Supreme Court of California

A defendant in a sexually violent predator proceeding has a state and federal constitutional right to testify despite counsel's decision that he or she should not testify. the denial of the right to testify is subject to harmless error analysis under Chapman v. California, 386 U.S. 18 (1967).

Appellate Information

• Decided 07/28/2008
• Published 07/28/2008

Judges

• GEORGE, C.J.

Court

• Supreme Court of California

Counsel

• For Appellees:
  
• Christopher Blake, San Diego, under appointment by the Supreme Court, for Defendant and Appellant., Bill Lockyer and Edmund G. Brown, Jr., Attorneys General, Robert R. Anderson and Dane R. Gillette, Chief Assistant Attorneys General, Jeffrey J. Koch and Gary W. Schons, Assistant Attorneys General, Brad Weinreb and Steve Oetting, Deputy Attorneys General, for Plaintiff and Respondent.