Erickson

Petitioner (defendant) seeks a writ of prohibition restraining respondent superior court from conducting any further proceedings involving selection of a jury in defendant’s pending trial.

Defendant is charged with two counts of second degree murder (Pen. Code, §§ 187, subd. (a), 189) and two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated (Pen. Code, § 191.5, subd. (a)). Respondent court filed an order directing “that the jury in [this] case will be selected in accordance with Court Ops Memo #75, and the names and personal identification information of the prospective jurors will remain confidential.” Thereafter, defendant timely filed this petition for writ of prohibition. We stayed implementation of Court Ops Memo No. 75 pending receipt of opposition and further order of this court. The People filed a response asserting the petition should be granted and respondent court filed opposition to the petition. We advised the parties that we are considering a peremptory writ in the first instance. We shall issue a peremptory writ of prohibition.

In promulgating Court Ops Memo No. 75, respondent superior court purports to extend sealing of juror identifying…