Opinion ID: 1147525
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 14

Heading: Discussions Regarding Jury Inquiries

Text: During its deliberations the jury sent a note to the court stating that a piece of paper with a name and telephone number on it had been found in one of the exhibits (apparently defendant's luggage), and asking whether there was any way to determine whether the telephone number was that of witness Donnie Marshall. A second note from the jury requested access to a transcript of defendant's interview by law enforcement officers following his arrest. The court discussed both notes with counsel in defendant's absence, stating that since the case was closed to evidence the answer to both questions would have to be negative unless there was a stipulation. Both counsel agreed to this analysis and neither offered to stipulate. The court then called the jury into the courtroom and answered the two inquiries in the negative. Defendant now argues the trial court erred in discussing the jury's inquiries with counsel in his absence. (16) During trial, a defendant is not entitled to be personally present at the court's discussions with counsel occurring outside the jury's presence on questions of law or other matters unless the defendant's presence bears a reasonable and substantial relation to a full opportunity to defend against the charges. ( People v. Jackson (1980) 28 Cal.3d 264, 309 [168 Cal. Rptr. 603, 618 P.2d 149].) A defendant claiming a violation of the right to personal presence at trial bears the burden of demonstrating that personal presence could have substantially benefited the defense. ( Id. at p. 310.) In People v. Bloyd (1987) 43 Cal.3d 333 [233 Cal. Rptr. 368, 729 P.2d 802], the jury during deliberations discovered a bottle of Valium in the victim's bathrobe, which had been received in evidence, and sent a note inquiring whether the bottle could be considered. In defendant's absence, defense counsel stipulated to the jury's consideration of the Valium bottle. We found no violation of defendant's right of presence because it was inconceivable that the defense could do other than permit consideration of the bottle by the jury and thus defendant could not demonstrate that his absence prejudiced his case or denied him a fair trial. ( Id. at p. 360.) Here, as defendant concedes, evidence that he had kept Donnie Marshall's telephone number in his possession could only have hurt his defense, since he had denied having a close relationship with Marshall. The trial court's response, which effectively precluded the jury's consideration of the paper, fully protected defendant's interests. Providing the jury with a transcript of defendant's interview by law enforcement officers could conceivably have provided some benefit to defendant, since during the interview defendant had made some statements consistent with his trial testimony, but it would also have prejudiced defendant by reminding the jury of the numerous blatant falsehoods he had told during the interview. Whether on balance the jury's review of the transcript would have benefited defendant is very doubtful. In any event, both the defense and the prosecution had evidently made conscious decisions during the trial not to offer the transcript in evidence. Presumably defense counsel had discussed the matter with defendant before or during the trial and was aware of his views. Assuming arguendo that defendant would have urged his counsel to place the transcript before the jury, it is highly unlikely that both defense counsel and the prosecutor would have agreed to do so. Accordingly, defendant has not demonstrated that his personal presence could have substantially benefited the defense.