Appellant, William Satele, Reply Brief - California Courts - State of ...

More documents

Recommendations

Info

XII GUILT AND PENALTY PHASE VERDICTS WERE RENDERED AGAINST APPELLANT BY A JURY OF FEWER THAN TWELVE SWORN JURORS, AND THE RESULTING STRUCTURAL TRIAL DEFECT REQUIRES REVERSAL Appellant contended in the opening brief that the trial court's failure to swear all ofthe jurors (specifically Jurors 4965, 8971, 2211) as required by Code of Civil Procedure section 232, subdivision (b), resulted in a structural trial defect requiring reversal ofguilt and penalty phase verdicts. (AOB at pp. 209-226.) Respondent contends (1) appellant's constitutional claims were not preserved by objection or other action below; (2) Jurors 4965, 8971, 2211 took an adequate "trial juror" oath; and (3) appellant was not prejudiced by the omission. (RB at p. 79-90.) Respondent is wrong on all counts. A. Appellant's Claims Are Cognizable On Appeal Respondent first claims that appellant's constitutional claims are procedurally barred. (RB at pp. 84-85.) Under the principles discussed more fully above (ante, at pp. 21-27), this issue is not waived. These principles include the fact that an appellate court has inherent power to review an issue in spite of a party's failure to perfectly phrase that issue; the fact that there is an exception to the waiver rule regarding issues relating to the deprivation of fundamental, constitutional rights; and the fact that there is an exception to the waiver rule that provides that an objection may be excused when the issue involved is a pure question of law. Finally, because, whether the waiver rule is to be applied is largely a question of the appellate court's discretion, this court should address the constitutional aspects ofthis issue. 110
B. Prospective Jurors 4965, 8971, And In Particular, Juror 2211 Did Not Take An "Adequate 'Trial Juror' Oath" Respondent does not dispute that the trial court failed to administer the oath required by Code of Civil Procedure section 232, subdivision (b), to Jurors 4965, 8971, and 2211. (RB at p. 85.) Code of Civil Procedure section 232, subdivisions (a) and (b), govern the swearing oftrial jurors. (People v. Chavez (1991) 231 Cal.App.3d 1471, 1484.) It provides: As soon as the selection ofthe trial jury is completed, the following acknowledgment and agreement shall be obtained from the trial jurors, which shall be acknowledged by the statement, "I do": Do you and each ofyou understand and agree that you will well and truly try the cause now pending before this court, and a true verdict render according only to the evidence presented to you and to the instructions ofthe court. (Code Civ. Proc., § 232, subd. (b).) Respondent contends, however, that Jurors 4965, 8971, and 2211 nonetheless took an "adequate 'trial juror' oath" (RB at p. 79) when they took the prospective juror's oath (Code Civ. Proc., § 232, subd. (a»;l1 in combination with the alternate juror's oath; and answered "No" to Question 226 on the jury questionnaire. (RB at pp. 85-87.) Question 226 on the juror questionnaire asked: Uyou are selected as a jury, you must render your verdict based solely on the evidence, and the law as given you by the Court, free ofany passion, prejudice, sympathy or bias, either for or against Daniel Nunez and William Satele, or the State. Do you have any difficulty accepting this principle? Yes_No_ (26CT 7508.) 11 The oaths provided for in Code ofCivil Procedure section 232, subds. (a) and (b) are reproduced in Appellant's Opening Briefat p. 209. 111
Page 2 and 3:
TABLE OF CONTENTS APPELLANT WILLIAM
Page 4 and 5:
2. The Pleadings Failed To NotifY A
Page 6 and 7:
VI THE JURy FAILED TO FIND THE DEGR
Page 8 and 9:
C. Standard OfReview And Prejudice
Page 10 and 11:
XIII APPELLANT JOINS IN ALL ISSUES
Page 12 and 13:
Mitchell v. Esparza (2003) 540 U.S.
Page 14 and 15:
