Opinion ID: 2613958
Heading Depth: 5
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Refreshing Vargas's Recollection

Text: (7) Defendant also contends it was erroneous for the court to admit the videotape at trial to refresh Vargas's recollection, and to allow the prosecutor to play and refer to the videotape, since Vargas had not stated that she could not remember any of the facts which the prosecutor sought to elicit. (See People v. Lee (1990) 219 Cal. App.3d 829, 840 [268 Cal. Rptr. 595] [A witness may refer to hearsay to refresh his recollection; however, before doing so the witness must testify he cannot remember the fact sought to be elicited.].) This claim is devoid of merit. Contrary to defendant's assertion, the prosecutor offered the videotape to demonstrate the physical layout of the apartment building, and to show Vargas's vantage point as she viewed the assailants fleeing the scene of the crime. Since the videotape was neither offered nor admitted at trial for the purpose of refreshing Vargas's recollection, People v. Lee, supra, 219 Cal. App.3d at page 840, is inapposite. Additionally, the court committed no error in allowing Vargas to view the videotape to refresh her recollection before taking the stand. Even if Vargas could remember the events independently without the videotape, defendant has cited no authority under which Vargas could have been prevented from watching it before trial. [20]