Opinion ID: 2613228
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Defense counsel's absence from hearing

Text: (2) Defendant next contends that his counsel's absence from the Solano hearing deprived him of the right to counsel at a critical stage of the proceedings. The contention lacks merit. As previously discussed, defense counsel made a tactical decision not to attend the hearing. Counsel indicated he wished to avoid alienating Solano should he remain a juror in the case. Although defendant argues that such a decision required his personal consent, our decisions indicate that trial counsel has discretion to make an informed decision as to the necessity of attending in-chambers proceedings. ( People v. Medina, supra, 51 Cal.3d at p. 904 [counsel absent from reading of testimony to jury]; see also People v. Jackson (1980) 28 Cal.3d 264, 314 315 [168 Cal. Rptr. 603, 618 P.2d 149] [counsel authorized to make tactical decisions and control court proceedings without first obtaining personal waiver from defendant].) Defendant's suggestion that counsel's decision to forgo the hearing reflected his incompetence cannot be sustained in light of the reasonable tactical consideration which, according to counsel, induced that decision. Accordingly, we need not reach the question whether a defendant has a constitutional right to his counsel's presence at conferences called for the purpose of determining whether particular jurors should be discharged and alternates selected. We note, however, that one recent case has held that there is no constitutional violation when alternate jurors are substituted in the absence of counsel. ( People v. Dell, supra, 232 Cal. App.3d at p. 257; see also In re Mendes (1979) 23 Cal.3d 847, 852 [153 Cal. Rptr. 831, 592 P.2d 318].)