Thomas

People v. Thomas

Good Law
150 Cal. App. 4th 461·2007 Cal. App. LEXIS 676·58 Cal. Rptr. 3d 581·2007 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 4806
Court of Appeal of CaliforniaMay 2, 2007No. B190523California1,506 words

Opinion

lead Opinion

Boland, J.

*464 Opinion

INTRODUCTION

Appellant Donald Eugene Thomas challenges his murder, attempted murder, and assault with a deadly weapon convictions oh the grounds a 25-year delay in prosecution violated his right to due process, and the trial court erroneously admitted hearsay, permitted him to be impeached with an old felony conviction, used outdated jury instructions, and denied his motion to reduce the offense to second degree murder. '

We conclude appellant failed to establish a due process violation or ineffective assistance of counsel because he failed to show actual prejudice resulted from the long delay. The trial court erred by admitting one hearsay statement, but the error was harmless because its content .was the sarhe as other properly admitted evidence. The court also erred by admitting evidence of appellant’s 1977 grand theft conviction, but the error was harmless. Using CALJIC instructions, instead of the CALCRIM instructions (Judicial Council of Cal. Grim. Jury Instas. (2006)), was not error. Because there was substantial evidence of premeditation and deliberation, the court did not abuse its discretion by refusing to reduce appellant’s conviction to second degree…

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