People v. RatliffPeople v. Ratliff
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- Before:
- Lucas
Lead Opinion
Opinion
Dеfendant James Monroe Ratliff appeals from a judgment imposing the death penalty following his conviction of first degree murder, attempted murder, robbery and burglary (two counts). (See
As will appear, we have concluded that the attempted murder conviction must be reversed, the special circumstances finding set aside, and the penalty of death vacated, due to instructional errors including the failure of the trial court to instruct regarding the necessity of finding an intent to kill. (See Carlos v. Superior Court (1983)
I. Facts
In the early morning on Monday, November 3, 1980, Los Angeles police officers were summoned to a San Pedro gas station to investigate a robbery
The license number was traced to defendant, living in Compton. The officers went to defendant’s home at 6 or 6:15 a.m. and observed a car bearing the license number in question in an unfenced yard next to the house. The officers approached the house and confronted defendant’s father, who confirmed that his son was a security guard and was asleep inside. The officers entered the house with Mr. Ratliff who called to defendant. When defendant appeared, he was told that the officers were investigating a murder.
Defendant subsequently consented to a search of his car. (The facts surrounding the search and defendant’s consent thereto are discussed in greater detail below.) The search produced certain incriminating evidence, including $199 in loose currency (mainly $1 bills) in the car’s trunk, and a time card identifying defendant as a security guard. The trunk search also revealed three hanging lamps later identified as stolen during the weekend of November 1 and 2 from two homes located at a San Pedro construction site. (These lamps formed the basis for the burglary charges against defendant; they were seized along with other items, discussed below, when the officers conducted a second search supported by a search warrant.)
At trial, victim Castro positively identified defendant as the robber/assailant at the gas station. According to Castro, after demanding money from his victims, defendant fired his gun twice at close range, killing Estrada and wounding Castro. Defendant’s former employer verified that defendant had bеen employed as a security guard and occasionally had worn a navy blue uniform. Dolores Cook, an acquaintance of defendant, testified that on Sunday, November 2, 1980, around 6 p.m., defendant told her that he was going to San Pedro; he was then carrying a firearm. Cook confirmed that defendant’s security guard uniform was dark blue in color.
The prosecutor also called Rossie Kendrick who testified that defendant accompanied her to a drive-in movie on one evening of the weekend preceding his arrest (apparently, the weekend of Nov. 1 and 2), that she saw defendant put some money into a box in the trunk of his car, and that she
Defendant did not testify in his defense. Instead, he called witnesses who testified that (1) his hands bore no detectable gunshot residue following his arrest, and (2) he had been paid $1,337.67 a few months earlier in settlement of a personal injury action.
At the penalty phase, the prosecutor introduced evidence of a prior robbery conviction and several misdemeanor acts of violence committed against a former girlfriend. Defendant introduced expert testimony regarding his mental state, retardation and impaired judgment under stressful conditions. Defendant’s mother and minister also testified regarding defendant’s background and character.
The present appeal is automatic. (§ 1239.)
II. Contentions
A. Unlawful Search
Defendant first contends that the warrantless car search conducted by the officers immediately following defendant’s arrest was illegal and that the fruits of that search should have been ordered suppressed. (See § 1538.5.) According to defendant, his supposed consent to the search was involuntary, being merely an act of submission in the face of authority. He also disputes that the officers had probable cause to search the car and its trunk without his consent and without first obtaining a search warrant. Finally, he argues that the second car search, which produced various items of evidence, was invalid because it exceeded the permissible scope of the warrant issued to authorize that search.
