Opinion ID: 2633881
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Admission of Evidence of the Lactawen Murder

Text: Prior to trial, defendant filed an in limine motion to exclude evidence of the Lactawen murder from the penalty phase or, in the alternative, to compel joinder of all three murder cases into one trial and to change the venue of the trial of the consolidated charges to Sacramento County. [53] Defendant contends denial of this motion and the subsequent admission of the Lactawen evidence was error and denied him his constitutional rights to confront the witnesses against him, to present a defense, and to be accorded due process and a reliable penalty verdict. Like the defendant in People v. Avena (1996) 13 Cal.4th 394, 429, 53 Cal.Rptr.2d 301, 916 P.2d 1000, defendant here essentially argues that because no trier of fact had decided his guilt of the [Lactawen] murder beyond a reasonable doubt when evidence of that offense was admitted, he was placed in the untenable position of either (i) testifying and denying the crime, whereupon he would lose the privilege against compelled self-incrimination for a future trial in the [Lactawen] matter, or (ii) remaining silent, thereby leaving the evidence of his guilt unrebutted. Accordingly, defendant asserts that out of fear of incriminating himself at a future trial, he was coerced into forgoing the opportunity to present mitigating evidence (or at least to controvert aggravating evidence) at the penalty phase. ( Ibid. ) As in Avena, we reject this contention because a defendant's being compelled to make such a choice does not violate his or her constitutional rights. ( Ibid. ) [54]