People v. Ireland CA4/3

INTRODUCTION

A jury convicted Christopher Ken Ireland of two counts of first degree murder (Pen. Code, § 187, subd. (a)) and one count of arson of an inhabited dwelling (id., § 451, subd. (b)). The jury found to be true a multiple murder special circumstance allegation. (Id., § 190.2, subd. (a)(3).) The trial court sentenced Ireland to a prison term of life without the possibility of parole on the murder convictions and a consecutive term of five years on the arson conviction. Ireland seeks reversal based on the following contentions: (1) The trial court erred by denying his motions for mistrial which were based on two separate instances of spectator misconduct; (2) the trial court erred by denying his request to exclude from trial the two spectators who had engaged in the first instance of misconduct; (3) the trial court erred by allowing impermissible character evidence and by denying his third motion for mistrial, which was based on that evidence. We affirm. We conclude the trial court did not err by denying Ireland’s motions for mistrial based on spectator misconduct. Admonitions to the jurors and their promises to follow those admonitions cured any potential prejudice. The…