1. Consent to Search
The arresting officers testified that as soon as defendant’s father awakened him, defendant exited the bedroom door in a highly excited state, waving his arms and jumping up and down. Accordingly, one of the officers placed handcuffs on defendant after telling him to calm down. Although defendant’s father testified that the officers had drawn their guns when they approached the bedroom, the officers could not recall doing so. Defendant thereafter was taken to the living room and was seated on a couch but not formally placed under arrest. After a few minutes of interrogation, Officer Burkman asked defendant if he objected to a search of his car. According
Defendant describes the following scenario as supporting his theory that he did not voluntarily consent to the search: He was abruptly awakened by uniformed police officers with drawn guns, handcuffed, interrogated without Miranda warnings, and told that unless he consented to a car search the officers would simply obtain a warrant and break into the trunk. In combination, these or similar facts might well lead a trier of fact to conclude that a purported consent to a search was involuntary. In the present case, however, the evidence supporting defendant’s version of the event was by no means as clear or uncontradicted as defendant would suggest. As we shall see, viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the trial court’s finding of voluntariness, there was ample substantial evidence to support that finding. (See People v. James (1977)
Assuming that the officers initially drew their weapons, the evidence did not indicate that any of them kept their guns drawn when, in the living room, the actual request for consent to search was made. (Cf. People v. Challoner (1982)
We have held that the failure to give Miranda warnings does not render a consent to search involuntary. (People v. James, supra, 19 Cal.3d at pp. 114-115.) Similarly, the fact that defendant was handcuffed when his consent was sought does not demonstrate that his consent to a search was involuntary. Instead, that fact is to be weighed in the balance along with all other circumstances bearing on this issue. (Id. at pp. 109-
In the present case, although the officers handcuffed defendant after he became excited and began flailing his hands about, the request for consent to search occurred several minutes later in another room and in the presence of his father. The trial court reasonably could conclude that the handcuffs played no role in defendant’s decision to consent to the search.
Finally, although defendant’s father testified that one of the officers had threatened to secure a search warrant and break into the trunk unless defendant consented to a search, the trial court was entitled to disbelieve this testimony in favor of the officer’s testimony that defendant freely consented to the search upon being asked whether or not he objected thereto. (See People v. Duren (1973)
2. Probable Cause
In light of our conclusion that defendant voluntarily consented to the initial search of his car, we do not consider the People’s alternative theory that this search was supported by the officers’ probable cаuse to believe that the car contained contraband or other seizable evidence. (See People v. Superior Court (Valdez) (1983)
3. Second Car Search
Following the initial car search, the officers procured a search warrant which authorized seizure of the three lamps they had previously seen in the car trunk. During this second search, the officers seized the three lamps as well as a blank time card from a security service and a note with handwritten instructions for driving to a location in San Pedro near the area where the robbery/murder occurred.
Defendant first contends that this second search was “tainted” by the illegality of the initial search, but this contention fails by reason of our
Finally, defendant suggests that the second car search exceeded the permissible scope of the search warrant. The warrant authorized only a search for the three hanging lamps, which the officers knew (from the initial search) were in thе car’s trunk. The actual search, however, extended to the car’s interior and turned up a blank time card and “map” to San Pedro. The People argue that the search of the car’s interior was supported by probable cause. (See People v. Superior Court (Valdez), supra, 35 Cal.3d at pp. 15-16.) Without resolving that issue, we simply observe that the foregoing evidence was merely cumulative of much stronger evidence establishing that defendant was indeed a security guard who committed his offenses in San Pedro. Admission of the time card and map clearly was not prejudicial to defendant. (See Chapman v. California (1967)
B. Identification Evidence
Defendant next contends that the trial court erred in failing to exclude prosecution evidence regarding victim Castro’s identification of defendant at a “live” lineup which followed the photographic lineup and in permitting Castro to identify defendant at trial. Defеndant bases his argument upon the theory that the photo lineup which preceded both identifications was unduly suggestive, and that defendant was unfairly foreclosed from proving such suggestiveness by reason of the police officers’ negligent failure to preserve the photos which were shown to Castro. These contentions lack merit.
The record indicates that shortly after the robbery/murder, the officers showed Castro a series of photographs which included defendant’s photo. Castro picked defendant as his assailant. Either before or after the photo lineup, Castro told the police that he was able to identify defendant because of heavy shadows under his eyes. One of the officers confirmed that defendant’s photo showed more pronounced eyeshadows than the other photos. Subsequently, Castro repeated his positive identification of defendant at a live lineup and at trial.
