Opinion ID: 2387577
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Penalty Phase and Posttrial Issues

Text: Over the course of 12 days, more than 60 witnesses testified during the prosecutor's case in aggravation. Many testified about the impact Officer Ganz's murder had on them; others were the victims of defendant's other offenses. The prosecution also introduced a videotape of Officer Ganz celebrating Christmas with family members and a videotape depicting portions of his memorial and funeral services.
On October 14, 1986, defendant took some juice from a market in Santa Monica without paying for it. When confronted by Khosrow Hakimian, one of the owners, defendant pushed his arm aside to get away. From August to October of 1989, defendant robbed six banks in the Los Angeles area and attempted to commit two additional bank robberies. With each robbery, defendant demanded money from a teller; he usually would then display, and sometimes brandish, a firearm that he carried tucked into his waistband. Defendant finally was apprehended on October 12, 1989, when Deputy Christopher Germann of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department heard a police radio broadcast regarding one of the bank robberies that had occurred that day. Deputy Germann spotted defendant's car, followed him, and then attempted to pull him over, but defendant sped away. Defendant eventually drove up the long, dead-end driveway of his own residence (his parents' home) and fled on foot into the undeveloped hillside. Deputies apprehended and subdued defendant, who had in his possession numerous bills with serial numbers that matched those on the bait money from the bank that had been robbed earlier that day. A search of defendant's car revealed a BB gun on the floorboard of the driver's seat. While receiving medical attention, defendant said something along the lines of I should have shot it out with you guys. I should have gone for it. When Deputy Germann pointed out that he had only a BB gun, defendant replied that next time it would not be just a BB gun. Defendant was charged in federal court with six counts of bank robbery and ultimately pleaded guilty to two counts of bank robbery. Defendant told his probation officer that he committed the robberies because he was addicted to crack cocaine and also needed to pay his living expenses. On October 15, 1993, Phillip Brown, the security guard at defendant's parents' residence, issued him a parking ticket. Defendant told Brown that if he had had his knife with him, he would have juked him. Brown understood this to mean defendant would have stabbed him, but he did not take defendant seriously. From October to December of 1993, defendant robbed five supermarkets in a chain of grocery stores in the Los Angeles area. Each robbery occurred in the early morning hours when employees were transferring cash from the registers to the manager's office. While wearing an obviously fake wig, defendant approached the employees, brandished a firearm, and demanded money. From April to July of 1994, defendant robbed five supermarkets in a chain of grocery stores near the Washington-Oregon border. Defendant usually wore a long coat and a dark ski mask that covered all but his eyes and the center portion of his face. Defendant demanded money from a checker and then would usually display, and sometimes brandish, a firearm that he carried tucked into his waistband. During this period, defendant also robbed a pharmacy. Brandishing a firearm, defendant said, This is a robbery, and then demanded a number of specific drugs, and money. During this robbery, defendant inadvertently dropped some ammunition, which was analyzed and determined to match the ammunition recovered from his parents' residence. The prosecution introduced evidence of a homicide in Oregon defendant committed after having robbed another grocery store. On August 3, 1994, defendant robbed a supermarket wearing a long coat, gloves, and a black ski mask that covered most of his face. Defendant demanded money from a checker, pulled a .380-caliber pistol from his pocket, and took money from the register while pointing the pistol at the checker. Defendant then left the market and headed toward a side parking lot. As defendant rounded the corner, Catalina Correa (who had been in the market just prior to the robbery) turned and faced him. Defendant shot Correa three times, killing her. Defendant then got into his car and drove off. Andrew Dickson, who was in his van, followed defendant's car; defendant stopped, got out of his car, and shot at Dickson but hit only the van. Defendant was apprehended the next day. The police then searched defendant's parents' residence and found, in addition to the previously mentioned locked box and its contents, two wigs, an assault rifle, and ammunition for that rifle. Thomas Jenkins, a criminalist with the Oregon State Police, examined the bullets and casings from this shooting and determined Correa had been shot with defendant's .380-caliber pistol and Dickson had been shot at by defendant's assault rifle.

Officer Ganz, who came from a large, impoverished family, had wanted to be a police officer since he was 12 years old. After graduating from high school, he joined the Marines so he could become a military police officer. While a Marine, he rescued a man from a burning truck and was honored for saving the man's life. In 1988, Officer Ganz was hired by the Manhattan Beach Police Department in a civilian position to promote seatbelt awareness. He became a sworn police officer in 1989 and was assigned to motorcycle duty. He was a well-respected, well-liked officer who regularly volunteered for assignments and had received numerous letters of commendation from members of the community. Officer Ganz was very close to his seven sisters (one of whom died at a very young age), and he often provided them with emotional and financial support. He played a significant role in helping raise the two children (including Don, his godson) of his sister Rachael Ganz-Williams, a single mother. He worked on Christmas Eve (just a few days before he was shot) so other officers could be with their families, but once his shift was over, he went to a sister's house to celebrate Christmas morning with her and her children. The jury viewed a portion of a videotape depicting that celebration. Officer Ganz was engaged to marry Pamela Magdaleno. He had purchased a home and was in the process of remodeling it in anticipation of his married life. Magdaleno had asked Officer Ganz not to work the night he was murdered, but he refused her request, as it was the last opportunity he had to take Don on a ride along. During his shift, Officer Ganz telephoned Magdaleno to tell her he loved her. After learning about Officer Ganz's death, Magdaleno said it felt like someone had stuck their hand into my chest and ripped my heart out. Officers Karl Nilsson and Neal O'Gilvy of the Manhattan Beach Police Department, both close friends of Officer Ganz, were on duty that night and responded immediately to radio broadcasts of the shooting. Officer O'Gilvy attempted to contact Officer Ganz by radio to determine whether he was the officer who had been shot. Both officers described, in detail, the injuries Officer Ganz had sustained and the efforts of the paramedics to save his life. Officer Nilsson held Officer Ganz while waiting for the paramedics to arrive. Officer Nilsson allowed Officer O'Gilvy to ride in the ambulance with Officer Ganz, and O'Gilvy stayed by his side while at the hospital. Other officers arrived at the hospital and urged the staff to continue to work on Officer Ganz even after he had been declared dead. Officer O'Gilvy broke down emotionally. He then made telephone calls letting people know Officer Ganz had fought to the very end. Officer O'Gilvy stayed with Officer Ganz after he died, insisted his body not be transported to the coroner's office by itself, and arranged for another officer to accompany the body. Dozens, if not hundreds, of officers from other law enforcement jurisdictions helped secure the crime scene and otherwise assisted and supported the Manhattan Beach Police Department. Several witnesses described Officer Ganz's funeral, and the jury viewed a videotape of portions of the church services and graveside ceremonies. Officer Ganz's funeral was attended by over 4,000 people, many of whom were police officers in full dress uniform; the procession stretched for several miles. Officer Ganz's mother was too distraught to attend either the memorial service or the funeral, and she died six months after he did. After Officer Ganz's death, the Manhattan Beach Police Department contacted a psychologist who specialized in trauma intervention. Officer Nilsson lost sleep, drank too much, had a romantic relationship fail, and was demoted due to mood changes resulting from Officer Ganz's death. Officer O'Gilvy became unproductive and often cried in his patrol vehicle. Police Chief Ted Mertens believed that several officers still relived the events of Officer Ganz's shooting on an almost daily basis; it had made them more cautious.
