Gurule

In 1989, in San Mateo County Superior Court, Raymond Anthony Gurule was sentenced to death after being convicted by a jury of first degree murder with special circumstances. On September 9, 1993, this court appointed Violet Elizabeth Grayson as counsel on appeal for appellant in the automatic appeal, People v. Gurule (S018815, app. pending). The trial generated a record of 25,489 pages, including a 16,796-page reporter’s transcript and a 8,693-page clerk’s transcript. After corrections and augmentations, the record was certified and filed with this court on or about May 16, 1995.

This court informed Grayson by letter dated May 16, 1995, that the record had been certified and filed with this court, and the appellant’s opening brief was due on June 26, 1995. This court thereafter granted requests for extensions of time to file appellant’s opening brief on June 16, 1995, August 9, 1995, October 27, 1995, and December 22, 1995.

On April 22, 1996, we granted Grayson’s fifth application for an extension of time to file the opening brief to and including May 28, 1996, but stated in our order: “The court will not grant any further applications to extend time to file the opening…