Opinion ID: 1202924
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Admissibility of Accusatory Statements

Text: [17, 18] Defendant claims that the trial court erred in admitting certain statements and by treating his reactions to them as adoptive admissions. One of the victims testified that after she had seen defendant in a line-up in jail, she was asked by the police to confront him. When she later met him in a small room, she remarked, Well, I'm glad they caught you, kid. Defendant made no reply. The other incident occurred when a witness, who had seen defendant at the home of one of the victims prior to an attack, later asked defendant several questions at the behest of the investigating police officers. Defendant cast his eyes toward the floor and said that he would not answer any questions unless he had an attorney present. Defendant contends that these incidents could not possibly be construed as any type of admission, and that the error in admitting them was compounded by the deputy district attorney's comments and the court's instructions. While the testimony concerning the first incident involving the remarks of a victim was correctly admitted in order to permit the jurors to evaluate its accusatory nature and the weight to be accorded to defendant's failure to make any reply (see People v. Smith, 111 Cal. App. 579, 580-581 [295 P. 862]), the second one, where defendant remained silent on the asserted ground that he would not speak unless he had an attorney present, might well have been excluded if objection had been made. (See People v. Abbott, 47 Cal.2d 362, 373 [303 P.2d 730]; People v. McGee, 31 Cal.2d 229, 238-240 [187 P.2d 706].) However, defendant's objection to this line of testimony is made for the first time on this appeal. Such belated attempts to obtain reversals have been held ineffective in regard to testimony relating to alleged admissions ( People v. Guarino, 132 Cal. App.2d 554, 559 [282 P.2d 538]; People v. Cummings, 7 Cal. App.2d 406, 407 [46 P.2d 778]) and in regard to admitting hearsay evidence ( People v. Wade, 138 Cal. App.2d 531, 533 [292 P.2d 303]; People v. Murray, 135 Cal. App.2d 600, 602 [287 P.2d 775]). The rule should apply with equal force to testimony relating to alleged adoptive admissions. [19] Also, defendant cannot make, as he attempts here, his first attack on the arguments of the deputy district attorney with regard to admissions on appeal, when any error could have been obviated at the trial. (See People v. Brice, supra, 49 Cal.2d 434, 437; People v. Hampton, supra, 47 Cal.2d 239, 240-241 [302 P.2d 300].) [20] Moreover, the giving of instructions on the definition of an admission, the effect of silence or a false or evasive reply, and the possibility of falsehoods indicating consciousness of guilt (see Cal. Jury Instrns., Crim. (1946 and Supp. 1953) Nos. 29, 29-D, 30, 30-A) was not error since the evidence introduced without objection could be considered by the jury. (See People v. Wade, supra, 138 Cal. App.2d 531, 533; People v. Murray, supra, 135 Cal. App.2d 600, 603.) [21] Further, although not raised by the deputy district attorney before the jury, there were other incidents in the record, admitted without objection, which fell within these instructions. When the last victim saw defendant in a public place and had him detained, she said, This is the man that raped and kidnaped me. Defendant made what might well be considered an equivocal answer to the direct accusation when he replied, That gal is drunk. [22] Also, defendant's testimony placing him at another location during one of the attacks was directly contradicted by his own statements made to the investigating police officers shortly after his arrest. The jury could have considered the latter statement as a false or contradictory statement showing consciousness of guilt.