Approximately three dozen people who witnessed defendant's robberies testified about their experiences, and many of them described the impact his actions had on their lives. For example, Ricardo Gutierrez feared retaliation when he identified defendant as the robber of his supermarket, and feared he could be robbed again. Cindy Ettestad did not return for a long time to the supermarket that was robbed while she was there; she had nightmares and was unable to watch movies depicting people wearing ski masks. Arden Schoenborn, the supermarket checker whom defendant robbed on the day he murdered Catalina Correa, quit his job after the robbery due to the stress of wondering whether someone else might point a loaded gun at him. Kay Heinzman, a technician at the Oregon pharmacy, stated she had lost a year of her life, was unable to work following the robbery, and was so traumatized by testifying she nearly was unable to identify defendant as the robber.
Defendant was born in Vietnam in 1965 to a Vietnamese mother and an American father. Defendant's mother, Diep Brady (Diep), worked on a vegetable farm and later as a clerk to support her siblings, as her father had died when she was 12 years old. Both of Diep's brothers joined the South Vietnamese Army, and they introduced Diep to Phillip Brady (Phillip), defendant's father, who was a Marine advising the South Vietnamese military. Phillip and one of Diep's brothers fought together in a battle in which the brother was killed. Phillip contacted Diep so she could retrieve her brother's belongings, and soon thereafter they started to date. Due to an illness, Phillip was sent to Japan and eventually to the United States. During this time, defendant was born. Phillip, now working for the CIA through an aid agency, returned to Vietnam when defendant was eight months old. Phillip, Diep, and defendant lived in a security compound in the countryside while the war was waged all around them; the compound was attacked several times. Defendant was the only child there. By the time defendant was two and a half years old, he could point to and identify North Vietnamese soldiers. Defendant's family moved to another security compound near the Cambodian border, which was close to the worst part of the fighting. Defendant was again the only child there; he frequently saw soldiers being killed. When defendant was three and a half years old, he was evacuated in a helicopter. While men operated machine guns on either side, defendant pointed out enemy soldiers to them. Around 1969, Phillip was offered a job with a news organization, so defendant and his parents moved to New York. Diep was unhappy in New York, so they moved back to Vietnam. While in Vietnam, Phillip suffered from flashbacks and extensively used drugs and alcohol. Phillip filed a news report that the Vietnamese government did not like, so he was forced to leave the country and the family relocated to Hong Kong. Phillip often was away on assignment in Cambodia or Afghanistan. After a few years, defendant's family moved to New Jersey, and later to Venice, California. Phillip was not working and continued to use drugs and alcohol. Diep, defendant, and his sister moved in with Diep's mother, who had relocated to the area from Vietnam. Defendant's parents initiated divorce proceedings but ultimately reconciled. During this period, defendant stopped going to school and ran away, and Phillip showed little interest in him. Around 1977, defendant's family bought a home in a remote area of Topanga, California. Phillip began to cultivate marijuana and instructed defendant to water the plants. Phillip was arrested for growing marijuana. Due to the isolation of their house, defendant had no friends in the area and was shy and withdrawn. He lived in a dark room underneath the house while the rest of the family lived upstairs. Defendant often was home alone and had to get to school by himself. Phillip had very high expectations for defendant and favored his sister over him. During this time, Phillip's drug and alcohol use continued. At the age of 12 or 13, defendant began to use marijuana. Phillip was physically abusive with Diep and defendant. On one occasion, Diep called out for defendant to help her, but defendant did not respond, knowing there was nothing he could do to stop Phillip. After graduating from high school, defendant wanted to join the military. Phillip opposed the idea and told defendant he was too weak to be in the military. Defendant instead attended a local community college. After defendant was convicted of the bank robberies, Phillip visited him in prison twice a month. When he was released, defendant entered a drug rehabilitation program. Defendant lived alone for a while after his release, but Phillip feigned illness to convince him that he was needed at home. Phillip then made defendant drive to drug dealers for him. Defendant's parents fought constantly, and he told Diep and his probation officer that he would rather be back in prison. During this time, defendant once failed to appear for mandatory drug testing, blaming his absence on an argument he had had with Phillip. While on supervised release, defendant never tested positive for drugs. Diep, defendant's sister, and his cousin each testified about how much they cared for him. Neuropsychologist Lorie Humphrey, Ph.D., examined defendant and determined he had possible right-side brain damage. Defendant had good language skills, but was poor at naming objects and at visually perceiving and processing information. Defendant's neurocognitive problems may have affected his perception of society, his socialization, his ability to form relationships or show emotion, and his ability to hold a job. In Dr. Humphrey's opinion, such individuals function optimally in highly structured environments. Dr. Humphrey administered the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) test to defendant, and on cross-examination she conceded the results indicated he had a high degree of anger and potential for explosive behavior and often blamed others for his problems. Defendant's MMPI results matched those of the most difficult criminal offenders, who often have problems adjusting to prison life.

