Opinion ID: 844274
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Record of Hardship Excusals

Text: In an addendum to his original request to settle the record, defendant's appellate counsel also asked the court to clarify whether the discussion of jurors' hardship requests was reported or whether the record needed to be settled regarding the excusals. In his first proposed settlement of the record, defendant noted that after prospective jurors completed hardship questionnaires, the trial court read the names of jurors whose hardship requests had been granted and those of jurors from whom more information was sought. Except for jurors who were questioned about their requests, the record included no discussion about 61 jurors who were excused for hardship based on their questionnaires alone, and the prosecutor did not recall how the court handled these hardship excusals. In order to settle the record, defendant's appellate counsel requested the trial court's assistance in detailing the procedures employed and the reasons for excusing the prospective jurors at issue. At the November 18, 2002 hearing, defendant's appellate counsel asked for the court's input regarding the hardship excusal of 61 jurors. Trial counsel had told him he believed a hearing had been conducted on the record before these jurors were excused. The trial court stated, I do have a recollection; and as far as the original hardships were concerned, both counsel stipulated that certain jurors could be excused; and it was done on the basis of their paid jury leave. Although the court was reluctant to attempt to recreate a record when neither side had objected to excusing the jurors, it agreed with appellate counsel's proposal to have both trial counsel review the 61 hardship questionnaires and try to recollect the reasons for their release. In his second revised proposed settled statement, appellate counsel reported that, although the prosecutor did not recall any details about the hardship excusals, defendant's trial counsel recalled that the Court was `pretty liberal' in ruling on the hardship requests and the Court's primary concerns were whether (1) the prospective juror would be compensated adequately for jury service, (2) whether anyone was ill in the juror's family, or (3) whether the juror was a primary caretaker for another person. Defendant's trial counsel also believed a hearing had been held with a court reporter on the hardship requests. At the next court hearing, the trial court added its recollection that each counsel did, indeed, see the questionnaires and ... stipulated or agreed that these jurors would be excused ... because they couldn't be away from work that long. The court recalled that the financial hardship of serving on a long jury trial was the only aspect of hardship discussed with the 60 prospective jurors who were excused at the outset of jury selection. The court agreed to settle the record on this point as set forth in defendant's proposed statement. Defendant's appellate counsel reminded the court of his request for the court reporter to review her notes to look for any reported proceedings concerning the excused jurors. The court responded that the matter had been reviewed and the court reporter had reported everything that was done before her. (34) Defendant now objects that the court exceeded its authority in settling the record when it reported that both counsel had stipulated to the hardship excusals. Defendant complains the court usurped the role of the parties in stating its own recollection about the procedure. We disagree. Although the trial court's duty is `to settle a proposed statement, not to make one' ( Marks v. Superior Court, supra, 27 Cal.4th at p. 195, quoting Stevens v. Superior Court (1958) 160 Cal.App.2d 264, 269 [325 P.2d 204]), we have observed that record settlement is to be based on `all available aids, including the judge's own memory ...' ( Marks, at p. 196, quoting People v. Gzikowski (1982) 32 Cal.3d 580, 585, fn. 2 [186 Cal.Rptr. 339, 651 P.2d 1145], italics added). In this case, neither trial attorney could remember specific reasons why the 60 prospective jurors were excused for hardship, and defendant's appellate counsel specifically asked the trial court to explain what had happened. Defendant's first proposed settled statement expressly sought the Court's assistance in detailing the procedures employed and the reasons for excusing the prospective jurors at issue. At the November 18, 2002 hearing, defendant's appellate counsel asked again for the court's recollection about the hardship dismissals, and the court responded that both counsel had stipulated to them. The court did not exceed its authority by describing its memory of the proceedings, at the specific request of counsel, to aid counsel in preparing a settled statement. (See Marks, at p. 196.) To the extent there was any error, it was invited by defendant's repeated requests for the court's input. ( People v. Williams (2008) 43 Cal.4th 584, 629 [75 Cal.Rptr.3d 691, 181 P.3d 1035].) Furthermore, because defendant has presented nothing to suggest the court's recollection is untrue, any error was harmless. (See People v. Young (2005) 34 Cal.4th 1149, 1170 [24 Cal.Rptr.3d 112, 105 P.3d 487] [defendant's burden to demonstrate prejudice].) Defendant also challenges the court's representation that all reported proceedings regarding hardship excusals had been transcribed. Defendant asked the court to contact the court reporter about a possible missing transcript on December 12, 2002, and the court stated at the December 16, 2002 hearing that the reporter had been contacted and had verified her transcriptions were complete. Because only three days had elapsed between his request and the court's representation at the hearing, defendant speculates that the court had not, in fact, contacted the reporter, but was instead basing its representation on a discussion with the court's capital appeals coordinator. Defendant did not make this serious accusation below, and thus the trial court had no opportunity to respond to it. We will not conclude the trial court was disingenuous based on sheer surmise and at this late date, when defendant's appellate counsel could have established the source of the court's information by asking a simple question at the December 16 hearing. Defendant's trial counsel believed a hearing had been conducted, with a reporter, for hardship requests, but this memory could have applied to the second round of hardship dismissals, during which jurors who were not excused in the initial cut were questioned in greater detail about their reasons for seeking to be released from service. These proceedings were transcribed and are included in the record on appeal.