Hanson
Hanson v. Superior Court
Opinion
Opinion
Sims, J.
The respondent superior court held petitioner, Steven G. Hanson, an attorney, in contempt for comments he made while representing a client in a criminal proceeding. Petitioner primarily argues the respondent’s court order should be annulled because it fails to set out facts in its support. Because we conclude the respondent’s court order of contempt constitutes an order in a case of indirect contempt, we shall deny the petition.
I
Facts
On November 6, 2000, petitioner was presenting the closing argument to the jury on behalf of the defendant in People v. Delgadillo (Super. Ct. Siskiyou County, No. CRF 00-931). Judge Charles N. Henry was presiding. Petitioner argued the prosecutor did not want the jury to see the defendant’s wife and young son because he wanted the jury to perceive the defendant as “some sort of drug dealer, gun-toting, evil person [who] deserves to be locked up in prison.” After Judge Henry sustained the prosecutor’s objection, petitioner asserted the jury would be instructed to return a “just and lawful” verdict, but “just” means “a fair trial,” and “Mr. Delgadillo has not received a fair trial in this case.”