Over objection, four of Officer Ganz's sisters, his fiancée, the treating physician at the hospital, two fellow officers, and his police chief testified during the penalty phase; their testimony spanned several hours over two days. They described Officer Ganz's childhood hardships, his lifelong desire to be a police officer, his achievements, his engagement and future plans, his death, his funeral service, and the aftereffects of his death. The jury also viewed two videotapes and numerous photographs, and received other evidence memorializing Officer Ganz's achievements. Prior to the start of the penalty phase, defendant filed a motion to limit the scope and amount of victim impact evidence; he also made several evidentiary objections during the penalty phase. At various points, the trial court excluded from evidence photographs of Officer Ganz as a child, photographs of Don, an animated reenactment of the crime, and a poster captioned In Memory that displayed the funeral program and photographs of the crime scene, Officer Ganz's motorcycle helmet and gloves, the funeral, his gravestone, the Manhattan Beach police station, and the national police officers' memorial in Washington, D.C. Defendant contends the trial court erred by admitting the victim impact evidence, asserting much of the evidence regarding Officer Ganz was excessive, inflammatory, irrelevant, and unduly prejudicial. He complains the proceedings effectively acted as an extended memorial service and more closely resembled a wake for the officer than a criminal trial. [11] (9) Unless it invites a purely irrational response, evidence of the effect of a capital murder on the loved ones of the victim and the community is relevant and admissible under section 190.3, factor (a) as a circumstance of the crime. (E.g., People v. Burney, supra, 47 Cal.4th at p. 258.) The federal Constitution bars victim impact evidence only if it is so unduly prejudicial as to render the trial fundamentally unfair. ( People v. Burney, at p. 258, citing Payne v. Tennessee (1991) 501 U.S. 808, 825 [115 L.Ed.2d 720, 111 S.Ct. 2597].)
As noted, during the penalty phase Officers Karl Nilsson and Neal O'Gilvy testified extensively about how they learned of the shooting, their initial reactions to learning that the downed officer was their friend Officer Ganz, the efforts to save his life both at the scene and at the hospital, their immediate reaction to his death, and the effect his death had on their lives. Defendant characterizes their testimony as emotional, not objective, and of doubtful accuracy, [12] and observes Officer O'Gilvy, who was the prosecution's final witness, broke down on the stand, which meant the jury was left to contemplate this dramatic testimony until the trial resumed the next day. Defendant contends the testimony of these officers should have been excluded as inflammatory and cumulative to the guilt phase testimony. In support, he cites People v. Love (1960) 53 Cal.2d 843 [3 Cal.Rptr. 665, 350 P.2d 705], in which we reversed a death judgment. In Love, the jury saw a photograph of the murder victim lying dead on a hospital table; the photograph showed the expression of her face in death. The jury also heard a tape recording taken in the emergency room shortly before the victim's death in which she recounted the facts of how she was shot. The victim's doctor testified that she was in extreme pain before she died. As the jury already was aware of the facts of the shooting and the painfulness of her death, we reasoned the sole purpose of the tape recording and photograph was for the jury to hear the victim's groans and failing voice and to see her expression as she died. ( Id. at pp. 854-855.) We held this evidence was unduly inflammatory, as it tended only to prove facts already known to the jury and was of limited probative value in determining the defendant's sentence. ( Id. at pp. 856-857.) (10) Love predates the high court's ruling in Payne v. Tennessee, supra, 501 U.S. 808, and the enactment of section 190.3, both of which expressly allow the jury to consider the circumstances of the crimeincluding its immediate injurious impactas an aggravating factor. [13] (E.g., People v. Harris (2005) 37 Cal.4th 310, 351-352 [33 Cal.Rptr.3d 509, 118 P.3d 545].) Nonetheless, defendant contends Officer O'Gilvy's dramatic death bed story told by a distraught friend and fellow police officer was more inflammatory than the photograph and tape recording in Love and therefore prejudicial. We disagree. Emotional testimony is not necessarily inflammatory. (See People v. Verdugo (2010) 50 Cal.4th 263, 298-299 [finding no error when the victim's mother cried while testifying]; People v. Jurado (2006) 38 Cal.4th 72, 132-134 [41 Cal.Rptr.3d 319, 131 P.3d 400] [finding no error when testimony from multiple family members caused some jurors to cry].) When exercising discretion in admitting emotionally laden evidence, however, courts must monitor the effect of the evidence on the jury and audience members and make a careful record of their observations. (See People v. Prince, supra, 40 Cal.4th at pp. 1289-1290.) The trial court here did so; it noted, for example, that audience members had reacted emotionally to some of the victim impact evidence. As the officers' testimony did not invite a purely irrational response or otherwise render defendant's trial fundamentally unfair (see People v. Burney, supra, 47 Cal.4th at p. 258), the trial court did not abuse its discretion in permitting the officers to testify. To the extent defendant further contends that particular portions of the officers' courtroom testimony were overly emotional and thus prejudicially inflammatory, defendant did not object nor did he request the trial court to give the witnesses some time to compose themselves, consequently forfeiting the issue on appeal. (See Evid. Code, § 353, subd. (a); see, e.g., People v. Robinson (2005) 37 Cal.4th 592, 652 [36 Cal.Rptr.3d 760, 124 P.3d 363].) Defendant also relies on People v. Edwards (1991) 54 Cal.3d 787 [1 Cal.Rptr.2d 696, 819 P.2d 436]. Although in Edwards we cautioned against prosecutors employing inflammatory evidence and arguments, we ultimately ruled the evidence presented and the prosecutor's argument in that case were not unduly inflammatory. ( Id. at pp. 832-836, 839-840.) We reached a similar conclusion in People v. Haskett (1982) 30 Cal.3d 841, 859, 863-864 [180 Cal.Rptr. 640, 640 P.2d 776], another case upon which defendant relies. Defendant contends the officers' testimony was cumulative. Their testimony in some respects did repeat information already known to the jury, such as the discovery of Officer Ganz at the crime scene, his condition, Jamie Timmons's holding his head in her lap to prevent him from choking on his own blood, and the medical response. This repetition, however, comprised a comparatively small amount of the officers' total testimony and is not unusual when multiple witnesses testify about the same event. Moreover, during the officers' testimony, trial counsel did not object to any specific portion as being cumulative, and thus the issue is forfeited on appeal. (E.g., People v. Robinson, supra, 37 Cal.4th at p. 652.) Defendant next contends the evidence about Officer Ganz's character provided by his family was excessive and inflammatory. In support, he cites People v. Roldan (2005) 35 Cal.4th 646, 731-733 [27 Cal.Rptr.3d 360, 110 P.3d 289], in