Error: Difference between revisions

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* Fundamental Error:  This is an error which goes to the heart of the case, and which can be considered by the court "in the interest of justice," even if the appellant fails to properly raise the issue on appeal.
* Fundamental Error:  This is an error which goes to the heart of the case, and which can be considered by the court "in the interest of justice," even if the appellant fails to properly raise the issue on appeal.
* Harmful Error:  This is an error which the appellate court concludes had a probable impact on the outcome of the trial.
* Harmful Error:  This is an error which the appellate court concludes had a probable impact on the outcome of the trial.
* Harmless Error:  This is an error which the appellate court concludes had no effect on the outcome of a trial.  For example, if a defendant confesses to a murder, and the prosecution has his fingerprints on the murder weapon, the use of inadmissible hearsay testimony is likely to be found harmless due to the overwhelming evidence against the defendant.
* [[Harmless Error]]:  This is an error which the appellate court concludes had no effect on the outcome of a trial.  For example, if a defendant confesses to a murder, and the prosecution has his fingerprints on the murder weapon, the use of inadmissible hearsay testimony is likely to be found harmless due to the overwhelming evidence against the defendant.
* Invited Error:  This is where the defendant has asked the trial court to make a ruling which is actually erroneous.  The defendant cannot then later appeal the trial court's decision on the basis of that error.
* Invited Error:  This is where the defendant has asked the trial court to make a ruling which is actually erroneous.  The defendant cannot then later appeal the trial court's decision on the basis of that error.
* Reversible Error:  An error which causes the appellate court to overturn the lower court's decision is a "reversible error."
* Reversible Error:  An error which causes the appellate court to overturn the lower court's decision is a "reversible error."
             
        6        THE COURT:  ALL RIGHT.  YOU MAY STEP DOWN.  PEOPLE
        7  MAY CALL THEIR NEXT WITNESS.
        8        MR. MURPHY:  THANK YOU, YOUR HONOR.  AT THIS TIME
        9  THE PEOPLE CALL BECKY DAHER TO THE STAND.
        10        THE COURT:  WHILE WE'RE WAITING FOR THE WITNESS. 
        11  YESTERDAY AT THE END OF THE DAY I TOLD THE ATTORNEYS
        12  THAT I'M GOING TO START MAKING MY OWN OBJECTIONS, SO YOU
        13  MIGHT HAVE NOTICED THAT THIS MORNING.  AND IT WILL
        14  CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE TRIAL, THAT I'M GOING TO START
        15  MAKING OBJECTIONS TO SOME OF THE QUESTIONS THAT HAVE
        16  BEEN ASKED.  OKAY.
        17                        BECKY DAHER,  ^
        18              CALLED AS A WITNESS BY THE PEOPLE, HAVING
        19  BEEN FIRST DULY SWORN, WAS EXAMINED AND TESTIFIED AS
        20  FOLLOWS:
        21        THE WITNESS:  I DO.  BECKY DAHER.  D-A-H-E-R.
        22        THE COURT:  YOU MAY PROCEED.
        23                      DIRECT EXAMINATION  ^
        24  BY MR. MURPHY:
        25        Q    THANK YOU, YOUR HONOR.
        26              GOOD MORNING, MS. DAHER.
?                                                                  690
        1        A    GOOD MORNING.
        2        Q    WHAT DO YOU DO FOR A LIVING, MA'AM?
        3        A    I'M A SENIOR FORENSIC SPECIALIST WITH THE
        4  ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF'S FORENSIC SCIENCE SERVICES
