People v. Goldstein

130 Cal. App. 3d 1024, 182 Cal. Rptr. 207, 1982 Cal. App. LEXIS 1452
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedApril 23, 1982
DocketCrim. 21316
StatusPublished
Cited by20 cases

This text of 130 Cal. App. 3d 1024 (People v. Goldstein) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. Goldstein, 130 Cal. App. 3d 1024, 182 Cal. Rptr. 207, 1982 Cal. App. LEXIS 1452 (Cal. Ct. App. 1982).

Opinion

*1029 Opinion

ELKINGTON, Acting P. J.

On a jury’s verdicts defendant Darryl L. Goldstein was found guilty of perpetrating 17 counts of felony against 3 victims, including the crimes of false imprisonment effected by violence (Pen. Code, §§ 236, 237), inducing a minor to use a narcotic drug (Health & Saf. Code, § 11353) and marijuana (Health & Saf. Code, § 11361), administering a narcotic to another to enable himself to commit a felony (Pen. Code, § 222), oral copulation by means of force (Pen. Code, § 288a, subd. (c)), attempted sodomy by means of force (Pen. Code, §§ 664, 286, subd. (c)), and assault with intent to commit sodomy (Pen. Code, §§ 220, 286). He appeals from the judgment which was entered upon the verdicts.

We set forth the several appellate contentions as phrased, and in the order stated, by Goldstein.

I.

Contention: “The trial court erred ,by refusing to permit defense counsel to withdraw and to substitute new defense counsel, or in the alternative, the trial court erred by refusing to permit defense counsel to testify on behalf of appellant.”

On the afternoon of the trial’s commencement, Goldstein’s attorney was informed that a material witness, expected to testify for the defense, had recanted his promised testimony and indicated he would testify for the prosecution. The attorney stated to the court that if the witness so testified he, the attorney, would be obliged himself to testify to prior inconsistent statements of the witness, and other impeaching matter. He then moved to “be relieved as counsel of record because I am a prospective witness if he is called as a witness for the prosecution.” The trial court denied the motion, and the trial proceeded.

The witness did thereafter testify damagingly on behalf of the prosecution. At the conclusion of his testimony, the following discussion took place between the court and counsel: “[Defense Counsel:] . .. Your Honor, I would just like to put on the record that in chambers, not on the record, prior to coming out this afternoon, I asked permission to take the stand as a witness, as a defense witness, and you indicated that you would deny that request. The Court: That’s right. That was the extent of the conversation that we had, too. That was the extent of *1030 the conversation; that you said you would like to take the stand as a witness and you asked me if you could and I said no. [Defense Counsel:] I would like to make the request now. The Court: You already made it and I have already denied it and you made the record.”

The instant claims of error arise from the above proceedings.

We perceive no abuse of discretion in the trial court’s first ruling, denying defense counsel’s motion to “be relieved as counsel of record because I am a prospective witness if he is called as a witness for the prosecution.”

The motion was based upon the speculation that the witness might be called by the prosecution. Witnesses had been subpoenaed and a panel of jurors were awaiting voir dire. The court stated that already “this case has a history of delays that are caused by the defendant as counsel.” (Sic.) Granting the motion would necessarily result in an extended continuance, and further delay while another attorney familiarized himself with Goldstein’s case. Such a result was at odds with the public policy expressed by Penal Code section 1050. And: “The granting or denial of a motion for a continuance in the midst of a trial traditionally rests within the sound discretion of the trial judge who must consider not only the benefit which the moving party anticipates but also the likelihood that such benefit will result, the burden on other witnesses, jurors and the court and, above all, whether substantial justice will be accomplished or defeated by a granting of the motion. In the lack of a showing of an abuse of discretion or of prejudice to the defendant, a denial of his motion for a continuance cannot result in a reversal of a judgment of conviction.” (People v. Laursen (1972) 8 Cal.3d 192, 204 [104 Cal.Rptr. 425, 501 P.2d 1145] [cert. den., 412 U.S. 915 (37 L.Ed.2d 142, 93 S.Ct. 2738)].)

But we view differently the second of the criticized rulings made after the witness had testified, that defense counsel might not give impeaching testimony.

It is first noted that, according to defense counsel’s offer, he would testify to prior inconsistent statements of a material witness against Goldstein. It was relevant testimony tending in reason to disprove the disputed fact of his client’s guilt. Such evidence is admissible when, as here, it is otherwise not barred by law. (Evid. Code, §§ 210, 351.) The right to produce legally admissible relevant evidence in defense of a *1031 criminal charge is one of the “basic ingredients of due process of law.” (Italics added; Washington v. Texas (1967) 388 U.S. 14, 18 [18 L.Ed.2d 1019, 1023, 87 S.Ct. 1920].) It is “fundamental to the fair administration of American justice” and “¿/we process of law” that “a criminal charge may be answered” by “the calling and. interrogation of favorable witnesses, ...” (Italics added; Faretta v. California (1975) 422 U.S. 806, 818 [45 L.Ed.2d 562, 572, 95 S.Ct. 2525].)

(Parenthetically, we here observe, and emphasize, that we are not concerned on this appeal with an actual, or potential, conflict of interest between an attorney and his client, or between an attorney and a former client who had become an adversary witness. Instead the case involves only an attorney who, without fault or purpose on his part, after a trial’s commencement found it to be in his client’s interest that he testify on the client’s behalf.)

It is a judicially noted truism that: “An attorney who attempts to be both advocate and witness impairs his credibility as witness and diminishes his effectiveness as advocate.” (Comden v. Superior Court (1978) 20 Cal.3d 906, 912 [145 Cal.Rptr. 9, 576 P.2d 971, 5 A.L.R.4th 562] [cert. den., 439 U.S. 981 (58 L.Ed.2d 652, 99 S.Ct. 568)].) And there has developed the principle that an attorney who knows, or ought to know, that he should be a material witness at a trial, will ordinarily be obliged to arrange for other counsel to try the case. Lesser reasons are to avoid the “appearance of ... impropriety” (Comden v. Superior Court, supra, p. 912), and to “‘“ensure that the [bar’s] standards of ethics remain high”’” (Harris v. Superior Court (1979) 97 Cal.App.3d 488, 493 [158 Cal.Rptr. 807]). But its principal purpose, as noted, is to protect the client from his attorney’s “impaired credibility” and “ineffective advocacy.” (Comden v. Superior Court, supra, p. 912.)

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Bluebook (online)
130 Cal. App. 3d 1024, 182 Cal. Rptr. 207, 1982 Cal. App. LEXIS 1452, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-goldstein-calctapp-1982.