Opinion ID: 2575291
Heading Depth: 5
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Alleged pattern of inconsistent determinations

Text: Defendant contends the trial court's evidentiary rulings reveal a pattern of inconsistent determinations that compromised the fairness of the trial and unfairly favored the prosecution. This essentially is a claim of judicial bias, which defendant forfeited by failing to assert it below. ( People v. Samuels (2005) 36 Cal.4th 96, 114 [30 Cal.Rptr.3d 105, 113 P.3d 1125]; see People v. Chatman (2006) 38 Cal.4th 344, 362-363 [42 Cal.Rptr.3d 621, 133 P.3d 534].) It also is without merit. We have rejected all of defendant's claims of evidentiary error except for assumed error in the exclusion of evidence of Hirst's prior misdemeanor conviction, and in the exclusion of defendant's letters as evidence of his state of mind. Although defendant summarily cites many additional examples in his supplemental opening brief which, he claims, illustrate that the trial court made erroneous and inconsistent rulings, he provides no analysis to establish that the trial court abused its discretion in connection with any of these rulings. [A] trial court's numerous rulings against a partyeven when erroneousdo not establish a charge of judicial bias, especially when they are subject to review. ( People v. Guerra (2006) 37 Cal.4th 1067, 1112 [40 Cal.Rptr.3d 118, 129 P.3d 321].) Defendant fails to demonstrate any judicial misconduct or bias, let alone misconduct or bias that was so prejudicial that it deprived defendant of `a fair, as opposed to a perfect, trial.' ( Ibid. )
Defendant contends the trial court's errors on the evidentiary rulings were individually and cumulatively prejudicial because they deprived him of his right to present probative evidence or exclude prejudicial evidence, and constituted an invidious and pervasive pattern of biased rulings. As noted, we have assumed error only in the exclusion of evidence related to Hirst's prior misdemeanor conviction, and in the exclusion of defendant's letters as evidence of his state of mind. Hirst was impeached through other testimony, and the issues to which Hirst's testimony and the excluded letters were relevant were established by other overwhelming evidence. Defendant was not prejudiced under any standard by these two evidentiary rulings. Nor, once again, has any bias been demonstrated.