Opinion ID: 1351510
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 14

Heading: Agent Cauchon's Testimony

Text: Agent Cauchon was involved in defendant's apprehension and prosecution for the 1972 Maruyama burglary. Defendant makes several arguments attacking the admissibility of Cauchon's testimony. Cauchon related that Thomas, defendant's juvenile accomplice, told him that he (Thomas) had to constantly remind defendant not to harm Mrs. Maruyama during the burglary. Defendant first claims the statements by Thomas were inadmissible hearsay, and that if the failure to object waived the claim on appeal, such omission constituted ineffective assistance of counsel. Although defense counsel failed to register a hearsay objection to this testimony, any such objection would have been futile. The statement that defendant had to be reminded not to harm the victim was only elicited by the prosecutor on redirect examination after Agent Cauchon related on cross-examination that Thomas said defendant at one point had tried to comfort the victim. Since defense counsel elicited part of Thomas's conversation to Cauchon on cross-examination, the prosecutor was entitled to inquire into the remainder of the conversation; hence a hearsay objection would not have been sustainable. (Evid. Code, § 356; People v. Williams (1975) 13 Cal.3d 559, 564-565 [119 Cal. Rptr. 210, 531 P.2d 778].) Defendant next claims Cauchon's testimony was improperly admitted over defendant's (nonhearsay) objection because it was contrary to a stipulation detailing the facts surrounding the Maruyama burglary. The only aspect in which Cauchon's testimony differed from the stipulation was his recounting that defendant had stated it was he who had held the victim  whereas the stipulation stated, The big man [presumably defendant, who is over six feet tall and weighed two hundred and forty pounds] told the smaller man to put his hand over her mouth and the smaller man did so. As the People point out, however, the stipulation was meant to cover what victim Maruyama would have testified to, not what Agent Cauchon might relate when called to the stand. Any factual discrepancies remained probative and were matters properly left for the jury's resolution. ( People v. Karis (1988) 46 Cal.3d 612, 639 [250 Cal. Rptr. 659, 758 P.2d 1189].) Finally, defendant submits Cauchon's statement that defendant felt no remorse over the Maruyama burglary was inadmissible because it was irrelevant, did not fall within a statutory aggravating factor, and infringed on his Fifth Amendment right against compelled self-incrimination. Defense counsel, however, objected solely on grounds of relevancy and lack of foundation. (40) Although it is clear that the People may not present evidence in aggravation unless it is relevant to a statutory aggravating circumstance ( People v. Boyd, supra, 38 Cal.3d at pp. 771-776), we have held, under a prior death penalty law, that the presence or absence of remorse is a factor relevant to the jury's penalty determination ( People v. Coleman (1969) 71 Cal.2d 1159, 1168 [80 Cal. Rptr. 920, 459 P.2d 248]), and we have since observed that the concept of remorse for past offenses as a mitigating factor sometimes warranting less severe punishment or condemnation is universal. ( People v. Ghent, supra, 43 Cal.3d at p. 771.)