Opinion ID: 2594892
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Excluding Defense Evidence

Text: Veasley's mother, Tressie Williams, testified on his behalf that Amelia Gonzalez, the mother of one of his children, lived in northern California. Defense counsel asked whether Gonzalez had wanted to testify at the trial, and she answered, Yes. The court sustained the prosecutor's hearsay objection, and instructed the jury to disregard the response. Williams then testified that Gonzalez was going to travel with her from northern California, but she was pregnant and went into labor at the airport. Her water broke and she was taken to a hospital. She also testified that Gonzalez and Veasley had a good relationship and they were best friends. She also testified about Veasley's relationship with his children and their other mothers. Veasley claims the court violated his federal constitutional right to present mitigating evidence by sustaining the hearsay objection. However, he never asserted any constitutional right or, indeed, any other basis for admitting the excluded evidence. Instead, he simply elicited other evidence regarding the relationship between Gonzalez and Veasley. Accordingly, the issue is not cognizable. ( People v. Alcala (1992) 4 Cal.4th 742, 795-796, 15 Cal.Rptr.2d 432, 842 P.2d 1192; People v. Rowland (1992) 4 Cal.4th 238, 265, fn. 4, 14 Cal.Rptr.2d 377, 841 P.2d 897.) We also see no error. The evidence was hearsay and Veasley does not suggest it comes within an exception to the general rule that hearsay is inadmissible. (Evid.Code, § 1200.) Veasley argues that his right to present mitigating evidence mandated its admission. However, the rule permitting a defendant to admit all relevant mitigating evidence has not abrogated the California Evidence Code. ( People v. Edwards (1991) 54 Cal.3d 787, 837, 1 Cal.Rptr.2d 696, 819 P.2d 436.) The United States Constitution compels the admission of hearsay evidence only if the proponent shows the evidence is highly relevant to a critical issue and is sufficiently reliable. ( People v. Smith (2003) 30 Cal.4th 581, 629, 134 Cal.Rptr.2d 1, 68 P.3d 302.) Veasley made no attempt to meet these requirements at trial. The hearsay was not highly relevant to a critical issue. The relationship between Veasley and Gonzalez was not a critical issue, and Veasley could, and did, present evidence of that relationship by other means.