Opinion ID: 2515784
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 12

Heading: Rojas's Parole and Juvenile Records

Text: On two occasions before Rojas testified, the trial court conducted in camera proceedings in response to defendants' requests for access to Rojas's parole and juvenile records. The court granted the defense access to some records and denied access to others. Defendant contends that his inability on appeal to review all the existing parole and juvenile records pertaining to Rojas that the court had reviewed in camera to determine whether the court's ruling was correct violated his federal constitutional rights to due process under the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments, a reliable judgment under the Eighth Amendment, effective assistance of counsel and confrontation and cross-examination under the Sixth Amendment. Accordingly, defendant contends that we should independently review the court's rulings concerning access to various records of Rojas. Before filing his opening brief, defendant filed, in this court, a motion asking this court to review Rojas's parole and juvenile records, as well as all other sealed records in this case to which he did not have access, and to determine whether to unseal them or otherwise provide him with copies thereof. [64] Accordingly, we reviewed all of the sealed documents in the case and, on December 10, 2003, after defendant filed his opening brief but over six months before he filed his reply brief, we granted the motion in part, ordering that all the sealed records, with a few exceptions, be unsealed or otherwise provided to counsel for defendant. In his reply brief, defendant acknowledges that we granted his motion in part but does not otherwise amend his claim. Defendant's argument (that he cannot adequately request review of records to which he does not have access) is without merit with respect to the records that have now been unsealed and those that remain sealed but of which defendant has been given a copy. As to all of these records, defendant fails to argue a continuing need for independent review. Accordingly, we decline to provide it. The trial court's in camera rulings withholding certain parole and juvenile records pertaining to Rojas, records that remain sealed and to which defendant does not have access, require further discussion. Parties who challenge on appeal trial court orders withholding information as privileged or otherwise nondiscoverable `must do the best they can with the information they have, and the appellate court will fill the gap by objectively reviewing the whole record.' [Citation.] ( People v. Price (1991) 1 Cal.4th 324, 493, 3 Cal. Rptr.2d 106, 821 P.2d 610.) We have done so and, as will appear, see no prejudicial error. `[T]he right of an accused to obtain discovery is not absolute.' [Citation.] `[The] court retains wide discretion to protect against the disclosure of information which might unduly hamper the prosecution or violate some other legitimate governmental interest.' [Citation.] This may be particularly true when the information sought is not directly related to the issue of a defendant's guilt or innocence. [Citation.] ( People v. Luttenberger (1990) 50 Cal.3d 1, 21, 265 Cal.Rptr. 690, 784 P.2d 633.) For example, with certain exceptions not applicable here, juvenile case files are confidential by operation of law, and inspection thereof is limited to certain enumerated individuals and/or agencies. (See Welf. & Inst.Code, §§ 827, 828; Cal. Rules of Court, rule 1423(a), (b).) Neither defendant nor his counsel fall into any category of individuals and/or agencies authorized to inspect Rojas's juvenile case files without prior authorization to inspect them ordered by the juvenile court presiding judge or a judicial officer designated by the juvenile court presiding judge. (Cal. Rules of Court, rule 1423(b).) Notwithstanding the fact that the trial court in this case released to counsel two juvenile petitions involving Rojas, the court did not abuse its discretion in withholding the remainder of Rojas's juvenile records because counsel did not obtain prior authorization by the juvenile court presiding judge, or a judicial officer designated by the juvenile court presiding judge, to inspect them. As to the parole records of Rojas that remain sealed, the trial court apparently withheld them on grounds that preserving the confidential information contained therein outweighed the necessity for their disclosure in the interest of justice. (Evid.Code, § 1040, subd. (b)(2) [a public entity has a privilege to refuse to disclose information acquired in confidence by a public employee in the course of his or her duty if such disclosure is against the public interest because there is a necessity for preserving the confidentiality of the information that outweighs the necessity for disclosure in the interest of justice....].) Having independently reviewed the records in question, we are persuaded that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in reaching this conclusion. In any event, defendant cannot establish prejudice of constitutional dimension. Denial of discovery of certain juvenile and parole records of Rojas did not prevent defendant from challenging Rojas's credibility and suggesting his involvement in the murders.