Opinion ID: 1273939
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: The Sufficiency of the Evidence Against Robinson:

Text: [19a] Much that has been said in regard to the evidence admitted against Drivers is equally true in regard to Robinson. However, there is one important distinction between the two cases. Robinson made an extrajudicial statement amounting to a confession, and Drivers did not. We have already held that the trial court properly admitted evidence of Robinson's confession, subject to its instructions that the jury must first determine that it was voluntary before it could consider it as binding upon Robinson. If the jury rejected Robinson's claim that his confession was coerced, then there was no need for it to rely on the extrajudicial statement or judicial confession of an accomplice; and hence no need for us to apply the rule that an accomplice's testimony must be corroborated. In such event, Robinson's confession, together with the clear and convincing proof of the corpus delicti, was sufficient to sustain his conviction. In addition thereto, the undisputed evidence placed him at the scene of the crime. He was the owner of the Ford which was found, with gears jammed, at the exit of the club parking lot. When the police arrived at Campbell's apartment a few hours after the commission of the crime he not only admitted the ownership of the car, but had the keys in his pocket. [26] Such possession of the keys instantly raised an inference that his telephoned report of the theft of the car was nothing but an attempt to create an alibi for himself. That inference was additional evidence of guilt. It follows that there is clearly sufficient evidence to support Robinson's conviction. However, we cannot say, as a matter of law or fact, that the jury accepted the prosecution's testimony regarding the voluntary character of Robinson's confession, or that it rejected Robinson's claim of coercion. If the jury determined that the confession was coerced, then it may have convicted Robinson on the theory that the improperly admitted confession of Hickman was corroborated by the independent evidence which placed Robinson at the scene of the crime. Or, it may have reacted to the improper instructions noted above, and convicted Robinson on Hickman's confession standing alone, on the theory that the latter was not an accomplice whose testimony required corroboration. It may even have been confused by the improper instructions on conspiracy, and convicted on the theory that the conspirators' extrajudicial statements were binding on Robinson. Conviction on any one of the three theories last mentioned would have been improper. [20] When, as in this instance, a reviewing court is unable to determine from the record whether a jury convicted on admissible evidence or rejected that evidence and convicted on inadmissible evidence improperly received, it must find the error to have been prejudicial. Under a different factual situation, but where the principle was equally applicable, this court said: However reprehensible the conduct of an accused, he is entitled to have its legal consequences determined from competent evidence by a jury properly instructed. Here, we cannot fairly say that, had the improper evidence improperly used not been before the jury, unadvised of its impropriety, the verdict and sentence would have been the same. ( People v. Orcalles, 32 Cal.2d 562, at p. 573 [197 P.2d 26].) [19b] When, as here, reliance on the improperly received evidence was aided by improper instructions, there should be no question of the prejudicial nature of the dual error ( People v. McCaughan, 49 Cal.2d 409, 416 [317 P.2d 974], and cases cited therein). In civil appeals it has been the invariable rule that reversal is required when it is impossible to determine whether the verdict was based on admissible evidence submitted under correct instructions, or on erroneous determination of questions improperly submitted to the jury. ( Miller v. Peters, 37 Cal.2d 89, 95 [230 P.2d 803]; Clement v. State Reclamation Board, 35 Cal.2d 628, 644 [226 P.2d 897]; Edwards v. Freeman, 34 Cal.2d 589, 594 [212 P.2d 883]; Huebotter v. Follett, 27 Cal.2d 765, 770-771 [167 P.2d 193]; Oettinger v. Stewart, 24 Cal.2d 133, 140 [148 P.2d 19, 156 A.L.R. 1221].) It is equally (if not more) important to grant the same benefit of the doubt to a defendant on trial for his life. Viewed without reference to the foregoing concept, the evidence of guilt here appears to be strong. But that very thought is, in itself, a warning of danger. Why do we consider the evidence of guilt to be overwhelming? In all probability it is because we are aware that the four statements of the various defendants, each made independently of the other, dovetail completely. Taking them together, and considering the circumstances under which each was made, there seems to be no likelihood that any one of the four defendants was innocent of the crime with which he was charged. But, we are not entitled to determine either of these appeals on the basis of evidence which we have already held to have been inadmissible as against these appellants. Similarly, the jury was not entitled to convict on the basis of any such evidence. Before we can affirm the verdict against Robinson on the basis that the trial court's error was not prejudicial, we must find that there was no reasonable probability that the jury would not have convicted in the absence of that error. But we cannot make that statement without recourse to testimony which was not admitted as against Robinson. If this court has difficulty in separating the admissible evidence from the inadmissible, it cannot assume that a jury of laymen did not have the same difficulty. It follows that the error in admitting Hickman's cross-examination and the various errors in the instructions must be deemed to have been prejudicial. The judgments of conviction as to Robinson and Drivers are reversed, and the cause, as to them, remanded for a new trial.