Opinion ID: 2587254
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Failure to request instruction to redetermine guilt and special circumstances following excusal of juror

Text: Defendant contends that defense counsel was ineffective in failing to move for an instruction informing the jurors that they must deliberate again as to guilt and special circumstances because of the excusal of the juror during the penalty phase. Nothing that transpired during the proceedings suggests that defendant was entitled to such redetermination of the guilt and special circumstance issues simply because the juror who subsequently was excused participated in those deliberations. Accordingly, defendant was not entitled to such an instruction. In addition, the instruction was not required with regard to the penalty phase, because the jury had not yet commenced deliberations at that phase. (See People v. Wright (1990) 52 Cal.3d 367, 420, 276 Cal.Rptr. 731, 802 P.2d 221.) Moreover, prior to commencing their deliberations, the jurors received instructions that, having heard all of the evidence, they were to decide the penalty, and in so deciding, they were to consider the circumstances of the present offenses. In effect, the jurors were advised to reconsider evidence presented at the preceding phases of the trial in deciding the appropriate penalty. There is no reasonable probability that the result would have been more favorable to defendant, even had his counsel requested and the jury received the instruction in question.