Supreme Court of California

Defendant's conviction and death sentence stemming from the so-called Night Stalker murders is affirmed over claims of error regarding: 1) retention of counsel; 2) conflict of interest of defense counsel; 3) competency to stand trial; 4) a motion for change of venue; 5) a motion to sever; 6) a challenge to jury venire; 7) a challenge for cause to a juror; 8) shackling of defendant; 9) admission of evidence; 10) a jury instruction regarding defendant's refusal to remove his sunglasses; 11) discharge of a juror; 12) the murder of a juror; 13) sufficiency of the evidence; 14) cumulative error; 15) absence of mitigating evidence; 16) jury instruction issues; 17) the burden of proof; 18) special circumstances; 19) findings regarding aggravating factors; 20) triple use of facts; 21) prosecutorial discretion; 22) a failure to narrow the class of death-eligible defendants; 23) the order of sentences; 24) the methods of execution; and 25) international law.

Appellate Information

• Decided 08/07/2006
• Published 08/07/2006

Judges

• MORENO, J.

Court

• Supreme Court of California

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• Geraldine S. Russell, La Mesa, and Nicholas C. Arguimbau, San Rafael, under appointments by the Supreme Court, for Defendant and Appellant., Bill Lockyer, Attorney General, Robert R. Anderson, Chief Assistant Attorney General, Pamela C. Hamanaka, Assistant Attorney General, John R. Gorey, Jeffrey B. Kahan and Margaret E. Maxwell, Deputy Attorneys General, for Plaintiff and Respondent.