which we upheld the admission of the victim impact evidence, but noted such evidence was limited to a single photograph of the victim with his children and one witness whose testimony was relatively short and subdued ( id. at p. 732); the trial court in Roldan (unlike the trial court in this case) had excluded a videotape prepared by the victim's widow and evidence of awards the victim received for his community service and heroism. Although the victim impact evidence presented in this case was more extensive than that presented in Roldan, the evidence here cannot be fairly characterized as inflammatory, as it did not divert the jury from the task at hand. (See Roldan, at p. 732.) For example, although the jury heard some testimony about Officer Ganz's childhood, it was brief and provided context for the testimony regarding his lifelong desire to become a police officer. Defendant relies upon cases from other jurisdictions that have limited the scope and quantity of victim impact evidence. ( Conover v. State (Okla.Crim.App. 1997) 933 P.2d 904, 918-923; Salazar v. State (Tex.Crim.App. 2002) 90 S.W.3d 330, 335-339; see State v. Dennis (1997) 79 Ohio St.3d 421 [1997 Ohio 372, 683 N.E.2d 1096, 1107] [admission of a mother's statements eulogizing the accomplishments and character of the victim was harmless error]; Cargle v. State (1995) 1995 OKCR 77 [909 P.2d 806, 824-830] [admission of the amount and type of victim impact evidence was harmless error].) These cases are not binding on this court. The jury here heard traditional victim impact evidence: family members and friends extolled Officer Ganz's virtues and demonstrated they missed him. Neither the type nor the amount of evidence warrants reversal. (See People v. Huggins (2006) 38 Cal.4th 175, 236-238 [41 Cal.Rptr.3d 593, 131 P.3d 995] [finding no error when multiple witnesses testified about the victim's character and the loss felt by family members and the community, including testimony about the erection of a statue of the victim]; People v. Jurado, supra, 38 Cal.4th at pp. 132-134 [finding no error when testimony from multiple family members caused some jurors to cry].) Defendant also contends two family members improperly testified about the effect of Officer Ganz's murder. Don's mother, Rachael Ganz-Williams, testified Don opted not to testify during the penalty phase because he just couldn't do it. The testimony about Don was appropriate to dispel any potential negative implication that might be drawn from the prosecutor's failure to call him as a witness. ( People v. Carrington, supra, 47 Cal.4th at p. 197.) Defendant's inability to cross-examine Don about the impact of the murder did not render the testimony inadmissible. (See, e.g., People v. Jurado, supra, 38 Cal.4th at pp. 132-134 [family members testified about the effect of the crime on other family members who did not testify].) Accordingly, the trial court properly instructed the jury that it could consider the impact of the murder on the victim's family as a circumstance of the offense. (See id. at pp. 130-131; cf. People v. Panah (2005) 35 Cal.4th 395, 495 [25 Cal.Rptr.3d 672, 107 P.3d 790] [finding no error in the admission of victim impact evidence given that the trial court instructed the jury it could `consider only such harm as was directly caused by defendant's act' (italics added)].) In addition, over objection, another of Officer Ganz's sisters testified that their mother gave up on life and died six months after his murder. Although this testimony explained their mother's absence, it also constituted improper speculation as to the possible effect of Officer Ganz's death on their mother's health. (See People v. Carrington, supra, 47 Cal.4th at p. 197.) Defendant, however, fails to demonstrate prejudice because there is no reasonable likelihood this error affected the penalty phase verdict. (See, e.g., People v. Lewis (2008) 43 Cal.4th 415, 500 [75 Cal.Rptr.3d 588, 181 P.3d 947].) (11) Defendant further contends the trial court improperly admitted evidence regarding the effect of Officer Ganz's murder on his professional community, that is, the Manhattan Beach Police Department. Victim impact evidence, however, is not limited to family members, but may include the effects on the victim's friends, coworkers, and the communityincluding when the victim's coworkers are law enforcement personnel. ( People v. Ervine (2009) 47 Cal.4th 745, 792-794 [102 Cal.Rptr.3d 786, 220 P.3d 820]; see also id. at pp. 793-794, fn. 17 [noting the defendant's reliance on Lambert v. State (Ind. 1996) 675 N.E.2d 1060 was misplaced because, unlike Cal. law, Ind. law at the time of the trial in that case did not include the circumstances of the crime as an aggravating factor]; e.g., People v. Taylor (2010) 48 Cal.4th 574, 644-647 [108 Cal.Rptr.3d 87, 229 P.3d 12] [allowing evidence of the loss felt by the staff and children at an afterschool program at which the victim volunteered].) Defendant finally contends victim impact evidence must be limited to understandable human reactions (see People v. Brown (2004) 33 Cal.4th 382, 398 [15 Cal.Rptr.3d 624, 93 P.3d 244]), whereas the reactions of Officer Nilsson, Officer O'Gilvy, and Pamela Magdaleno to Officer Ganz's death reflected severe maladjustment and psychopathological states demonstrating varying degrees of mental illness. Officer Ganz was Magdaleno's fiancé and Officers Nilsson's and O'Gilvy's friend and fellow officer who was murdered while on duty; the severity of their griefand how that grief manifested itselfwas well within the spectrum of human responses. (See People v. Ervine, supra, 47 Cal.4th at pp. 792-793.)
(12) Trial courts must be cautious about admitting victim impact evidence by way of videotape or other visual or auditory aids. (E.g., People v. Bramit (2009) 46 Cal.4th 1221, 1240 [96 Cal.Rptr.3d 574, 210 P.3d 1171].) In particular, trial courts must be cautious about admitting `lengthy' videotapes. ( Ibid. ) Here, the trial court admitted two videotapes that, together, were approximately 10 minutes long. Although length alone is not dispositive, we have upheld the admission of longer videotapes. ( Ibid. [citing cases].) The trial court properly informed its exercise of discretion by viewing the videotapes before allowing the jury to view them, and we have done likewise. We discuss each videotape.
The jury viewed a four-minute, edited videotape depicting Officer Ganz celebrating Christmas, two days before his murder, with his family. It consisted primarily of Officer Ganz handing out presents to one of his sisters and some of his young nieces and nephews, who excitedly opened the gifts. At one point, Officer Ganz and his sister hug. This videotape depicted a rather ordinary eventa family holiday celebration. It is a brief home movie that depicted real events; it was not enhanced by narration, background music, or visual techniques designed to generate emotion; and it did not convey outrage or call for vengeance or sympathy. Like the videotape of the family trip to an amusement park we ruled admissible in People v. Dykes (2009) 46 Cal.4th 731, 783-785 [95 Cal.Rptr.3d 78, 209 P.3d 1], it humanized Officer Ganz and provided some sense of the loss suffered by his family, and it supplemented but did not duplicate their testimony. (Accord, State v. Gray (Mo. 1994) 887 S.W.2d 369, 389.) As such, the trial court did not abuse its discretion in admitting it.
