Opinion ID: 1300630
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Refusal to exclude witness Buflo from the courtroom.

Text: (16) On the fifth day of the trial, defense counsel noted that Lance Buflo, the surviving victim, had been a spectator in the courtroom every day since his testimony five days earlier. Counsel speculated that Buflo was present at the prosecutor's request for the purpose of improperly influencing the jury and moved to question Buflo. The prosecutor denied asking Buflo to attend the trial and objected to questioning Buflo on the subject, arguing that Buflo had been excused as a witness, that the trial was open to the public, and that there was no exclusion order in effect. The trial court deferred the matter until the next day. Defense counsel did not then renew his motion. After the jury began deliberating, defense counsel again moved to exclude Buflo from the courtroom, reiterating that Buflo may have been attempting to influence the jury improperly by his presence. Counsel also renewed his motion to question Buflo. The trial court denied both motions, noting that there was no authority to exclude Buflo and that he has been sitting here quietly, he has not called attention to himself or in any way done anything but sit and observe. Later, when arguing in support of his motion to modify the verdict under former section 190.4, subdivision (e), defense counsel stated he observed the jurors hug Buflo as they left the courtroom. Counsel speculated this behavior demonstrated the verdict was the result of the jury's emotions, not objectivity. Defendant now argues failure to exclude Buflo requires we reverse the penalty judgment. He cites no authority in support of this claim. Even assuming such authority exists, it is apparent his failure to timely renew his motion after the trial court deferred its ruling constituted a waiver of the claim, at least until it was raised again after the jury had retired. (See People v. Young (1985) 175 Cal. App.3d 537, 543 [221 Cal. Rptr. 32] [where witness violates exclusion order by attending defendant's preliminary hearing, defendant must preserve claim by timely moving to exclude or strike witness's testimony]; cf. People v. Green (1980) 27 Cal.3d 1, 27, 34 [164 Cal. Rptr. 1, 609 P.2d 468] [necessity to object to prosecutorial misconduct to preserve the issue for appeal].) Accordingly, even if the trial court erroneously denied defendant's second motion, the denial caused no prejudice, since deliberations had already begun.