Opinion ID: 2631133
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Further Cross-examination of Defendant by the Prosecutor

Text: Defendant contends the trial court erred in allowing the prosecution to reopen its cross-examination of defendant. These are the relevant facts: After defendant's arrest, the Westminster police interviewed him and advised him of his rights under Miranda v. Arizona (1966) 384 U.S. 436, 86 S.Ct. 1602, 16 L.Ed.2d 694 {Miranda ). Defendant signed a consent form indicating that he had read his rights and understood them. During the interview, defendant denied any involvement in the two murders. He also denied that his pickup truck had been at the scene. After a few minutes, defendant asked for an attorney, and the officers stopped their questioning. The police tape-recorded the interview and defendant's request for an attorney. At trial, defendant testified on his own behalf. He admitted that he was at the murder scene and that he had shot Skillman and Rita, but he claimed he was acting in self-defense. The prosecution then cross-examined defendant but did not ask him about his interview with the police. Thereafter, codefendant Wynglarz's counsel, in cross-examining defendant, sought to impeach him with statements he had made to the Westminster police. Defendant admitted he had lied to the police but claimed he had done so because he was confused, explaining that he asked to speak with an attorney because of this confusion. Defendant's counsel conducted no redirect examination of defendant. The trial court then asked whether the prosecution wanted to question defendant regarding the issues raised by Wynglarz's counsel's cross-examination; the prosecutor said he did. Counsel for defendant objected, asserting that further cross-examination by the prosecution would be improper because defense counsel had conducted no redirect examination. The trial court overruled the objection, stating that defendant's comments to the police were a significant issue on which the prosecutor could properly cross-examine defendant. The prosecution then questioned defendant about his interview with the police, bringing out additional inconsistent statements and eliciting defendant's admissions that he had lied to the police. On appeal, defendant contends the trial court abused its discretion by permitting the prosecution to recross-examine defendant. As a general matter, an appellate court reviews a trial court's ruling as to the order of proof for abuse of discretion. That is because, as a general matter, the trial court has authority to `regulate the order of proof in the exercise of `its discretion.' (Evid.Code, § 320.) ( People v. Alvarez (1996) 14 Cal.4th 155, 207, 58 Cal.Rptr.2d 385, 926 P.2d 365; see § 1044 [the trial court has the duty to conduct a criminal trial in an orderly and expeditious manner]; Evid.Code, § 765 [the trial court has broad discretion to regulate witness examinations].) Under Evidence Code section 774, the trial court may permit reexamination of a witness on any new matter on which another party has examined the witness. The Law Revision Commission Comment to this provision states that Evidence Code section 774 applies to direct, cross-, redirect, and recross-examinations. We discern no abuse of discretion. Here, on cross-examination of defendant, counsel for codefendant Wynglarz raised the issue of defendant's prior inconsistent statements to the police. Defendant admitted he had lied to the police but claimed he was confused at that time, indicating he had requested an attorney during the interview. Because defendant's responses raised new issues about defendant's credibility, the prosecution was entitled to explore these issues. (Evid.Code, § 774; see also People v. Chatman (2006) 38 Cal.4th 344, 382, 42 Cal.Rptr.3d 621, 133 P.3d 534 [when a defendant voluntarily testifies, the district attorney may introduce evidence through cross-examination that explains or refutes his statements or the inferences that may reasonably be drawn from them].) Under these circumstances, we conclude the trial court did not abuse its discretion in allowing the prosecutor to reopen cross-examination of defendant. Defendant argues that because the trial court allowed the prosecution to further cross-examine him, he was forced to play the entire audiotape of the police interview, which included his invocation of his right to counsel, and thus he was denied the opportunity to put on the defense of his choice. We address this contention in our discussion of defendant's related claim of prosecutorial misconduct, where we more fully discuss the facts under which the audiotape of the police interview was played to the jury. (See part III.D.2, post.)