People v. Cruz (2001) 93 Cal.App.4t
Page 16 and 17:
People v. Scott (1978) 21 Cal. 3d 2
Page 18 and 19:
CALlIC No. 8.31 passim CALJIC No. 8
Page 20 and 21:
ARGUMENTS GUILT PHASE ISSUES I THE
Page 22 and 23:
the facts indicate that only one de
Page 24 and 25:
form finding "personal use" to have
Page 26 and 27:
57 Cal.AppAth 871, 877; 9 Witkin, C
Page 28 and 29:
the weapon. Without again recountin
Page 30 and 31:
Respondent notes that between the m
Page 32 and 33:
In another apparent attempt to just
Page 34 and 35:
appellant has repeatedly said, the
Page 37 and 38:
not present them to the trial court
Page 39 and 40:
In People v. Knighten (1980) 105 Ca
Page 41 and 42:
Finally, it must be noted that the
Page 43 and 44:
B. The Constitutional Issues Are No
Page 45 and 46:
turn relied on the language from Wi
Page 47 and 48:
Indeed, in this case the instructio
Page 49 and 50:
as the prosecution's first-degree t
Page 51 and 52:
F. Conclusion In summary, by failin
Page 53 and 54:
As appellant explained in the openi
Page 55 and 56:
in the manner suggested by responde
Page 57 and 58:
Furthennore, it is well established
Page 59 and 60:
Appellant has explained above and i
Page 61 and 62:
Cal.App.3d 970, 992.) Instead, resp
Page 63 and 64:
3. Appellant's Did Not Forfeit His
Page 65 and 66:
In Argument V of the Opening Brief,
Page 67 and 68:
IV IN FAILING TO REDACT PORTIONS OF
Page 69 and 70:
People v. Barraza (1979) 23 Ca1.3d
Page 71 and 72:
have been unreasonable for the jury
Page 73 and 74: shot Fuller and Robinson, and that
Page 75 and 76: find 'intent to kill'" on the basis
Page 77 and 78: THE COURT'S ERRONEOUS INSTRUCTION A
Page 79 and 80: Robinson's wounds indicated the sho
Page 81 and 82: caused great bodily injury or death
Page 83 and 84: use enhancement, the statutory lang
Page 85 and 86: 192-193), but fails to explain how
Page 87 and 88: Then we have the words "personal us
Page 89 and 90: trial and had therefore forfeited t
Page 91 and 92: merits of appellant's claim. (AOB a
Page 93 and 94: jury trial. (People v. Gottman (197
Page 95 and 96: Respondent argues that another theo
Page 97 and 98: needs to rely on the penalty verdic
Page 99 and 100: may not cross-examine a witness upo
Page 101 and 102: itself to appellant would be improp
Page 103 and 104: B. The Court Erred In Refusing The
Page 105 and 106: egarding the intent ofthe non-shoot
Page 107 and 108: B. Respondent's Arguments Are Mispl
Page 109 and 110: ut is only being allowed for use ag
Page 111 and 112: x THE TRIAL COURT ERRED IN PERMITTI
Page 113 and 114: XI THE PROSECUTOR'S MISCONDUCT IN A
Page 115 and 116: "guarantee." Appellant is not proce
Page 117 and 118: v. Berryman (1993) 6 Ca1.4th 1048,
Page 119 and 120: Contreras. Viewed in this context,
Page 122 and 123: overwhelmingly showed that only one
Page 126 and 127: Where Juror No. 2211 is concerned,
Page 128 and 129: The jury in Cruz was given a versio
Page 130 and 131: PENALTY PHASE ISSUES XIV THE TRIAL
Page 132 and 133: B. The Flaw In Respondent's Content
Page 134 and 135: participation ofall jurors. Contrar
Page 136 and 137: confuse[d]" (Harris) is no more tha
Page 138: It is submitted that these instruct
Page 141 and 142: inherent power to review an issue i
Page 143 and 144: prospective jurors who were found t
Page 145 and 146: (Id at p. 821.) This court has char
Page 147 and 148: church. (18RT 4448:4-6,4451:11-14.)
Page 149 and 150: (18RT 4450:12-14) or her mother (18
Page 151 and 152: had in fact reached an impasse at t
Page 153 and 154: There is an impasse. It is hung. Bu
Page 155 and 156: establishes, for example, that, whe
Page 157 and 158: and Code of Civil Procedure 233, wh
Page 159 and 160: a demonstrable reality. The court a
Page 161 and 162: CERTIFICATE OF WORD COUNT Rule 8.63
show all

Appellant, William Satele, Reply Brief - California Courts - State of ...

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?