Opinion ID: 2614001
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Griffin claim

Text: (31) Defendant contends the prosecutor's references during cross-examination and closing argument to defendant's lack of remorse violated the principles established by Griffin v. California (1965) 380 U.S. 609 [14 L.Ed.2d 106, 85 S.Ct. 1229], a decision that prohibits prosecutors from commenting upon a defendant's failure to testify. Although, as indicated above, the prosecution may comment upon a defendant's lack of remorse, in doing so it may not refer to the defendant's failure to testify. (See People v. Cummings, supra, 4 Cal.4th 1233, 1329; People v. Hardy, supra, 2 Cal.4th 86, 209; People v. Breaux, supra, 1 Cal.4th 281, 313; People v. Beardslee (1991) 53 Cal.3d 68, 113-114 [279 Cal. Rptr. 276, 806 P.2d 1311]; People v. Bell, supra, 49 Cal.3d 502, 548; People v. Morales (1989) 48 Cal.3d 527, 570-571 [257 Cal. Rptr. 64, 770 P.2d 244]; People v. Keenan (1988) 46 Cal.3d 478, 509 [250 Cal. Rptr. 550, 758 P.2d 1081].) Similarly, we have recognized that a prosecutor may not urge that a defendant's failure to take the stand at the penalty phase, in order to confess his guilt after having been found guilty, demonstrates a lack of remorse. ( People v. Pensinger, supra, 52 Cal.3d 1210, 1270-1271; see People v. Keenan, supra, 46 Cal.3d 478, 509; People v. Coleman (1969) 71 Cal.2d 1159, 1168-1169 [80 Cal. Rptr. 920, 459 P.2d 248].) In the present case, the prosecutor's brief cross-examination and subsequent comments during closing argument concerning lack of remorse cannot fairly be interpreted to refer to defendant's failure to testify. The reference during cross-examination occurred as part of the prosecutor's inquiry to defendant's sister whether, in writing letters to her, defendant ever had expressed remorse. The prosecutor's comment during closing argument simply referred to defendant's callous behavior after the killings and occurred during the prosecutor's review of the circumstances and nature of these crimes and of defendant's activities after their commission. (See People v. Breaux, supra, 1 Cal.4th 281, 313.) The prosecutor's reference to defendant's lack of remorse was not a comment upon his failure to testify during the trial or to take the stand and confess his guilt following the guilt phase, but was a legitimate reference to the circumstance that, in communications with numerous individuals, defendant never expressed regret concerning the murders. ( People v. Cummings, supra, 4 Cal.4th 1233, 1329; People v. Keenan, supra, 46 Cal.3d 478, 509.)