Supreme Court of California

Death penalty sentence for multiple murders in the course of burglary and robbery is affirmed, where: 1) excusal of prospective juror for caused based on his death penalty views was not prejudicial error; 2) the admission of defendant's statement to prison intake officials that he had killed two Hispanic women was properly admitted because officials had no reason to know that the questions they posed to defendant were likely to elicit an incriminating statement; 3) the prosecutor's questioning of witness regarding leniency for his involvement in the crime was not improper; 4) the trial court did not err in allowing defendant to represent himself at the penalty phase; 5) there was no error during the victim impact evidence or instructions; 6) defendant's constitutional challenges to the capital sentencing scheme all fail; and 7) defendant's remaining claims lack merit.

Appellate Information

• Decided 02/07/2013
• Published 02/07/2013

Judges

• CORRIGAN

Court

• Supreme Court of California

Counsel