Supreme Court of California

On automatic appeal of a death sentence upon conviction of first-degree murder and other crimes, the judgment is affirmed against numerous challenges, including those involving the admissibility of the defendant's confession, the refusal of the defendant's request to instruct the jury on voluntary manslaughter due to heat of passion, jury instructions on perfect and imperfect self-defense, the failure of the court to advise the defendant of his right to testify or obtain an on-the-record waiver of that right, the failure of the court to give a limiting instruction, sua sponte, regarding the use of victim impact evidence, allegedly improper prosecutorial argument, lack of remorse as an aggravating circumstance, a refusal to instruct during the penalty phase on lingering doubt, and the Death Penalty Law and sentencing instructions.

Appellate Information

• Decided 02/06/2012
• Published 02/06/2012

Judges

• Corrigan

Court

• Supreme Court of California

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Paul J. Spiegelman, Holly D. Wilkens