The jury also viewed a six-minute, edited videotape highlighting Officer Ganz's memorial and funeral services. [14] The videotape began with Officer Ganz's casket draped in an American flag and with his officer's peaked cap on top of it; the casket was near a church chancel and numerous uniformed officers filed in and sat down. The officers then were seen leaving the church, and the casket was escorted out of the church and into a hearse. Next was an overhead shot of the funeral procession, which included numerous police motorcycles. The procession arrived at the gravesite, and Officer Ganz's mother refused to get out of her vehicle. Officer Ganz's police motorcycle, towed in a trailer, then arrived. There were several shots of various people crying, including a Marine in full dress uniform, who was Officer Ganz's best friend. A bagpiper led the procession to the gravesite, and numerous officers saluted the casket as it passed. An honor guard folded the American flag and presented it to one of Officer Ganz's sisters, who in turn gave it to their mother. Three members of an honor guard then were seen performing a three-volley rifle salute. Don was crying as he was presented with Officer Ganz's cap, and he was seen being comforted by his family. The videotape concluded with several officers passing by the casket; one left flowers on top of it. Other than the rifle salute and two clips of the bagpipes playing, the only audio on the videotape consisted of brief periods of church bells tolling and a woman singing. The prosecutor indicated a television station had shot the footage, but it was not professionally edited. Defendant cites other jurisdictions' prohibition of gravesite evidence. ( State v. Storey (Mo. 2001) 40 S.W.3d 898, 909 [admission of a photograph of the victim's tombstone was harmless error]; Welch v. State (2000) 2000 OKCR 8 [2 P.3d 356, 373] [admission of testimony about placing flowers on the victim's grave was harmless error].) In contrast, we have not prohibited such evidence. ( People v. Harris, supra, 37 Cal.4th at pp. 351-352 [photographs of the victim's gravesite were relevant to the effect the murder had on her family; testimony about the effect of the accidental opening of the victim's closed casket during the funeral service was harmless error]; see People v. Zamudio (2008) 43 Cal.4th 327, 367-368 [75 Cal.Rptr.3d 289, 181 P.3d 105] [rejecting a challenge to the grave marker photographs included in a videotaped montage]; People v. Kelly (2007) 42 Cal.4th 763, 797 [68 Cal.Rptr.3d 531, 171 P.3d 548] [videotape ended with a brief view of the victim's grave marker]; People v. Jurado, supra, 38 Cal.4th at pp. 133-134 [finding no error in the admission of testimony concerning relatives' visits to the victim's gravesite].) Defendant also cites Salazar v. State, supra, 90 S.W.3d 330, and U.S. v. Sampson (D.Mass. 2004) 335 F.Supp.2d 166 in challenging the use of videotape evidence. We have acknowledged the constitutional issues implicated by these cases. ( People v. Kelly, supra, 42 Cal.4th at pp. 796-799; People v. Prince, supra, 40 Cal.4th at pp. 1286-1291; People v. Robinson, supra, 37 Cal.4th at p. 652.) But in contrast to the videotapes in Salazar and Sampson, the videotape here was shorter in length, did not include images of Officer Ganz as a child, was not a eulogy (as all actual eulogies from the ceremony were edited out), was not enhanced by narration or visual imagery, and was not accompanied by an extensive audio track playing sentimental music. Although the videotape was prepared for the penalty phase, it depicted actual events and was not of professional quality. (13) To be sure, the videotape did emphasize Officer Ganz's death (cf. People v. Kelly, supra, 42 Cal.4th at pp. 796-797), and some of the images on the videotape were evocative: The flag ceremony, the rifle salute, and the bagpipes were not particularly relevant to the effect of Officer Ganz's murder on his family and friends, and tended to produce an emotional response from the viewer. Emotional evidence of how a community mourns the loss of a beloved citizen, however, does not necessarily violate the federal or the state Constitutions. (See People v. Dykes, supra, 46 Cal.4th at p. 780 [victim's school conducted a memorial service]; People v. Huggins, supra, 38 Cal.4th at pp. 237-239 [statue of the victim erected by the community].) Moreover, victim impact evidence need not be limited to testimony that merely implies loss, grief, and anguish; it may also demonstrate it. ( People v. Mills (2010) 48 Cal.4th 158, 211-212 [106 Cal.Rptr.3d 153, 226 P.3d 276] [upholding the admission of a videotape capturing the victim's boyfriend's reaction to news of her death]; see People v. Davis (2009) 46 Cal.4th 539, 618-619 [94 Cal.Rptr.3d 322, 208 P.3d 78] [upholding the admission of a photograph of the victim's visibly upset mother taken on the night of the crime].) In sum, the trial court did not abuse its discretion in admitting this videotape.
