Opinion ID: 2625727
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The Instruction on Possession of Razor Blades

Text: Deputies testified that on three occasions they found blades broken out of plastic razors in defendant's jail cell. The court instructed the jury that a prisoner's possession of a sharp instrument, including a razor blade, is a felony, and that [e]vidence has been introduced for the purpose of showing that the defendant has committed the following criminal acts: . . . possession of a sharp instrument while in custody, which involved the express or implied use of force or violence or the threat of force or violence. Before a juror may consider any of such criminal acts as an aggravating circumstance in this case, a juror must first be satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant did, in fact, commit such criminal acts. The court rejected defense counsel's request to amend this standard instruction (CALJIC No. 8.87) to tell the jury that it must determine whether there was an express or implied use of force or violence. The court noted that counsel was free to argue this point to the jury. (11) Defendant contends the instruction was improper, both because razor blades in a jail cell do not rise to the level of an actual or implied threat of force or violence, and because the instruction created a mandatory presumption of violence. [13] We have repeatedly rejected these arguments. In People v. Wallace (2008) 44 Cal.4th 1032, 1082 [81 Cal.Rptr.3d 651], People v. Gutierrez (2002) 28 Cal.4th 1083, 1152 [124 Cal.Rptr.2d 373, 52 P.3d 572], and People v. Tuilaepa (1992) 4 Cal.4th 569, 588-589 [15 Cal.Rptr.2d 382, 842 P.2d 1142], we held that possessing contraband razor blades in custody constitutes an express or implied threat to use force or violence under section 190.3, factor (b). We have also consistently ruled that whether criminal acts pose a threat of violence is a legal question for the trial court, and that CALJIC No. 8.87 does not create an unconstitutional mandatory presumption. (E.g., People v. Lewis (2008) 43 Cal.4th 415, 530 [75 Cal.Rptr.3d 588, 181 P.3d 947]; People v. Gray (2005) 37 Cal.4th 168, 235 [33 Cal.Rptr.3d 451, 118 P.3d 496]; People v. Nakahara (2003) 30 Cal.4th 705, 720 [134 Cal.Rptr.2d 223, 68 P.3d 1190].) Defendant offers no persuasive reason for us to reconsider these holdings.