Opinion ID: 2507854
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Instructions Concerning Prior Acts of Force or Violence

Text: The prosecution alleged seven incidents of unadjudicated criminal activity under section 190.3, factor (b): the implied threat against Susan Selstad on March 8, 1988; the assault against Calvin Marshall on May 25, 1990; the vandalism of the Marshalls' van on May 27, 1990; the fight with rival gang member Leonard Vasquez on November 30, 1989; the assault against David Hall on October 28, 1990; the assault against Deputy Blakely on January 1, 1992; and the threat against Deputy Crisp on May 30, 1993. In accordance with CALJIC No. 8.87, the jury was instructed that [e]vidence has been introduced for the purpose of showing that the defendant has committed the following acts of violence or threats of force or violence.... The instruction next listed the seven incidents, described as the implied threat of force or violence or the use of force and violence (or both) against the named victim and the date of the incident. The instruction then cautioned that none of these incidents could be considered as an aggravating circumstance unless the juror was first satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant did in fact commit such criminal acts or activity. The jury was also warned not to consider crimes against property to be an act of violence unless you determine it to be directly related to a threat of violence upon another. Finally, the jury was told not to consider any evidence of any other criminal acts or activity as an aggravating circumstance. Defendant contends that this instruction improperly told the jury that each listed instance of unadjudicated criminal activity actually involved force or violence, thus removing that issue from the jury's consideration and constituting a directed verdict on an essential element of the factor (b) finding the jury was to make. We disagree. In addition to the instructions detailed above, the jury was provided the definition of each alleged crime and possible defenses and reminded as well of the prosecution's burden to establish the commission of each crime beyond a reasonable doubt. These instructions properly told the jurors that they could consider any of the specified unadjudicated criminal acts as factors in aggravation only if they found beyond a reasonable doubt that defendant had committed the act or activity, and that it involved the use or attempted use or express or implied threat to use force or violence. ( People v. Sapp (2003) 31 Cal.4th 240, 314, 2 Cal.Rptr.3d 554, 73 P.3d 433.) Except for the vandalism incident, which (as the jury was told) could be used in aggravation only if tied to a threat against another, the characterization of the remaining acts as involving an express or implied use of force or violence, or the threat thereof, would be a matter properly decided by the court. ( People v. Nakahara (2003) 30 Cal.4th 705, 720, 134 Cal.Rptr.2d 223, 68 P.3d 1190.) CALJIC No. 8.87 is not invalid for failing to submit to the jury the issue whether the defendant's acts involved the use, attempted use, or threat of force or violence. ( Nakahara, supra, at p. 720, 134 Cal.Rptr.2d 223, 68 P.3d 1190.) Defendant complains next that there was no limitation placed on the mandate that the jury consider all of the evidence received in the case. In particular, he contends, the jury was not told to disregard evidence unfavorable to him if it did not fall within one of the statutory categories of aggravation. The claim is meritless. The instructions stated: A juror may not consider any evidence of any other criminal acts or activity as an aggravating circumstance. There was thus no risk the jury would have understood the instructions to authorize use of nonstatutory aggravating factors. Finally, we have repeatedly rejected the contention that jury unanimity is required to establish the truth of unadjudicated crimes. (E.g., People v. Yeoman, supra, 31 Cal.4th at p. 164, 2 Cal.Rptr.3d 186, 72 P.3d 1166; People v. Mendoza (2000) 24 Cal.4th 130, 189, 99 Cal.Rptr.2d 485, 6 P.3d 150.)