As noted, during the penalty phase, the prosecutor presented dozens of witnesses, many of whom were victims of defendant's prior criminal activity. During the course of their testimony, many of them described the lasting effect of their experiences. Defendant contends the trial court erred by failing to exclude this evidence as irrelevant and unduly prejudicial. Prior to defendant's trial, the trial court granted defendant's motion in limine to exclude victim impact evidence concerning Catalina Correa's murder. After the prosecutor's penalty phase opening statement, defendant raised a number of concerns regarding the evidence the prosecutor intended to introduce. (14) The parties disagree as to whether defendant adequately objected to the introduction of evidence concerning the impact on victims other than Correa and Officer Ganz; [15] if defendant failed to object, this claim is forfeited on appeal. (Evid. Code, § 353, subd. (a); see, e.g., People v. Kelly, supra, 42 Cal.4th at p. 793.) Regardless of whether defendant's motion in limine or post-opening-statement objections encompassed the introduction of victim impact evidence related to his other crimes, and thus preserved the issue for appeal, such evidence was properly admitted. [16] The circumstances of uncharged violent criminal conduct, including its impact on the victims of that conduct, are admissible under section 190.3, factor (b). ( People v. Bramit, supra, 46 Cal.4th at p. 1241.) Citing Payne v. Tennessee, supra, 501 U.S. at page 830, footnote 2, defendant contends these victims did not simply testify about the impact of his crimes but improperly gave characterizations and opinions about him and his crimes. Not so. For example, although various victims described defendant as having cold dead eyes, almost like a shark's, or as being cold, empty (that witness also testified, when I looked into his eyes I saw death), or as having an evil look, these are not after-the-fact opinions about defendant or his crimes, but rather percipient witnesses' descriptions (albeit colorful) of his demeanor during the commission of the crimes. As fear may be an element of the crime of robbery (§ 211), testimony about how defendant caused the victims to fear him was relevant and not improper victim impact evidence. Defendant contends this victim impact evidence should have been excluded under Evidence Code section 352 as misleading, cumulative, or unduly inflammatory. Defendant has not demonstrated how any of the victim impact evidence was misleading. Moreover, the testimony regarding the residual fear or anxiety suffered by the robbery victims was brief and not unduly inflammatory or prejudicial. [17] To the extent defendant contends the prosecution's witnesses were cumulative to each other, he generally has forfeited this claim by failing to raise it in the trial court. [18] Moreover, although numerous witnesses testified, defendant committed numerous robberies, and the jury was entitled to hear about his extensive criminal history and the impact it had on his victims. Citing People v. Box (2000) 23 Cal.4th 1153, 1201 [99 Cal.Rptr.2d 69, 5 P.3d 130], defendant contends the victim impact evidence unfairly persuaded the jurors to find that he had committed these crimes. The trial court properly instructed the jury with CALJIC No. 8.87, which provided, Before a juror may consider any criminal activity as an aggravating circumstance in this case, a juror must first be satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant did in fact commit the activity. We presume the jury understood and followed this instruction. (See, e.g., People v. Butler, supra, 46 Cal.4th at p. 873.) In any event, the uncontested evidence at trial demonstrated defendant committed these prior crimes. For example, defendant contends the evidence implicating him in the pharmacy robbery was particularly weak, yet he was identified as the assailant and law enforcement personnel found, at his parents' residence, a ski mask and ammunition that matched those used in the pharmacy robbery.
(15) We have found no prejudicial error in the victim impact evidence the trial court admitted in this case. Nonetheless, defendant contends the sheer quantity and variety of victim impact evidence admitted had a cumulative effect on the verdict. Trial courts, of course, must exercise their discretion to exclude under Evidence Code section 352 evidence that is unduly cumulative. The record shows the trial court did exercise its discretion in determining what victim impact evidence was to be admitted with respect both to its emotional impact and its repetitiveness. Moreover, this is not a case where the victim impact evidence was significantly disproportionate to the mitigating evidence. The defense presented extensive mitigating evidence of defendant's family background; his harsh childhood, including his father's physical abuse of his mother and of defendant; and his possible mental impairments. There was no cumulative error with respect to the evidence that was admitted.
Defendant contends the prosecutor committed misconduct during her closing argument by appealing to passion and prejudice, commenting on his silence, arguing facts not in evidence, arguing based on speculation, appealing to vengeance, and appealing to religious beliefs. Defendant failed to object at trial to many of the claimed instances of misconduct that he raises here, and accordingly he has forfeited any appellate contentions regarding those claims. (See, e.g., People v. Friend (2009) 47 Cal.4th 1, 29 [97 Cal.Rptr.3d 1, 211 P.3d 520]; People v. Hill (1998) 17 Cal.4th 800, 820 [72 Cal.Rptr.2d 656, 952 P.2d 673].) In any event, defendant's contentions lack merit. (16) A prosecutor's conduct violates the federal Constitution when it infects the trial with unfairness, and violates state law if it involves the use of deceptive or reprehensible methods of persuasion. (See, e.g., People v. Friend, supra, 47 Cal.4th at p. 29, citing Darden v. Wainwright (1986) 477 U.S. 168, 181 [91 L.Ed.2d 144, 106 S.Ct. 2464].) When the claim focuses on the prosecutor's comments to the jury, we determine whether there was a reasonable likelihood the jury construed or applied the remarks in an objectionable fashion. (See, e.g., Friend, at p. 29.) Under that standard, we reject each of defendant's claims.
(17) Defendant contends the prosecutor sought to arouse the jurors' fear of crime by comparing crime to a deadly virus, and also sought to appeal to their gratitude to law enforcement for being the protectors of society. The prosecutor, while gesturing toward police officers in the courtroom, quoted at some length from a speech given at the dedication of a monument honoring officers killed in the line of duty that praised the valiant men and women who protect the citizenry from the marauders and the enemies. A prosecutor's argument, however, may draw upon common experience and knowledge, and reminding the jurors that society depends on law enforcement to ensure security and peace in the community is proper commentary about the role of law enforcement. (See, e.g., People v. Ervine, supra, 47 Cal.4th at p. 808; People v. Brown, supra, 33 Cal.4th at pp. 399-400; People v. Mayfield, supra, 14 Cal.4th at pp. 803-804.) Moreover, contrary to defendant's assertion, the prosecutor did not attempt to appeal to the jurors' sense of loyalty or patriotism, but rather rightly noted that the murder of a peace officer engaged in performing official duties is a particularly aggravated form of murder. Defendant also contends the prosecutor conflated the victim impact evidence with an appeal to jurors' solidarity with law enforcement, by discussing Officer Ganz's service as a police officer. Evidence of Officer Ganz's service was properly before the jury, and the prosecutor's remarks were reasonable comment on that evidence. Defendant further contends the prosecutor's argument left jurors with the impression they were duty bound by their oaths to vote for a death sentence. [19] The prosecutor argued to the jury: This is a case where society cries out for the death penalty. As jurors, you are ... the conscience of society. But the prosecutor's argument was nothing more than reasonable commentary on the evidence presented and a call to vote for death based on that evidence; she did not mislead the jury about its role. (See, e.g., People v. Young (2005) 34 Cal.4th 1149, 1222 [24 Cal.Rptr.3d 112, 105 P.3d 487] [rejecting a challenge where the prosecutor urged the jury to impose the death penalty because it would be `good for society' and `teach' society a moral lesson]; People v. Marlow (2004) 34 Cal.4th 131, 152 [17 Cal.Rptr.3d 825, 96 P.3d 126] [prosecutor's argument that the defendant's conduct had `crossed the line' `where we as a society say enough' was proper argument based on reasonable inferences from the method of killing]; People v. Hardy (1992) 2 Cal.4th 86, 211 [5 Cal.Rptr.2d 796, 825 P.2d 781] [prosecutor's argument that the jury was `obligated as members of this society ...' to return a death verdict if it found the aggravating evidence outweighed the mitigating evidence, in conjunction with the jury instructions, did not mislead the jury about the scope of its sentencing discretion].) Moreover, to refer to the jury as the conscience of society is not improper. (See People v. Ledesma (2006) 39 Cal.4th 641, 741 [47 Cal.Rptr.3d 326, 140 P.3d 657].) (18) Finally, defendant contends the prosecutor's use of the Bengal tiger metaphor (see People v. Duncan (1991) 53 Cal.3d 955, 976 [281 Cal.Rptr. 273, 810 P.2d 131]) was a thinly veiled racist allusion to his Vietnamese heritage. As we noted in Duncan, likening a murderer to a wild animal does not necessarily invoke racial overtones. ( Id. at p. 977; cf. Howarth, Representing Black Male Innocence (1997) 1 J. Gender Race & Just. 97, 136-138.) On the record before us, it appears the prosecutor's argument was intended merely to note that defendant's docile behavior in the courtroom was not irreconcilable with his violent conduct in less controlled circumstances. (See, e.g., People v. Valencia (2008) 43 Cal.4th 268, 307 [74 Cal.Rptr.3d 605, 180 P.3d 351].)
