Opinion ID: 2638434
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Admission of Neff's Prayer Book

Text: The People proposed to admit evidence that Amelda Neff kept a prayer book in the purse defendant stole. Their proposed evidence showed the book had special meaning for the victim because in it she kept a personal record of all the significant information about her family, such as births and marriages. This information suggests Neff would have been very reluctant to permit a robber to take her purse and supported the People's theory that defendant struck Neff several times in order to convince her to release her purse to him. This evidence also tended to negate defendant's claim that he quickly grabbed the purse and ran, that the victim did not fight back, and that Neff suffered her injuries when she fell. Defendant objected to admission of evidence about the prayer book, claiming the evidence had limited probative value and essentially constituted prejudicial victim impact testimony. (Evid.Code, § 352.) The trial court overruled the objection. Defendant, reprising these claims, contends the trial court abused its discretion by so ruling. He argues the book had very little relevance and the circumstances of the crime were shown by the testimony of pathologist Dr. Van Meter and the fact that the purse's strap was broken, indicating a great deal of force had been used in extracting the purse from the victim. Moreover, defendant contends the prosecution's true motive was to portray Neff as a pious, religious woman. We find no abuse of discretion. Evidence Code section 352 gives the trial court broad discretion when weighing the probative value and prejudicial effect of proffered evidence. ( People v. Champion, supra, 9 Cal.4th at p. 913, 39 Cal. Rptr.2d 547, 891 P.2d 93.) Certainly the trial court could have excluded the evidence due to its potential for prejudice. But inasmuch as defendant attempted to minimize the seriousness of his participation in Neff's death, the People were entitled to attempt to show that defendant had punched the victim, thus more directly contributing to her demise. In light of the circumstances, we conclude the trial court did not abuse its broad discretion. To the extent defendant predicates a claim of federal constitutional error on this ruling, that claim likewise must fail.