Opinion ID: 1130099
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Proof of Factor (b) Crimes

Text: The prosecution offered four Michigan crimes in aggravation at the penalty phase: second degree murder for which defendant was convicted in December 1974 (the 1974 murder), armed robbery for which defendant was convicted in November 1984 (the robbery), first degree murder for which defendant was convicted in December 1984 (the 1984 murder), [19] and being an inmate in possession of a weapon for which defendant was convicted in January 1986 (the inmate-weapons offense). Because only the 1974 murder gave rise to a conviction sustained prior to defendant's commission of the capital crimes, such conviction was the only one offered under section 190.3, factor (c). ( People v. Balderas (1985) 41 Cal.3d 144, 202 [222 Cal. Rptr. 184, 711 P.2d 480].) However, the prosecution asked the jury to consider all four Michigan crimes under section 190.3, factor (b) as criminal activity involving the use or threat of violence. ( Balderas, supra, at p. 202.) As to each factor (b) crime, the prosecution relied solely on the judgment of conviction to prove that defendant had in fact committed the underlying violent criminal conduct. In addition, testimonial and photographic evidence established that the victim of the 1984 murder had sustained 66 knife wounds. (11a) On appeal, defendant claims admission of the robbery and inmate-weapons convictions violated the hearsay rule insofar as such evidence was offered under section 190.3, factor (b) to prove that the conduct adjudicated therein actually occurred. (See Evid. Code, § 1200.) Because a conviction was also the sole means used to establish defendant's involvement in the 1984 murder, defendant complains  again on hearsay grounds  that an inadequate foundation had been laid for admitting additional evidence concerning the brutal nature of that killing. Defendant argues that trial counsel should have moved to exclude the convictions on such grounds below, and that his failure to do so amounted to ineffective assistance under the federal and state Constitutions. We disagree. (12) In general, reviewing courts defer to trial counsel's tactical decisions in assessing a claim of ineffective assistance, and the burden rests on the defendant to show that counsel's conduct falls outside the wide range of competent representation. ( Strickland v. Washington (1984) 466 U.S. 668, 689 [80 L.Ed.2d 674, 694-695, 104 S.Ct. 2052]; People v. Lucas, supra, 12 Cal.4th 415, 436-437.) In order to prevail on such a claim on direct appeal, the record must affirmatively disclose the lack of a rational tactical purpose for the challenged act or omission. ( People v. Zapien (1993) 4 Cal.4th 929, 980 [17 Cal. Rptr.2d 122, 846 P.2d 704]; People v. Fosselman (1983) 33 Cal.3d 572, 581 [189 Cal. Rptr. 855, 659 P.2d 1144].) Defendant fails to make such a showing here. (13) It was settled at the time of his penalty trial in 1989 that section 190.3, factor (b) permitted evidence of violent criminality committed at any time in the defendant's life, and whether or not adjudicated, to show his propensity for violence and to assist the sentencer in determining whether he is the type of person who deserves to die. ( People v. Karis (1988) 46 Cal.3d 612, 639-640 [250 Cal. Rptr. 659, 758 P.2d 1189]; People v. Balderas, supra, 41 Cal.3d 144, 202.) The prosecution may prove commission of such conduct by any competent means, and may also place the incident in context, so that the jury has full opportunity, in deciding the appropriate penalty, to determine its seriousness. ( People v. Melton (1988) 44 Cal.3d 713, 757 [244 Cal. Rptr. 867, 750 P.2d 741]; accord, People v. Keenan (1988) 46 Cal.3d 478, 526-527 [250 Cal. Rptr. 550, 758 P.2d 1081].) The trial court has no discretion to exclude such incidents under Evidence Code section 352 on the ground they are substantially more prejudicial than probative at the penalty phase. ( People v. Karis, supra, 46 Cal.3d 612, 641.) Nor is the defendant entitled to preclude admission of the graphic or sordid details of his factor (b) crimes by stipulating to any resulting conviction or to a sanitized version of the facts surrounding the offense. ( People v. Karis, supra, 46 Cal.3d at pp. 638-640; People v. Brown (1988) 46 Cal.3d 432, 445 [250 Cal. Rptr. 604, 758 P.2d 1135]; People v. Melton, supra, 44 Cal.3d 713, 754; People v. Gates (1987) 43 Cal.3d 1168, 1203 [240 Cal. Rptr. 666, 743 P.2d 301].) (11b) Against this backdrop, counsel could reasonably believe he had nothing to gain and much to lose by interfering with the prosecution's attempt to prove defendant's numerous other violent crimes primarily by means of his felony convictions. Even assuming the trial court could properly sustain a defense objection of the sort now urged on appeal, the prosecution would have been free to establish defendant's commission of the Michigan crimes and the surrounding circumstances through the testimony of victims and witnesses and any physical and photographic evidence. Trial counsel might have known or reasonably assumed that a mini-trial of this sort could be far more damaging to the defense than allowing the jury to learn of the conduct through the bare fact of a conviction. The record does not eliminate the possibility that, based on such tactical concerns, counsel decided to waive any hearsay objection and allow the prosecution to use defendant's various convictions to prove he committed the underlying violent criminal activity. For this reason, we reject defendant's claim of ineffective assistance of counsel.