Opinion ID: 1254168
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Attempt to Call Garcia's Attorney as Witness.

Text: During presentation of the defense case, appellant's attorney filed points and authorities describing Garcia's testimony about the timing of the prosecution offer of immunity, her denial that she or any agent of hers sought immunity for her, and her inquiry to an attorney as to why she needed it. He sought leave to call Garcia's attorney to impeach Garcia, arguing that Garcia had testified regarding what was or was not said during her relationship with the attorney, without objection, thereby waiving the attorney-client privilege by testifying to the substance of her conversations with counsel. [13] He made an offer of proof that the attorney had spoken to an attorney in defense counsel's firm, stating that he had told Garcia that she needed immunity because she faced prosecution for first degree murder and the gas chamber, and that he had negotiated for immunity with the prosecutor for several months before it was granted by the trial court. The court ruled that there had been no waiver of the privilege, that the attorney would not be permitted to testify, and that the subpoena would be quashed. The client is the holder of the attorney-client privilege. (Evid.Code, § 953.) Legal opinion and advice given the client by counsel is a confidential communication. ( Roberts v. City of Palmdale (1993) 5 Cal.4th 363, 371, 20 Cal.Rptr.2d 330, 853 P.2d 496.) The right to claim the privilege is waived with respect to a communication protected by such privilege if any holder of the privilege, without coercion, has disclosed a significant part of the communication or has consented to such disclosure made by anyone. Consent to disclosure is manifested by any statement or other conduct of the holder of the privilege indicating consent to the disclosure, including failure to claim the privilege in any proceedings in which the holder has the legal standing and opportunity to claim the privilege. (Evid.Code, § 912.) Appellant does not suggest, and the record does not reflect, notice to Garcia that defense counsel intended to subpoena her attorney. There is nothing in the record to suggest that she had authorized the attorney to discuss his conversations with her with defense counsel in the manner the offer of proof claimed the attorney had done. Garcia had no opportunity to assert the privilege at the time appellant's counsel stated his intent to subpoena the attorney, and has had no opportunity to offer evidence regarding an intent to waive the privilege. Thus, only her denials while testifying at appellant's trial that anyone in her employ or her attorney had advised her that she faced criminal charges and should seek immunity may constitute a waiver. However, assuming, as appellant claims, that Garcia disclosed a significant part of the communication by her testimony, and that the privilege was waived as to the conversations regarding immunity, [14] the error in denying appellant leave to call the attorney was not prejudicial. Whether the attorney told Garcia she needed immunity and had negotiated with the district attorney was irrelevant to appellant's guilt. Impeaching her testimony on those tangential points would not have undermined her credibility so as to affect the verdict or the ruling on whether she was an accomplice as a matter of law. [15]