The trial court nonetheless also ruled that defendant would be permitted (1) to show that the police had failed to preserve the photo lineup photographs, and (2) to argue that the photo of defendant may have been unduly suggestive and may have influenced Castro’s identification.
1. Suggestiveness
Defendant first contends that the trial court erred in failing to rule upon his claim that the photo lineup was unduly suggestive. The record indicates that the trial court believed Castro’s identification of defendant rested upon his independent recollection of the robbery rather than the photograph he had reviewed. The court, nonetheless, ruled that defendant could raise and argue the issue of suggestiveness despite Castro’s independent recollection of the robbery. This procedure did not deprive defendant of due process or a fair trial.
While a defendant may attack any lineup, photographic or otherwise, as unduly suggestive (e.g., People v. Lawrence (1971)
Defendant further contends that the merit of his suggestiveness claim was rendered essentially unprovаble by reason of the police officers’ negligent failure to preserve the photo lineup photographs. He asserts that an appropriate sanction would have been to order suppressed all identification testimony by Castro since such evidence might have been tainted by the suggestive photo lineup. (See People v. Nation (1980)
Where, as here, the loss or destruction of photographs used in a pretrial identification is merely negligent or inadvertent, the usual remedy is to suppress evidence of that identification. (People v. Posten (1980)
We conclude that the trial court did not err in admitting the live lineup and in-court identifications of defendant.
C. Prosecutorial Misconduct
Defendant next argues that the prosecutor committed prejudicial misconduct when he referred in his jury argument to the fact that victim Castro had previously identified defendant at the preliminary hearing, a fact not in evidence. Defense counsel failed to object to this reference, however, and аccordingly the objection was waived. (People v. Green (1980)
Defendant also complains of another statement by the prosecutor remarking on the failure of the defense to present any evidence, such as
As the People correctly observe, defendant failed to object to the prosecutor’s statements, thereby waiving his present objections. (People v. Green, supra,
None of the prosecutor’s remarks suggested that defendant had a burden of proof which he failed to carry, and the court’s jury instructions confirmed that the People had the entire burden of establishing defendant’s guilt. Indeed, in the course of observing the paucity of evidence exculpating defendant, the prosecutor also candidly acknowledged that the defendant “doesn’t have to prove a darn thing.”
Nor were Griffin principles violated by the prosecutor’s argument. As we recently explained, the Griffin rule forbids any reference to a defendant’s failure to take the stand in his defense, but “that rule does not extend to comments on the state of the evidence or on the failure of the defense to introduce material evidence or to call logical witnesses. [Citation.]” (People v. Szeto (1981)
D. Defense Counsel’s Incompetence
Defendant complains of various acts or omissions on trial counsel’s part which assertedly demonstrated his incompetence. Nothing on the face of the record, however, discloses that counsel failed to act in a reasonably diligent and competent fashion, resulting in the loss of a potentially meritorious defense or adversely affecting the defense of the case. (See People v. Fosselman (1983)
Defendant first argues that trial counsel should have moved to sever the burglary count from the robbery/murder counts, so that the same jury
Although defense counsel failed to move to sever the burglary count from the remaining counts, such omission might well have been based upon counsel’s reasonable assumption that such a motiоn would have been denied. Defendant concedes that the counts originally were properly joined, involving felonies of the same statutory class. (See § 954.) Moreover, evidence of the burglary was relevant to the robbery/murder charges, placing defendant in the San Pedro area during the time when these latter offenses were committed. (See Williams, supra, at pp. 448-449 [cross-admissibility of evidence ordinarily dispels any possibility of prejudice from denial of severance].) Finally, neither the burglary charge nor the robbery/murder charges were particularly “weak,” thus making it unlikely that joinder was intended to produce a conviction which otherwise might not have been obtainable. (Id. at pp. 453-454.) Thus, it is not reasonably probable that defense counsel’s omission resultеd in any substantial prejudice to defendant’s case.
