Opinion ID: 1121458
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Cross-examination on Irrelevant Topics

Text: (36) Defendant next contends that the prosecutor was permitted to cross-examine defense experts on various irrelevant and prejudicial topics, including future dangerousness, lack of remorse, and sodomy of the victim.
Defendant complains that the prosecutor impermissibly inquired about his future dangerousness through questions asked of Drs. Roberts and Raffle. These questions asked whether certain of Dr. Roberts's findings could be viewed as inconsistent with specific statements by defendant to the effect that, if defendant were faced with the same set of circumstances, he would not rape and kill again. Defendant's objections on the grounds of relevance at trial were overruled. Although the court permitted the testimony, it expressly admonished the jury: [N]obody on this earth can predict what somebody is going to do in the future. I don't care who they are. [ถ] However, you may consider such testimony as it goes to the credibility of this witness or the credibility of any other witness testifying as an expert. You may also consider such testimony as it goes to impeach any witness but you may not consider such testimony for the truth of validating future behavior because nobody can do that.... Defendant also objects to a reference to Dr. Raffle's testimony on this subject during the prosecutor's closing argument at the guilt phase. After a review of the record, we find that the inquiry and responses on this subject were permissible for impeachment purposes and that neither the questions nor comments by the prosecutor exceeded the boundaries of the court's ruling admitting the testimony. Part of defendant's rage reaction defense was that his behavior on the night of the crimes was inconsistent with his character and could only be attributable to ingestion of drugs. Defendant's psychological profile and character were extensively probed during direct examination of Drs. Raffle and Roberts. Moreover, both experts opined regarding how the defendant would fare in the future in the structured environment of prison. The prosecutor's questions were drawn from inferences from Dr. Roberts's psychological profile of defendant. These inferences tended to show that defendant would commit the same crimes if confronted with the same circumstances in the future. Accordingly, the prosecutor's questions were relevant to the credibility of the defense evidence that the crimes were out of character for this defendant. Moreover, many of Dr. Raffle's opinions depended upon the acceptance of the truth of statements made by the defendant. The prosecutor effectively demonstrated through cross-examination that many of defendant's statements may have been lies, thus undermining the foundation of Dr. Raffle's opinions. On direct examination, Dr. Raffle specifically testified that the defendant told him that if faced with the same circumstances he would not kill and rape again. The prosecutor's questions tended to cast doubt directly upon the veracity of defendant's statement, a statement that Dr. Raffle accepted as true and relied upon in reaching his opinion. The testimony on future dangerousness was relevant impeachment testimony and the jury was instructed to use it only in that manner. The prosecutor committed no misconduct in eliciting this testimony. (See People v. Mattson (1990) 50 Cal.3d 826, 877-878 [268 Cal. Rptr. 802, 789 P.2d 983] [penalty phase].) Finally, the prosecutor's reference to this subject during his summation was brief and related to the impeachment purpose of the testimony. In fact, the prosecutor specifically acknowledged that the jury was not to consider future possibilities in its deliberations. The prosecutor did not commit misconduct in making this brief statement ( People v. Visciotti (1992) 2 Cal.4th 1, 82 [5 Cal. Rptr.2d 495, 825 P.2d 388]), and no prejudice could have arisen therefrom.
Defendant next complains that the prosecutor was permitted to attempt to elicit from Dr. Raffle on cross-examination that certain conduct of the defendant demonstrated lack of remorse for his crimes. In particular, defendant points to cross-examination based upon the Mendocino County jailhouse report discussed above and the fact that defendant carried the victim's bottle of wine cooler from the scene of the crime and drank from it. We reject defendant's claim of irrelevance and prejudice arising from these lines of questioning. First, the defendant did not object to either line of questioning during trial on the grounds of relevance or prejudice. These objections thus were waived. (See People v. Hardy, supra, 2 Cal.4th 86, 208-209 [penalty phase]; People v. Roberts (1992) 2 Cal.4th 271, 335-336 [6 Cal. Rptr.2d 276, 826 P.2d 274].) Second, defendant himself placed the issue of his remorse into question during Dr. Raffle's direct examination. Dr. Raffle testified several times that defendant's guilty conscience was significant in his diagnosis of defendant. Moreover, Dr. Raffle was asked to assess the significance of defendant's possession of the wine cooler following the crime. Dr. Raffle stated that he did not know what that fact meant. The prosecutor's questioning regarding lack of remorse under these circumstances was relevant and not prejudicial. (See People v. Heishman (1988) 45 Cal.3d 147, 190 [246 Cal. Rptr. 673, 753 P.2d 629].)
Defendant further contends that the prosecutor committed misconduct both by questioning Dr. Raffle regarding whether the defendant spoke to him about sodomizing Rosie Grover during the course of the rape and also by raising the issue of possible sodomy during his closing argument. Defendant argues that he was not charged with sodomy and that there was no evidence of sodomy in the record. First, defendant did not object either to the prosecutor's questions to Dr. Raffle or to the discussion of sodomy in the prosecutor's closing argument. His objections, therefore, were waived. ( People v. Noguera (1992) 4 Cal.4th 599, 638 [15 Cal. Rptr.2d 400, 842 P.2d 1160].) Nevertheless, addressing the claim on the merits, we find no misconduct. First, the pathologist testified that rare spermatozoa had been found in the victim's anus. Second, Officer Gall testified that, based upon the presence of a white material on the victim's stomach, there was some basis to believe that the victim had been on her stomach at some point during the assault. While the evidence does not overwhelmingly support the prosecutor's theory that sodomy occurred, there was a sufficient evidentiary basis in the record to justify the prosecutor's question to Dr. Raffle and the prosecutor's statements during closing argument. (See People v. Thomas (1992) 2 Cal.4th 489, 526 [7 Cal. Rptr.2d 199, 828 P.2d 101].) Further, we conclude that, even if the prosecutor's fleeting references to sodomy could be deemed misconduct, they were not prejudicial. First, Dr. Raffle testified that defendant denied committing this crime. Second, given the evidence of the rape, the extremely brutal nature of the murder, and the victim's youth, it is not reasonably likely that the brief references in this lengthy trial to the possibility of sodomy were inflammatory. Finally, the jury was explicitly instructed that neither questions nor statements by attorneys are evidence. We find no reasonable likelihood that the jury was misled. (Cf. People v. Thomas, supra, 2 Cal.4th at p. 526.)
Defendant argues cumulative error resulting from the prosecutor's alleged misconduct. We find no cumulative error supporting reversal. (See People v. Hawthorne, supra, 4 Cal.4th at p. 79.)