Defendant contends the prosecutor commented on his silence, in violation of Griffin v. California, supra, 380 U.S. 609, when she argued, [W]e have heard no evidence at all of any remorse from [defendant] .... The prosecutor, however, noted the lack of evidence and did not refer to defendant's silence; a prosecutor is entitled during closing argument to highlight a defendant's lack of remorse, and doing so does not necessarily violate Griffin. (See, e.g., People v. Hughes (2002) 27 Cal.4th 287, 393-394 [116 Cal.Rptr.2d 401, 39 P.3d 432].) If defendant had appeared sorry in front of another person, performed an act of contrition, apologized to any of his victims, or otherwise demonstrated any remorse, a witness other than he could have testified about such acts or statements, but none did.
In an attempt to undermine defendant's claim that his father Phillip was an uncaring parent, the prosecutor noted Phillip took out a second mortgage on the family home in order to travel to see defendant while he was in federal custody. Defendant's contrary contention notwithstanding, his mother Diep testified Phillip did just that. As such, the prosecutor's argument was an accurate comment on the evidence presented.
(19) Defendant contends the prosecutor improperly speculated that defendant would pose an ongoing threat to prison personnel if he were not sentenced to death. As defendant concedes, a prosecutor properly may argue the potential risk of a capital defendant's future violence when the argument is based on evidence of past crimes. (See, e.g., People v. Zambrano (2007) 41 Cal.4th 1082, 1179 [63 Cal.Rptr.3d 297, 163 P.3d 4].) The prosecutor's argument concerning defendant's dangerousness in prison was proper rebuttal of an expert witness's testimony about defendant's ability to function in a highly structured environment. (See People v. Davis (1995) 10 Cal.4th 463, 540 [41 Cal.Rptr.2d 826, 896 P.2d 119].) Given defendant's murder of Catalina Correa, the numerous armed robberies, and his expert's concession that his MMPI results were similar to those of persons who have problems adjusting to prison life, the prosecutor's argument was a reasonable commentary on the evidence.
Defendant contends the prosecutor argued to the jury that it ought to avenge the murders of Officer Ganz and Catalina Correa by returning a death verdict. The prosecutor argued, I suggest that you show [defendant] the same sympathy that he showed to Martin Ganz and the same sympathy that he showed to Catalina Correa and there is no sympathy for any human so great to outweigh the aggravating factors in this case. As defendant concedes, we repeatedly have ruled it is not misconduct for a prosecutor to ask the jury to show a defendant the same lack of sympathy the defendant showed the victims (see, e.g., People v. Kennedy (2005) 36 Cal.4th 595, 636 [31 Cal.Rptr.3d 160, 115 P.3d 472]), and we do so again here. Even if the prosecutor's arguments were not a proper rebuttal to defendant's plea for sympathy, but rather a call for vengeance, isolated references to retribution or community vengeance do not constitute misconduct. (See People v. Davenport (1995) 11 Cal.4th 1171, 1222 [47 Cal.Rptr.2d 800, 906 P.2d 1068].)
Defendant contends the prosecutor directly invoked religion during her closing argument. While discussing Catalina Correa's murder, the prosecutor said: And what I thought was particularly telling, she died wearing her cross. And there was not one thing she did to deserve her life ending in that manner. The prosecutor concluded her argument by saying, I ask you to let this Christmas and two days after on the 27th, which will be the fifth year anniversary of the murder of Martin Ganz, let this be the Christmas and this be the anniversary of his death, that those who knew him and loved him can finally have a sense that some justice has occurred. [20] (20) Arguments that refer to religion in an effort to convince the jury to impose the death penalty are improper. (E.g., People v. Zambrano, supra, 41 Cal.4th at pp. 1169-1170.) The prosecutor's arguments, however, did not appeal to a religious authority in urging the jury to return a death verdict. Even were we to assume the prosecutor's remarks constituted improper references to religion, they did not diminish the jury's sense of responsibility to follow the trial court's instructions, and there is no reasonable likelihood the jury applied the remarks in an objectionable fashion. (See People v. Friend, supra, 47 Cal.4th at p. 29; see, e.g., People v. Lewis and Oliver (2006) 39 Cal.4th 970, 1059-1061 [47 Cal.Rptr.3d 467, 140 P.3d 775].)
Defendant contends the trial court erred in instructing the jury, over his objection, with CALJIC No. 17.41.1 concerning the obligation of the other jurors if a juror refuses to deliberate. [21] Since defendant's trial, we have disapproved this instruction but, as defendant concedes, we previously have rejected similar claims that the instruction violates a defendant's federal constitutional rights, and we do so again here. (See, e.g., People v. Wilson (2008) 44 Cal.4th 758, 805-806 [80 Cal.Rptr.3d 211, 187 P.3d 1041].)
