Opinion ID: 2638434
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Evidence of Defendant's Suicide Attempt

Text: Defendant presented evidence in mitigation indicating he was no longer considered a discipline risk in prison. In rebuttal, the prosecution presented evidence that defendant recently had attempted suicide by cutting his wrists with a metal object, which he then swallowed. When this was discovered, prison guards ordered him out of his cell, but he refused, requiring several guards to forcibly restrain him before he could be taken for medical treatment. Defendant contends the trial court erred by ruling this evidence was admissible, arguing that his attempt to convince the jury to spare his life was severely hampered by evidence he desired to take his own life. The admission of evidence in rebuttal is a matter left to the sound discretion of the trial court. [Citation.] The court's decision in this regard will not be disturbed on appeal in the absence of `palpable abuse.' ( People v. Hart (1999) 20 Cal.4th 546, 653, 85 Cal. Rptr.2d 132, 976 P.2d 683.) Because the evidence of defendant's suicide attempt and violent rebuff of the orders of prison guards was relevant to rebut his own evidence of his peaceful adjustment in prison, we find the trial court did not abuse its discretion in admitting such evidence. The evidence being admissible, we find no basis for defendant's further claims that admission of this evidence violated his federal constitutional rights to due process, a fair trial, the effective assistance of counsel, and to a reliable penalty determination.