Court Opinion

ID: 9785716
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-30 22:16:42.806195+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:36:31.882930
License: Public Domain

WERDEGAR, J.
I concur entirely in the majority’s decision to affirm the judgment of the Court of Appeal. As I explain more fully in my concurring opinion in People v. Cleveland (2001) 25 Cal.4th 466, 487 [106 Cal.Rptr.2d 313, 21 P.3d 1225], although we review for abuse of discretion a trial court’s determination that good cause exists to discharge a juror, “a stronger evidentiary showing than mere substantial evidence is required to support a trial court’s decision to discharge a sitting juror.” (Id. at p. 488 (cone. opn. of Werdegar, J.).) Instead, a juror’s refusal or inability to deliberate or, as here, a juror’s inability or unwillingness to perform the duties of a juror (Pen. Code, § 1089), must appear to a demonstrable reality before he or she may be discharged.
Because I agree the evidence shows to a demonstrable reality that Juror No. 10 was unable or unwilling to perform his duties as a juror due to his stated refusal to follow the law, I concur in the majority’s opinion.