Court Opinion

ID: 9791558
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-31 02:13:41.006831+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:37:36.820992
License: Public Domain

CAMERON, Vice Chief Justice
(dissenting).
I regret that I must dissent.
Our statute § 13-163 A.R.S. states:
“A. A defendant in a criminal'action or proceeding shall not be compelled to be a witness against himself, but may be a witness in his own behalf. If he offers himself as a witness in his own behalf, he may be cross-examined to the same extent and subject to the same rules as any other witness.
“B. The defendant’s neglect or refusal to be a witness in his own behalf shall not in any manner prejudice him, or be used against him on the trial or proceedings.”
And we have stated:
“We must follow the constitutional and legislative mandate, (A.R.S. 13-163), that a defendant’s refusal to be a witness in his own behalf shall not in any manner prejudice him or be used against him.” State v. Rhodes, 110 Ariz. 237, 238, 517 P.2d 507, 508 (1973). See also, State v. Acosta, 101 Ariz. 127, 416 P.2d 560 (1966); State v. Smith, 101 Ariz. 407, 420 P.2d 278 (1966); State v. White, 16 Ariz.App. 279, 492 P.2d 1217 (1972); State v. Villalobos, 6 Ariz.App. 144, 430 P.2d 723 (1967).
Not only does our statute and Constitution prohibit such comment, but also the United States Constitution. Griffin v. California, 380 U.S. 609, 85 S.Ct. 1229, 14 L. Ed.2d 106 (1965).
The majority opinion takes the position that the comment of defense counsel to the jury constituted invited error by the defendant which allowed the prosecutor to comment on defendant’s failure to take the stand. I disagree.
*146The defense counsel towards the close of his argument to the jury stated:
“Ladies and gentlemen, at the close of the case His Honor will read a number of instructions to you. It is what we call the charge to the jury, and I would very briefly like to go over a couple of them so as to make sure in my own mind, at least, I have covered them.”
He then discussed the various instructions the court would give. For example:
“You will get an instruction as to the character of the defendant and you will be instructed that you can take that into consideration in coming to your decision as to whether there is an element of reasonable doubt, here. In other words, you can take that into consideration — you should take that into consideration, if that has any bearing on making it improbable that the defendant Mr. Arredondo killed this man in cold blood, first-degree murder.
“* * * You will receive an instruction as to confessions and statements and admissions. You are the boss, here. You will be able to decide whether— what weight to give to the confession, whether it was voluntary, whether it was truthful, so forth. Most of the confessions are truthful and are consistent, except in the few areas we have gone over before.
“Reasonable doubt. I will go over this just briefly later. Reasonable doubt, it applies to the whole case.”
He then discussed the instruction on murder, plea of self-defense, reasonable doubt, and then the statement complained of:
“With regard to the privilege against self-incrimination, Mr. Arredondo did not get on the stand and you will be instructed by His Honor at the close of the case that you cannot take that into consideration against him in your jury deliberations. When you get into that jury room, your focus is going to have to be beyond a reasonable doubt. Remember that when you resolve each and every issue, because it is important. I can’t stress that more.”
This was, I believe, merely a passing comment upon the court’s instructions and I do not believe that the comment standing alone should allow the prosecution to disregard our statutes and case law on this subject. Neither do I believe that the announcement that the defendant will not, at the suggestion of counsel, take the stand is sufficient to allow the prosecution to open this subject before the jury.
I am fearful that by the decision we make today prosecutors will be unnecessarily encouraged, by the most trivial of remarks of defense counsel, to comment to the jury in contravention of our statute and the Constitutions of the State of Arizona and the United States.
I therefore dissent.