Opinion ID: 2625630
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Absence of unanimity instruction

Text: Defendant contends the trial court erred by refusing to instruct the jury that it should not consider a factor in aggravation unless it had unanimously determined that defendant committed the act and that (in the case of § 190.3, factor (b)) it was established beyond a reasonable doubt that the uncharged criminal activity carried an implied threat of violence. Defendant claims a violation of his rights under the Sixth, Eighth, and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution. The jury was instructed it could not consider the uncharged criminal activity in aggravation unless defendant's guilt was proved beyond a reasonable doubt. The court supplied extensive instruction on the elements of the firearms offenses, concerning which evidence was introduced at the penalty phase. The court declined to require that the jury agree unanimously that the prior crime or crimes had been committed. The trial court also declined to instruct the jury that it must agree unanimously and beyond a reasonable doubt that the uncharged criminal activity involved a threat or implied threat of violence. The trial court acted appropriately. The jury need not unanimously agree on the truth of aggravating factors. ( People v. Hines (1997) 15 Cal.4th 997, 1066 [64 Cal.Rptr.2d 594, 938 P.2d 388].) More specifically, [j]ury unanimity is not required with respect to unadjudicated criminal conduct. ( People v. Harris (2008) 43 Cal.4th 1269, 1316 [78 Cal.Rptr.3d 295, 185 P.3d 727].) Juries are not required to agree unanimously on foundational matters such as that a crime involving violence has been committed. (See People v. Hines, supra, 15 Cal.4th at pp. 1066-1067; see also People v. Brown (2004) 33 Cal.4th 382, 402 [15 Cal.Rptr.3d 624, 93 P.3d 244].) We also have rejected claims that Apprendi v. New Jersey (2000) 530 U.S. 466 [147 L.Ed.2d 435, 120 S.Ct. 2348], Ring v. Arizona (2002) 536 U.S. 584 [153 L.Ed.2d 556, 122 S.Ct. 2428], or Cunningham v. California (2007) 549 U.S. 270 [166 L.Ed.2d 856, 127 S.Ct. 856], require juries to enter unanimous findings concerning aggravating factors. ( People v. Salcido, supra, 44 Cal.4th at p. 167; see also People v. Williams (2008) 43 Cal.4th 584, 649 [75 Cal.Rptr.3d 691, 181 P.3d 1035].) We decline defendant's invitation to reconsider our prior decisions.