Defendant also contends that trial counsel failed to raise a hearsay objection to Officer Burkman’s testimony regarding victim Castro’s identification of defendant at the live pretrial lineup. (See
Defendant suggests that counsel’s inept cross-examination of prosecution witnesses “frequently” elicited harmful respоnses. Cross-examination is, of course, fraught with risk—the most skilled examiner can seldom predict precisely what responses will be forthcoming. Our review of the record in this context discloses no conduct on counsel’s part which demonstrates his incompetence.
Likewise, counsel’s failure to object to various photographs of victim Estrada cannot be deemed prejudicial incompetence. In a murder case,
Defendant asserts that counsel improperly failed to object to asserted prosecutorial misconduct in referring to a fact not in evidence, namely, victim Castro’s identification of defendant at the preliminary hearing. As previously discussed, however, the asserted “misconduct” was harmless, and defense counsel’s decision not to object cannot be deemed prejudicial.
Finally, defendant asserts that trial counsel’s closing argument at the guilt phase was “disorganized and often incoherent.” We have examined the record in this regard, and although counsel showed instances of confusion or misstatement, his argument was certainly within the range of reasonable competence expected of an attorney responsible for defending a murder charge supported by overwhelming evidence, including the eyewitness testimony of one of the victims.
We conclude that defendant has failed to establish the incompetence of his trial counsel.
E. Instructional Errors
1. CALJIC No. 2.11
The trial court properly instructed the jury at the guilt phase regarding the presumption of defendant’s innocence and the People’s burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The court also instructed that “Neither side is required to call as witnesses all persons who may have been present at any of the [pertinent] events ... or who may appear to have some knowledge of these events, or to produce all objects or documents mentioned or suggested by the evidence.” (See CALJIC No. 2.11.) We note that the language of CALJIC No. 2.11 has been frequently upheld. (People v. Wein (1958)
2. CAUICNo. 4.50
Defendant next contends that the trial court erred in refusing to instruct the jury regarding defendant’s reliance upon an alibi defense. This instruction (CALJIC No. 4.50) would have told the jury that defendant had introduced evidence that he was not present at the time and place of the offense, and that he should be acquitted if the jury had a reasonable doubt that defendant was present when the offense was committed.
Technically, the requested instruction was inapposite because defendant never affirmatively presented an alibi defense. A prosecution witness, Rossie Kendricks, testified that she and defendant attended a drive-in movie on one night of the weekend in question, and then drove to her home and talked until 12 or 12:15 a.m. Another prosecution witness, victim Castro, testified that he arrived at the gas station around 12:15 on Monday morning, and that the robbery commenced around 12:20 a.m. Defendant concedes that such testimony would not afford a solid alibi defense, but he argues that, crediting Kendricks’ testimony, it was “improbable” that defendant could have arrived at the gas station in time to commit the offenses.
The defendant is entitled to have the jury instructed on the law applicable to the evidence he presents; doubts as to the sufficiency of the evidence to warrant an instruction should be resolved in favor оf the accused. (People v. Wilson (1967)
3. CAUICNo. 8.11
With respect to his attempted murder conviction, defendаnt observes that the jury was never instructed that a specific intent to kill was required, or that the implied malice instructions were inapplicable to the attempted murder charge. (See People v. Collie (1981)
According to the People, “the reference to an implied malice theory [with respect to the attempted murder charge] was nonprejudicial because there can be no question on the facts of this case that the jury found that appellant had the specific intent to kill Mr. Castro and would have found so even without the reference to implied malice.” (See People v. Ramos (1982)
The foregoing evidence, however, is far less conclusive of the intent issue than the People claim. Although it seems clear that defendant had the intent to shoot and thus disable his victims, there was no further evidence of a specific intent to kill necessary to sustain an attempted murder conviction. Nor can we infer an intent to kill from the jury’s murder-with-special-circumstances verdict as to victim Estrada because (as discussed below) that verdict was based solely on a felony-murder theory, and the jury was never told that an intent to kill was required tо sustain such a finding. (See Carlos v. Superior Court, supra,
Without presently deciding whether the error in instructing on implied malice in an attempted murder context is reversible per se, or only revers
Our decision in People v. Johnson (1981)
4. Supplemental Instruction on Burglary Charge
During closing arguments in the guilt phase, defense counsel set forth his personal theory of the case, namely, that although defendant may have committed a burglary of the construction site homes and may have stolen three lamps, he did not rob or shoot anyone at the gas station. The jury thereafter interrupted its deliberations to inquire regarding the effect of defense counsel’s concession that defendant had committed burglary; the jury asked whether the concession indicated that defendant was pleading guilty to the burglary charge.
