Opinion ID: 1311837
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Insinuation of Additional Murder.

Text: (21) In cross-examining defendant during the guilt phase about his kidnapping of Combs, the prosecutor asked if he had told Combs he killed someone earlier that day for doing something stupid. Defendant denied having made such a statement; on the prosecutor's further inquiry whether he had heard Combs testify to the statement in defendant's Riverside trial, defendant stated he did not recall. Although defendant did not object at trial, he now asserts the prosecutor deliberately left the jury with the unproven suggestion he committed an additional murder, thereby committing prejudicial misconduct requiring penalty reversal. ( People v. Evans (1952) 39 Cal.2d 242, 248-249 [246 P.2d 636]; see People v. Wagner, supra, 13 Cal.3d 612, 619-620.) Assuming arguendo defendant has not waived the asserted misconduct by failure to object or request an admonition (cf. People v. Baines (1981) 30 Cal.3d 143, 149 [177 Cal. Rptr. 861, 635 P.2d 455]), we conclude the questions were not prejudicial error. The asserted basis for the prosecutor's question was Combs's testimony at defendant's previous trial. Combs's testimony was subsequently read to the jury. In it  contrary to the prosecutor's question  Combs never attributed such a statement to defendant; hence the prior testimony would have tended to mitigate any harmful effect. Moreover, in light of the overwhelming aggravating evidence, including evidence of defendant's three other murders in addition to the Benham killing, any implication that defendant may have committed an additional murder must have been harmless under any standard. (Cf. People v. Bolton, supra, 23 Cal.3d at p. 214.).