Defendant contends the trial court erred under state law when, in denying his automatic application for modification of the death verdict, it failed to determine independently whether the death penalty was appropriate in light of the relevant evidence and applicable law. (21) In ruling on defendant's application for modification of the verdict, the trial court must reweigh the evidence; consider the aggravating and mitigating circumstances; and determine whether, in its independent judgment, the weight of the evidence supports the jury's verdict. (See, e.g., People v. Carrington, supra, 47 Cal.4th at p. 201.) On appeal, although the trial court's ruling is subject to independent review, we do not make a de novo determination of penalty. (See, e.g., People v. Wallace (2008) 44 Cal.4th 1032, 1096 [81 Cal.Rptr.3d 651, 189 P.3d 911].) Defendant failed to assert most of the claims he raises here when the trial court ruled on the automatic application, and accordingly he has forfeited any appellate contentions regarding those claims. (See People v. Riel (2000) 22 Cal.4th 1153, 1220 [96 Cal.Rptr.2d 1, 998 P.2d 969] [contemporaneous objection rule applies to cases in which the modification hearing was conducted after this court's decision in People v. Hill (1992) 3 Cal.4th 959 [13 Cal.Rptr.2d 475, 839 P.2d 984] became final].) In any event, defendant's claims lack merit as the weight of the evidence supported the jury's verdict. Defendant contends the trial court failed to meaningfully evaluate the evidence of his mental disorder under section 190.3, factor (k) or to give it the proper weight under other sentencing factors. In denying defendant's automatic application, the trial court explicitly rejected his argument based on his mental condition, finding his expert's opinion that he suffered from a brain disorder was feeble. The trial court also rejected defendant's claim that he suffered from any extreme mental or emotional disturbance during the commission of the crimes. The trial court acknowledged the evidence of defendant's traumatic childhood and cited factor (k), but found that evidence was outweighed greatly by the evidence in aggravation. Defendant also contends there was insufficient evidence to support his first degree murder conviction and the special circumstance of commission of a murder to avoid lawful arrest, and the trial court failed to consider this when ruling upon his automatic application. This claim fails, as the trial court explicitly found defendant was guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and that he killed Officer Ganz with the requisite premeditation and for the purpose of avoiding a lawful arrest. Defendant contends the trial court erred by relying on the testimony of the victims of his prior crimes regarding how his crimes had affected their lives. Such evidence is relevant and admissible. (See, e.g., People v. Davis, supra, 46 Cal.4th at pp. 617-619.) Defendant also contends the trial court erred by conducting a piecemeal evaluation of the mitigating evidence, which had the effect of reducing the weight of the entirety of the mitigating evidence. The trial court, however, explicitly stated it had reviewed all of the evidence available, and had carefully and separately weighed the aggravating and mitigating factors. There is no evidence the trial court considered the mitigating factors in piecemeal fashion. (See People v. Lucero (2000) 23 Cal.4th 692, 738 [97 Cal.Rptr.2d 871, 3 P.3d 248].) Finally, as the trial court did not commit any errors when denying defendant's automatic motion, there are no errors to cumulate on review.
Defendant contends the death penalty in California is imposed arbitrarily and capriciously depending on the county in which the case is prosecuted. Prosecutorial discretion to select in which eligible cases the death penalty will actually be sought is not evidence of an arbitrary and capricious death penalty system. (See, e.g., People v. Bennett (2009) 45 Cal.4th 577, 629 [88 Cal.Rptr.3d 131, 199 P.3d 535].) Contrary to defendant's contention, the voting rights case Bush v. Gore (2000) 531 U.S. 98 [148 L.Ed.2d 388, 121 S.Ct. 525] does not compel a different result. (See, e.g., Bennett, at p. 629, fn. 19.)
Defendant contends the nearly 33-month delay between the entry of judgment and the appointment of appellate counsel violated his federal constitutional rights to equal protection and due process. As defendant concedes, we previously have ruled the delay in appointing counsel and processing the appeal is necessary to protect condemned prisoners' rights, and we do so again here. (See, e.g., People v. Lewis and Oliver, supra, 39 Cal.4th at p. 1068.)
Defendant contends the delay in executing him has resulted in an extended, degrading, and solitary incarceration on death row that has caused extraordinary psychological distress and thus constitutes cruel and unusual punishment. (U.S. Const., 5th, 6th, 8th & 14th Amends.; Cal. Const., art. I, §§ 7, 15-17.) We previously have rejected similar claims, and we do so again here. (See, e.g., People v. Davis, supra, 46 Cal.4th at p. 628.)
Defendant contends his death sentence violated various guarantees under the federal Constitution. (U.S. Const., 5th, 6th, 8th & 14th Amends.) As we have in other cases, we reject defendant's contentions. Specifically: California's death penalty statute is not impermissibly broad and adequately narrows the class of death-eligible defendants. (See, e.g., People v. Davis, supra, 46 Cal.4th at p. 627.) Section 190.3, factor (a), whether considered on its face or as applied, does not allow for arbitrary and capricious imposition of the death penalty. ( Tuilaepa v. California (1994) 512 U.S. 967, 975-976 [129 L.Ed.2d 750, 114 S.Ct. 2630]; see, e.g., People v. Martinez (2009) 47 Cal.4th 399, 454 [97 Cal.Rptr.3d 732, 213 P.3d 77].) A death sentence need not be premised on findings (either beyond a reasonable doubt or by a preponderance of the evidence) by a unanimous jury that one or more aggravating factors exist, that these factors outweigh the mitigating factors, and that death is the appropriate penalty. (See, e.g., People v. Burney, supra, 47 Cal.4th at pp. 267-268.) No tie-breaking rule is necessary, and the jury need not be instructed that there is no burden of proof. (See, e.g., People v. Bennett, supra, 45 Cal.4th at p. 632.) Contrary to defendant's contention, neither Apprendi v. New Jersey (2000) 530 U.S. 466 [147 L.Ed.2d 435, 120 S.Ct. 2348] nor Ring v. Arizona (2002) 536 U.S. 584 [153 L.Ed.2d 556, 122 S.Ct. 2428] compels a different result. (See, e.g., People v. Martinez, supra, 47 Cal.4th at p. 455.) The federal Constitution does not require written jury findings during the penalty phase. (See, e.g., People v. Burney, supra, 47 Cal.4th at pp. 267-268.) Intercase proportionality review is not constitutionally required. (See, e.g., People v. Martinez, supra, 47 Cal.4th at p. 455.) The jury need not be instructed as to which sentencing factors are aggravating and which are mitigating. (See, e.g., People v. Samayoa (1997) 15 Cal.4th 795, 862 [64 Cal.Rptr.2d 400, 938 P.2d 2].) Equal protection does not require that capital defendants be afforded the same sentence review afforded other felons sentenced under the determinate sentencing law. (See, e.g., People v. Martinez, supra, 47 Cal.4th at p. 456.) Despite the abolition of the death penalty in the majority of nations (including all of Western Europe), California's assertedly regular imposition of the death penalty as punishment for a substantial number of homicides does not violate international law or norms. (See, e.g., People v. Carrington, supra, 47 Cal.4th at pp. 198-199.)