Trial counsel each stipulated that the court could respond to these inquiries in their absence, and the court subsequently instructed the jury without objection that (1) defense counsel in his argument had conceded defendant’s guilt of burglary, and that “If the jury so finds, then they would find him guilty,” (2) defendant had not changed his not guilty plea to the burglary charge, and (3) because of counsel’s concession, “unless the jury does not believe that the evidence shows [commission of burglary], the jury will so find.” Defendant now contends that the court’s latter remarks “created a presumption of guilt,” thereby nullifying the court’s previous instructions regarding the People’s burden of proof.
Defendant also questions the propriety of counsel’s concession that he committed burglary; defendant suggests that such a concession is tantamount to a guilty plea requiring defendant’s personal waiver of his constitutional rights. (Cf. Bunnell v. Superior Court (1975)
As we stated in People v. Jackson (1980)
Imposition of a duty to obtain personal waivers of constitutional rights whenever such tactics are anticipated could substantially interfere with counsel’s tactical conduct of the trial. Accordingly, we decline to require such personal waivers in these circumstances. (See People v. Frierson (1985)
F. Special Circumstances Finding
As indicated previously, the jury found that the murder of victim Estrada occurred during the commission of a robbery, thereby constituting a special
The People concede that Carlos error occurred here, and that under Garcia such error is ordinarily reversible per se. They argue, however, that the error was not prejudicial because the evidence “establishes appellant’s intent to kill Juan Estrada.” One exception to the Garcia rule of per se reversible error exists where the parties recognized that intent to kill was at issue, they presented all evidence available on that issue, and the record establishes such intent as a matter of law, the contrary evidence being unworthy of consideration. (See People v. Garcia, supra, 36 Cal.3d at pp. 554-555.) We conclude that this exception does not apply here.
The People suggest that “the very method of killing” Estrada established defendant’s intent to kill him. As we previously observed in the context of the evidence of defendant’s attempted murder conviction, however, the fact that defendant shot his victims at close range, though certainly strongly indicative, was not conclusive evidence of an intent to kill, but may have merely demonstrated an intent to disable. (See also People v. Hayes (1985)
G. Other Contentions
By reason of the foregoing Carlos/Garcia analysis, we need not reach the single penalty phase issue raised by defendant, namely, the trial court’s
Defendant’s attempted murder conviction is reversed, and the special circumstances finding and penalty judgment are set aside. The judgment is affirmed in all other respects.
Notes
Before Bird, C. J., Mosk, J., Broussard, J., Reynoso, J., Grodin, J., and Lucas, J.
The court admitted such evidence conditionally, subject to the People producing a photo of the live lineup for usе by defense counsel prior to trial.
That finding was amply supported by Castro’s testimony that he viewed defendant during the offense, that his identification was based on his recollection of the robbery, and that there was no question in his mind regarding the correctness of his identification. (See People v. Cooks (1983)
Concurrence Opinion
I concur with the judgment to the extent it affirms defendant’s conviction of first degree murder, robbery and burglary, and reverses his conviction of attempted murder. I dissent, however, from the setting aside of the special circumstances finding and penalty judgment by reason of People v. Garcia (1984)