Opinion ID: 2621092
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Evidence to Impeach Prosecution Witnesses

Text: To establish bias, defendant proffered evidence that three witnesses (Lorene Allen, Betty Thomas, and Jimmy Woods) lived with Pridgon and lived off Pridgon's $700 Supplemental Security Income (SSI) check each month. Defendant maintains that this evidence would show that these individuals had a monetary interest in protecting Pridgon because if Pridgon were incarcerated, he would no longer receive SSI checks, and they, too, would receive no money. The trial court sustained the objections to this impeachment evidence, ruling the prejudicial effect of this evidence outweighed any probative value. Defendant also sought unsuccessfully to introduce evidence and to cross-examine Pridgon on certain issues to undermine his credibility. The trial court sustained the objection to the question to Pridgon whether Dr. Kinsey, who had prescribed Mellaril to him, called his mother asking Pridgon to return to see him. The trial court excluded the testimony and notes of a psychiatric technician who had interviewed Pridgon on June 24, 1987. Defendant also requested to have a psychiatrist or psychologist in the courtroom while Pridgon testified to determine whether Pridgon had the capacity to perceive and recollect. However, before the court could rule, trial counsel withdrew his request stating, I just mooted [the issue]. The trial court also sustained objections to questions whether Pridgon ever hit anyone with a stick, and whether he ever carried a knife at night for protection. And the trial court prevented the defense from asking Pridgon whether he threatened to strangle defense counsel. Defendant contends the trial court committed error based on these rulings. Under Evidence Code section 352, the trial court enjoys broad discretion in assessing whether the probative value of particular evidence is outweighed by concerns of undue prejudice, confusion or consumption of time. [Citation.] ( People v. Rodrigues (1994) 8 Cal.4th 1060, 1124, 36 Cal.Rptr.2d 235, 885 P.2d 1.) A trial court's discretionary ruling under Evidence Code section 352 will not be disturbed on appeal absent an abuse of discretion. ( People v. Alvarez, supra, 14 Cal.4th at p. 201, 58 Cal.Rptr.2d 385, 926 P.2d 365.) `[T]he latitude section 352 allows for exclusion of impeachment evidence in individual cases is broad. The statute empowers courts to prevent criminal trials from degenerating into nitpicking wars of attrition over collateral credibility issues.' [Citation.] ( People v. Ayala (2000) 23 Cal.4th 225, 301, 96 Cal.Rptr.2d 682, 1 P.3d 3.) Regarding constitutional limitations, we have held that `not every restriction on a defendant's desired method of cross-examination is a constitutional violation. Within the confines of the confrontation clause, the trial court retains wide latitude in restricting cross-examination that is repetitive, prejudicial, confusing of the issues, or of marginal relevance.' [Citation.] (Ibid.) Applying the foregoing standard, we find no abuse of discretion. The probative value of the evidence that Allen, Thomas, and Woods received money from Pridgon was minimal because Pridgon testified at the preliminary hearing that he told Allen to help pay for rent when she got a job and told Woods either to help pay rent or to clean up. Thus, their financial dependence was not without limits. Further, any evidence of their bias in protecting Pridgon was already introduced because the record showed that the apartment where these individuals lived belonged to Pridgon, and that there was a preexisting, somewhat familial relationship between them, i.e., Pridgon sometimes called Allen Mom, and Thomas had known Pridgon for eight years. The trial court also reasonably excluded evidence that Pridgon had said he wanted to strangle defense counsel. The prejudicial effect of this evidence outweighed any probative effect this evidence may have had on Pridgon's credibility or bias toward defendant. The trial court also properly limited questions to Pridgon about whether he ever hit anyone with a stick or whether he ever carried a knife for protection. These questions were unlimited in time and of marginal relevance. However, defendant was permitted to question Pridgon as to whether he hit Simms with a stick and whether he cut Simms with a knife, to which questions Pridgon replied in the negative. Moreover, defendant's question to Pridgon whether Dr. Kinsey phoned his mother to have Pridgon see him, and testimony from the psychiatric technician were properly excluded because the testimony would have been repetitive. Dr. Kinsey later testified regarding Pridgon's visits and missed appointments. Also, the technician's proposed testimony and her notes regarding Pridgon's mental state in 1987 had already been introduced through other expert witnesses. Contrary to defendant's contention, the trial court did not err by limiting the questioning and excluding the evidence. Finally, defense counsel withdrew his request for a psychiatrist or psychologist to be present during Pridgon's testimony, thus precluding any cognizable appellate claim that trial court abused its discretion on this evidentiary issue. [T]he absence of an adverse ruling precludes any appellate challenge. ( People v. McPeters (1992) 2 Cal.4th 1148, 1179, 9 Cal.Rptr.2d 834, 832 P.2d 146.) Moreover, the jury heard ample expert evidence regarding Pridgon, and observed Pridgon firsthand as he testified. Thus, even without additional expert testimony, the jury was sufficiently equipped to make its ultimate decision on Pridgon's capacity to perceive and recollect. (See People v. Anderson, supra, 25 Cal.4th at p. 576, 106 Cal.Rptr.2d 575, 22 P.3d 347 [observing that psychiatric testimony would be less useful on issues relating to a witness's competency or credibility where the trier of fact on its own could evaluate the witness's demeanor and responses in view of evidence presented].)