Opinion ID: 1129438
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Inadmissibility of Subsequent Crime

Text: (33) The robbery referred to in the preceding section occurred before defendant's murder of Terri Winchell. He was convicted of that robbery, however, following the murder but prior to trial. Accordingly, defendant correctly observes that evidence of his conviction of this subsequent offense was inadmissible under section 190.3, subdivision (c), pursuant to the holding in People v. Balderas (1985) 41 Cal.3d 144, 201-203 [222 Cal.Rptr 184, 711 P.2d 480]. In Balderas, the court held that prior convictions are admissible under subdivision (c) only if they were entered prior to the charged capital offense. The People now urge that we reconsider Balderas, but it seems clear that any Balderas error was harmless in this case, given the fact that the evidence surrounding the commission of the robbery was properly admissible under section 190.3, subdivision (b). As Balderas observes, subdivision (b) imposes no time limitation on the introduction of `violent' crimes; the jury presumably may consider criminal violence which has occurred at any time in the defendant's life. (41 Cal.3d at p. 202, italics in original.) The additional fact that defendant was convicted of that offense could have added very little to the total picture considered by the jury, a picture which properly included defendant's prior burglary conviction, his commission of a violent robbery, and the aggravated nature of the Winchell offense.