Opinion ID: 1349797
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Issues raised on appeal and in the initial habeas corpus petition

Text: In our opinion on appeal, we addressed petitioner's claim that the prosecution's use of Oglesby to solicit incriminating information from him violated petitioner's Sixth Amendment right to counsel. We concluded, [o]n the limited appellate record before us, we cannot determine whether Oglesby was a government agent [or] whether he deliberately elicited incriminating statements from [petitioner].... ( People v. Williams, supra, 44 Cal.3d at p. 1138.) Accordingly, we rejected his Sixth Amendment claim on appeal. While the appeal was pending, however, petitioner filed with this court his initial habeas corpus petition (Crim. No. 23806), which raised, inter alia, the same Sixth Amendment jailhouse informant claim. We issued an order to show cause, and ordered an evidentiary hearing, at which we instructed our referee, Judge Egly, to determine: (1) During what period of time, if any, was George Oglesby a `paid government informant' as that term is used in United States v. Henry (1980) 447 U.S. 264 [65 L.Ed.2d 115, 100 S.Ct. 2183]? (2) During what period of time, if any, was defendant aware that George Oglesby was a `paid government informant'? (3) Upon what occasions, if any, did George Oglesby deliberately elicit incriminating statements from defendant in violation of rules established in Massiah v. United States (1964) 377 U.S. 201 [12 L.Ed.2d 246, 84 S.Ct. 1199], and United States v. Henry, supra ? .... .... .... .... .... .... .... ... (5) Was defendant denied competent representation by counsel because counsel failed to object to the admissibility of George Oglesby's testimony on the ground that it violated the Fifth and Sixth Amendments to the United States Constitution and correlative provisions of the California Constitution? ( People v. Williams, supra, 44 Cal.3d at pp. 1138-1139.)
In our initial decision in this case, we summarized Judge Egly's report and the testimony elicited at the first hearing as follows: [I]t is clear that defendant told Oglesby about the Brookhaven Motel murders sometime prior to May 21-22, when Oglesby recounted that conversation to Lt. Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald testified Oglesby also told him at the May 21-22 meetings of Williams's boast of killing a large number of Orientals, but Oglesby said it was sometime later. At one point Oglesby said he received the `Blackie' note sometime early in May even though it bears the date of June 21; at another time he said it was after the May 21-22 meetings. It is apparent that the initial planning of the escape preceded May 21, including the delivery of the map and the two notes concerning Oglesby's wife. Sgt. Allender, who was assigned to prevent the escape, received the `dynamite' note from Oglesby on May 25, but it is not clear when Oglesby received it. Other notes, including all discussion of the role of Oglesby's wife, postdated May 25. Oglesby and Fitzgerald testified concerning their meetings. Fitzgerald recalled a meeting on March 5 in which Oglesby asked Fitzgerald to review the record in Oglesby's murder case and see if he could help; the next meeting between the two was May 21. Oglesby recalled the first conversation as earlier than March 5, and claims there were several other meetings before May 21. But they both agree defendant was not discussed until the meetings of May 21 and May 22, that Fitzgerald never asked or directed Oglesby to get information from defendant, and never promised any reward for such information. A few additional details appeared concerning the conversations between defendant and Oglesby. Most conversations took place on `freeway time,' when prisoners were permitted to walk on the tier. Oglesby and defendant rarely discussed defendant's crime, but frequently discussed escape. Oglesby did not initiate these discussions or interrogate defendant, but neither was he a passive listener; drawing on his knowledge of police and courthouse routines (Oglesby had worked for a bail bondsman), Oglesby suggested a number of `improvements' in the escape plan. Finally, the parties presented evidence concerning the competency of defense counsel. The evidence shows counsel was an experienced defense attorney and generally conducted a competent defense. He was, however, unaware of the decision in United States v. Henry, supra, 447 U.S. 