Opinion ID: 2631133
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Evidence About Prosecution Witness Gattenby

Text: Before trial, defendant sought a ruling from the trial court on the admissibility of certain statements purportedly contained in a search warrant affidavit pertaining to prosecution witness Gattenby. According to defendant's attorney, the affiant stated that police believed Gattenby was in possession of explosives and had a reputation for dangerousness. Counsel asserted that this information would support defendant's theory of self-defense by showing defendant feared Skillman and Rita at the time of the murders based on their association with Gattenby. Counsel further argued the statements were generally relevant to impeach Gattenby. Counsel made no offer of proof, however, that defendant knew of Gattenby's reputation for being dangerous. The trial court found that the affidavit information regarding Gattenby was irrelevant absent a showing that defendant had reason to fear that Gattenby was dangerous, and that in any event it was inadmissible to show that Gattenby was in fact dangerous. Absent such a showing, the trial court ruled, defendant could not cross-examine Gattenby about whether he had possessed dynamite or weapons, or whether he had a reputation for dangerousness. Defendant now challenges that ruling as violating his rights to due process and to a fair trial under both the state and federal Constitutions. [5] We disagree. When, as here, the relevance of proffered evidence depends upon the existence of a foundational fact, the proffered evidence is inadmissible unless the trial court determines it is sufficient to permit the jury to find the preliminary fact true by a preponderance of the evidence. ( People v. Marshall (1996) 13 Cal.4th 799, 832, 55 Cal.Rptr.2d 347, 919 P.2d 1280; Evid.Code, § 403, subd. (a)(1).) We review a trial court's ruling on the sufficiency of the foundational evidence under an abuse of discretion standard. ( People v. Marshall supra, 13 Cal.4th at p. 833, 55 Cal.Rptr.2d 347, 919 P.2d 1280.) As the trial court indicated, evidence that Gattenby was dangerous was relevant to defendant's claim of self-defense only if defendant knew of Gattenby's reputation for dangerousness and was afraid of him. (See, e.g., People v. Minifie (1996) 13 Cal.4th 1055, 1065-1069, 56 Cal.Rptr.2d 133, 920 P.2d 1337 [evidence of group's reputation for violence and prior threats against the defendant was relevant to the defendant's state of mind in claiming self-defense for assault because the defendant reasonably associated the victim with the threats].) Defendant, however, presented no evidence that he knew of Gattenby's reputation for dangerousness or of Gattenby's association with murder victims Skill man or Rita. Indeed, defendant never testified he had even seen Gattenby at Skillman's house on the day of the murders. Thus, Gattenby's presence at the house was not part of defendant's claim of self-defense. Gattenby, moreover, testified that, before the day of the murders, he had seen defendant only once and did not know his name. No evidence was presented at trial that Gattenby acted in an aggressive manner toward defendant or codefendant Wynglarz. Under these circumstances, evidence of Gattenby's reputation for being dangerous was not relevant to defendant's claim of self-defense. Finally, defendant asserts the trial court's ruling precluding cross-examination of Gattenby regarding his reputation for dangerousness violated defendant's constitutional rights under the confrontation clauses of the federal and state Constitutions (U.S. Const., 6th Amend.; Cal. Const., art. I, § 15), and compelled him to testify in violation of his constitutional rights against self-incrimination (U.S. Const., 5th Amend.; Cal. Const., art. I, § 15). Defendant did not rely on these grounds at trial; thus he has forfeited them on appeal. (See People v. Lewis and Oliver (2006) 39 Cal.4th 970, 1028, fn. 19, 47 Cal.Rptr.3d 467, 140 P.3d 775 [defendants forfeited confrontation clause claim by failing to raise it at trial].)