Hall

Norman Hall was convicted of one count of first degree murder with a finding of special circumstances and sentenced to a term of life without the possibility of parole. He appeals, arguing prejudicial delay in prosecution, prosecutorial misconduct, the admission of an involuntary confession, improper restriction on defense evidence and failure to allow a statement of reasons for seeking a change of counsel.

Facts

A. Prosecution Case

On Thanksgiving Day 1980, 100-year-old Nora Hollenbeck was living in her home in Ocean Beach. A neighbor noticed that the lights in her house were off at 10:30 that evening but on again at 3:00 a.m. the next morning. That morning two neighbors went to Hollenbeck’s home and found her dead in the bedroom with a blood-soaked pillowcase over her head. Hollenbeck bled to death after being beaten and stomped. There were signs of a forced entry. The bedroom was ransacked and Hollenbeck’s color television was missing.

Jeffrey Shipper was a businessman in Mission Beach. He was acquainted with and purchased stolen television sets and other property from appellant in November 1980. On one occasion when Shipper purchased a medium-sized television set…