264, which was decided about eight months before defendant's trial. Counsel neither investigated the factual basis for a constitutional objection to Oglesby's testimony nor did he research the legal grounds for such an objection, but decided instead to concentrate on attacking Oglesby's credibility. The referee submitted extensive findings, one of which, as we shall explain, disposes of defendant's Sixth Amendment claim. First, he found Oglesby was a `paid government informant' from only May 25, 1979, until the conclusion of defendant's trial. The referee further stated: `[Defendant] has failed to prove by a preponderance that there was a deliberate eliciting of the incriminating statements furnished the Sheriff by Oglesby on May 21, 1979 and May 22, 1979 in violation of rules established in Massiah v. United States, supra [377 U.S. 201] and United States v. Henry, supra [447 U.S. 264]. The only evidence that the referee has [ as ] to the post May 22, 1979 date is that Oglesby was permitted to remain in [ defendant's ] presence and that he did furnish information to Sgt. Allender. There is no evidence that Oglesby either initiated conversations or interrogated [ defendant ] on behalf of any police agency, but [ simply ] passed on information given him by [ defendant ].' (Italics added.) Finally, the referee found ... that counsel's failure to undertake a sufficient legal and factual inquiry into grounds for objecting to Oglesby's testimony constituted unreasonable performance. He expressed no opinion whether counsel's conduct affected the outcome of the case. ( People v. Williams, supra, 44 Cal.3d at pp. 1139-1140, italics in original.)
In our initial decision in this matter, we concluded that under Kuhlmann v. Wilson (1986) 477 U.S. 436 [91 L.Ed.2d 364, 106 S.Ct. 2616], there was no Sixth Amendment violation. [I]n order to make out a Sixth Amendment claim under Henry, supra, 447 U.S. 264, and Maine v. Moulton (1985) 474 U.S. 159 [88 L.Ed.2d 481, 106 S.Ct. 477], `the defendant must demonstrate that the police and their informant took some action, beyond their merely listening, that was designed deliberately to elicit incriminating remarks.' ( Kuhlmann, supra, 477 U.S. at p. 459 [91 L.Ed.2d at pp. 384-385, 106 S.Ct. at p. 2630].) ( People v. Williams, supra, 44 Cal.3d at p. 1141.) We continued: In light of Kuhlmann, we adopt the referee's implied finding that Oglesby was not a government agent during the period between his arrest and his conversations with Lt. Fitzgerald and Sgt. Allender on May 21-25. We recognize that the sheriff's department followed the practice of accepting information provided by inmates, and, when feasible, of rewarding inmates for providing that information. Oglesby (and likely all other inmates) was probably aware of that policy. But under the authorities we have reviewed, a general policy of encouraging inmates to provide useful information does not transform them into government agents; some specific action `designed deliberately to elicit incriminating remarks' is required. [( Kuhlmann, supra, 477 U.S. at p. 459 [91 L.Ed.2d at p. 384].)] Defendant has not shown sufficient state involvement to render Oglesby's actions during this period the actions of a government agent. Thus, we conclude the evidence that Oglesby revealed to Fitzgerald and Allender on May 21-25 (defendant's admission to killing three persons in a motel, the initial conversations about the escape plan, the map, and certain notes involving the escape) was not procured in violation of defendant's Sixth Amendment rights. The referee did find that Oglesby was a government agent from May 25 until the end of defendant's trial. Although this finding may well have been correct under then-existing case law, it cannot be sustained in light of the intervening decision by the high court in Kuhlmann, supra . As shown by the above-quoted finding of the referee [citation], defendant has failed to carry his burden of establishing police action `beyond their merely listening, that was designed deliberately to elicit incriminating remarks.' Instead, the referee appears to have found Oglesby was a mere governmental `listening post,' which, according to Kuhlmann, raises no Sixth Amendment concern. We conclude defendant has failed to establish a Sixth Amendment violation. ( People v. Williams, supra, 44 Cal.3d at p. 1141; see also People v. Gonzalez (1990) 51 Cal.3d 1179, 1240-1241 [275 Cal. Rptr. 729, 800 P.2d 1159].)