony. (Cf. People v. Nicolaus (1991) 54 Cal.3d 551, 580-582 [286 Cal. Rptr. 628, 817 P.2d 893].)