Opinion ID: 2508855
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 17

Heading: Instructions on Witness Credibility

Text: Defendant finds error, depriving him of the Eighth Amendment right to a reliable sentencing procedure, in the trial court's repetition at the penalty phase of some, but not all, of the standard instructions previously given at the guilt phase regarding the evaluation of evidence. In particular, he complains that nothing in the penalty phase evidence justified instruction with CALJIC No. 2.20 on factors to consider in assessing a witness's credibility, or with CALJIC No. 2.21.2, stating that a witness willfully false in one aspect of his or her testimony may be distrusted as to others as well. Defendant waived his objection by failing to raise it at trial when invited to do so by the court. In discussion with the court and prosecutor, defense counsel stated she had mixed feelings about giving evidentiary instructions at the penalty phase. She agreed with the court's assessment that she was ambivalent on the subject and was not requesting such instructions. The prosecutor also stated he was not requesting evidentiary instructions, but would not object if the defense wanted them. The court then stated it would go through the instructions and eliminate those neither side had asked for and that did not apply to the factual decisions to be made in the penalty phase. As the court orally went through the standard evidentiary instructions, defense counsel responded that she did think CALJIC No. 2.01, on evaluation of circumstantial evidence, was appropriate because it went to the question of lingering doubt as to defendant's guilt. She thought CALJIC No. 2.02, on proof of specific intent, was unnecessary, and objected, as at the guilt phase, to CALJIC Nos. 2.03, 2.04 and 2.06, on inferring consciousness of guilt. Counsel, however, made no response when the court came to CALJIC Nos. 2.20 and 2.21.2, the instructions defendant now contends were erroneously given. With full opportunity to object to the instructions, defendant nonetheless failed in any way to alert the court to his claim they should not be given. Nor did the giving of these instructions adversely affect defendant's substantial rights, so as to make the claim reviewable without an objection. (§§ 1259, 1469.) Defendant does not claim the instructions are incorrect in any respect. He argues only that some of the factors listed in CALJIC No. 2.20, and CALJIC No. 2.21.2 as a whole, were logically inapplicable to any of the penalty phase evidence, and that a juror might, in trying nonetheless to apply them, have draw[n] gossamer conclusions about character based on the uncontrolled evaluation of mere appearances. But we cannot assume any juror deliberated in such an irrational way or that the jurors failed to follow the court's standard admonition (CALJIC No. 17.31), repeated in the penalty phase instructions, that they were to disregard any instruction inapplicable to the facts as they found them. There was thus no reasonable likelihood the jury was misled in the manner defendant hypothesizes. ( People v. Samayoa (1997) 15 Cal.4th 795, 833, 64 Cal.Rptr.2d 400, 938 P.2d 2.) For the same reason, waiver aside, giving these instructions did not deprive defendant of a reliable penalty determination. ( Ibid. )