Opinion ID: 2575903
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Effect of Guilt Phase on Penalty Phase

Text: Defendant claims that two errors that he argues occurred at the guilt phase Б─■ admitting inculpatory statements in violation of Miranda v. Arizona, supra, 384 U.S. 436, 86 S.Ct. 1602, 16 L.Ed.2d 694 (see ante, 41 Cal.Rptr.3d at pp. 613-615, 131 P.3d at pp. 1012-1014), and admitting unreliable hair comparison evidence (see ante, 41 Cal.Rptr.3d at pp. 615-616, 131 P.3d at p. 1014) Б─■ undermine the reliability of his sentence under the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments to the federal Constitution and require its reversal. We have found no Miranda violation and no impropriety in admitting the hair evidence, however, so his claim fails for want of a sufficient predicate. He also argues that errors he argues occurred regarding the special-circumstance findings ( ante, 41 Cal. Rptr.3d at pp. 623-627, 131 P.3d at pp. 1020-1023) undermine his sentence's reliability. As we explained, however, any errors regarding the special-circumstance findings were harmless, and again we reject his claim for want of a sufficient predicate.