Opinion ID: 1159477
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Asserted Error in Denying Motion to Inspect Prosecutor's Records Regarding Prospective Jurors

Text: (9) During the selection of the jury the defense made a motion for inspection of the prosecutor's records regarding prospective jurors. In support of the motion the defense presented an affidavit by an attorney stating that it has been and is the policy of the prosecutor's office at the end of a trial to make a report regarding the jurors and that a file was kept on each juror showing, among other things, cases on which the juror served, the nature of the charges and the evaluation of the deputy who tried the case as to whether the jury was a good one. Exhibits attached to the affidavit include the jury venire for dates in the 1950's with remarks after some of the juror's names, showing the type of case the juror previously sat in, the verdict, and evaluations by deputy district attorneys. [5] The defense also made an offer of proof that specified witnesses would give similar testimony concerning the practice of the prosecutor's office of keeping records on jurors. During a lengthy discussion of the matter in chambers, the court asked the prosecution if it had available to it any information respecting the present jury panel bearing upon any matter that would furnish the basis for a challenge for cause, and the prosecution replied, No. The motion for inspection was subsequently denied. The court did not thereby err. ( People v. Darmiento, 243 Cal. App.2d 358, 368 [52 Cal. Rptr. 428] [cert. den. 386 U.S. 1010 [18 L.Ed. 438, 87 S.Ct. 1353]]; People v. Superior Court, 175 Cal. App.2d 830 [1 Cal. Rptr. 55]; cf. Martin v. United States, 266 F.2d 97, 99; Best v. United States, 184 F.2d 131, 141 [cert. den. 340 U.S. 939 [95 L.Ed. 677, 71 S.Ct. 480], reh. den. 341 U.S. 907 [95 L.Ed. 1345, 71 S.Ct. 607]]; Jebbia v. United States, 37 F.2d 343, 344 [cert. den. 281 U.S. 747 [74 L.Ed. 1159, 50 S.Ct. 352]]; see 78 A.L.R.2d 309.) In urging that they had a right to inspect the prosecutor's records regarding veniremen, defendants point to dictum in Hamer v. United States, 259 F.2d 274, 281, that ... it is up to the individual judge to see that neither attorney has an unfair advantage over the other, whether by use of jury lists or jury books, or any other knowledge or information that exists with respect to a juror's previous action. In Hamer, during the selection of the jury after the prosecutor's use of a jury book was called to the court's attention, the court ordered him to cease using the book, and on appeal it was held that the court's refusal to declare a mistrial because the book was used did not deprive defendant of his right to an impartial jury. Hamer did not deal with the question whether the defendant had a right to inspect the book. Defendants also cite Powell v. Superior Court, 48 Cal.2d 704, 705 [312 P.2d 698], but Powell involved an application for pretrial inspection of an accused's confessions or admissions and was not concerned with whether the defense has a right to inspect the prosecutor's records regarding prospective jurors.