Opinion ID: 844274
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Trial Testimony from Photographic Lineup

Text: After she identified defendant's profile in August 1993 from a photographic lineup, Gilmore was asked to attend a live lineup that October. At trial, Gilmore explained that she did not identify defendant in the live lineup, even though she recognized him among the suspects, because she was frightened. Because his appearance had changed so much by the time of trial, she also could not identify defendant in court as the man she saw in the doughnut shop. During Gilmore's direct examination, the prosecutor sought to reconstruct the live lineup by showing her photographs of that lineup. Defense counsel objected to the questioning because Gilmore did not identify defendant at the live lineup. When pressed to state the legal grounds for his objection, defense counsel argued that, given the passage of time, there was no foundation Gilmore had the ability to make an in-court identification from photographs of the lineup. The court overruled the objection, noting that counsel could explore the subject on cross-examination. When questioning resumed, the prosecutor showed Gilmore three photographs from the live lineup. She selected defendant's photograph and said it depicted the person she had recognized at the lineup but failed to identify. Defense counsel interrupted and asked that the record reflect that the exhibit shown to Gilmore also contained a large single photograph of defendant, mounted below two pictures of the live lineup. He raised no objection to use of the exhibit, however. (18) On appeal, defendant claims the ruling permitting this line of questioning abridged various constitutional rights, including his right to counsel. No constitutional violation occurred. Defendant was represented by counsel when the live lineup was conducted and, of course, at trial. Moreover, there is no Sixth Amendment right to counsel at a photographic lineup. ( United States v. Ash (1973) 413 U.S. 300, 321 [37 L.Ed.2d 619, 93 S.Ct. 2568].) (19) Defendant also argues for the first time in his reply brief that the identification procedure violated due process because the photographic exhibit shown to Gilmore was overly suggestive. The exhibit in question displayed two pictures of the live lineup and a third, of the same size, showing only defendant's head and shoulders. Because counsel did not object or seek to prevent questioning on this exhibit on the ground that it was unduly suggestive, this claim is forfeited on appeal. In any event, defendant has not established error. [F]or a witness identification procedure to violate the due process clauses, the state must, at the threshold, improperly suggest something to the witness  i.e., it must, wittingly or unwittingly, initiate an unduly suggestive procedure. ( People v. Ochoa (1998) 19 Cal.4th 353, 413 [79 Cal.Rptr.2d 408, 966 P.2d 442].) Defendant's complaint that the exhibit was unduly suggestive misses the point because the exhibit was not used as part of a witness identification procedure. The prosecutor did not use the challenged exhibit to obtain an identification from Gilmore. He did not ask her to identify which picture depicted the man she saw in the doughnut shop. Rather, the prosecutor asked Gilmore whether the photos showed the lineup she attended. He then asked her to point out the man she had recognized but declined to identify. For this purpose, it did not matter whether the exhibit displayed defendant prominently. The witness testified she had recognized defendant when she saw him in person. Her testimony reflected that, at trial, she remained able to identify the same man. There is no indication that her trial testimony was influenced by the additional photo of defendant mounted on the exhibit.