        5  IDENTIFICATION BUREAU.
        6        Q    HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN EMPLOYED IN THAT
        7  CAPACITY?
        8        A    I STARTED WITH THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT IN
        9  1980, AND I PROGRESSED UP THROUGH THE DIFFERENT LEVELS
        10  OF FORENSIC SPECIALISTS.  I LEFT IN '86 TO PURSUE SOME
        11  PERSONAL INTERESTS, AND I RETURNED IN 1995 TO PRESENT.
        12        Q    OKAY.  COULD YOU BRIEFLY DESCRIBE YOUR
        13  EDUCATION BEFORE YOU BECAME A FORENSIC SPECIALIST?
        14        A    I ATTENDED ABOUT THREE AND A HALF YEARS OF
        15  COLLEGE, AS WELL AS MY REGULAR EDUCATION AS A CHILD. 
        16  AND I PURSUED SOME PHOTOGRAPHY INTERESTS, AS WELL AS
        17  ELEMENTARY EDUCATION INTERESTS.
        18        Q    OKAY.  AND REGARDING FORENSIC SCIENCE, CAN
        19  YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR TRAINING IN THAT AREA?
        20        A    I'VE HAD NUMEROUS COURSES THROUGH
        21  INSTITUTIONS, SUCH AS THE FBI ACADEMY, THE CALIFORNIA
        22  CRIMINALISTICS INSTITUTE, AND COURSES SPECIFICALLY
        23  RELATING TO THE COLLECTION, PRESERVATION, AND PACKAGING
        24  OF PHYSICAL EVIDENCE, NOTABLY FINGERPRINTS.  CLASSES ON
        25  THE DEVELOPMENT OF FINGERPRINTS USING CHEMICAL METHODS
        26  AND INNOVATIVE TECHNIQUES.
?                                                                  691
        1              ALSO COURSES ON THE COMPARISON AND ANALYSIS
        2  OF FINGERPRINTS, PALM IMPRESSIONS, AND THE QUANTITATIVE
        3  AND QUALITATIVE PORTIONS OR ASPECTS OF FRICTION RIDGE
        4  DETAIL, AND THE BIOLOGICAL GROWTH OF FRICTION RIDGE
        5  SKIN.
        6        Q    CAN YOU BRIEFLY EXPLAIN WHAT THAT IS,
        7  FRICTION RIDGE DETAIL?
        8        A    FRICTION RIDGE DETAIL IS A SPECIAL KIND OF
        9  SKIN THAT EVERYONE HAS ON THE PALMS OF THEIR HANDS,
        10  UNDER SIDES OF THE FINGERS, AND ON THE SOLES OF THE
        11  FEET, AND UNDER SIDES OF THE TOES.  AND FRICTION RIDGE
        12  SKIN IS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO HELP US GRASP THINGS. 
        13  AND EVERYONE HAS IT.
        14        Q    ALL RIGHT.  AND HOW DOES THAT AID YOU IN THE
        15  FIELD OF FORENSICS?
        16        A    WELL IMPRESSIONS THAT ARE LEFT BEHIND AT
        17  CRIME SCENES, KNOWN AS LATENT PRINTS, MADE FROM FRICTION
        18  RIDGE SKIN ARE A TRANSFER OF SOME TYPE OF OIL OR
        19  DEPOSIT, MAYBE A CONTAMINATE FROM MOST LIKELY THE HANDS
        20  TO A SURFACE.  AND BECAUSE FRICTION RIDGE SKIN IS UNIQUE
        21  AND PERMANENT, WE ARE ABLE TO LOOK AT THESE SMALL
        22  FRAGMENT PORTIONS OF DETAIL AND IDENTIFY INDIVIDUALS BY
        23  LOOKING AT LATENT PRINTS AND COMPARING THEIR FRICTION
        24  RIDGE SKIN TO KNOWN EXEMPLARS.
        25        Q    WHEN YOU PERFORMED THAT PROCESS, WERE YOU
        26  COMPARING LATENTS TO NON-EXEMPLARS?  TAKE US THROUGH
?                                                                  692
        1  THAT.  HOW DOES THAT WORK?
        2        A    WE USE A SCIENTIFIC PROCESS WHICH IS KNOWN BY
        3  AN ACRONYM CALLED ACE-V.  IT'S, "ANALYZE, COMPARE,
        4  EVALUATE AND VERIFY."
        5              IN THE ANALYSIS PROCESS, WHICH IS THE FIRST
        6  PART OF THAT, WE LOOK AT THE UNKNOWN IMPRESSION OR THE
        7  LATENT PRINT FROM THE CRIME SCENE, AND WE ANALYZE IT FOR
        8  IN ITS ENTIRETY MAYBE THE RIDGE SHAPE, THE FLOW OF THE
        9  RIDGES, THE EDGE STRUCTURE CREASES, WRINKLES, DIFFERENT
        10  FEATURES THAT MIGHT START OR STOP, AND THEIR RELATIVE
        11  RELATIONSHIP TO ONE ANOTHER.  SO WE LOOK AT THE PRINT IN
        12  ITS ENTIRETY, AND WE LOOK AT IT FOR ITS QUALITY AND ITS
        13  QUANTITY.
        14              AND WE ALSO THEN WILL LOOK IN THE NEXT
        15  PROCESS WE WILL COMPARE THAT PRINT TO ANY EXEMPLAR
        16  PRINTS THAT WE HAVE.
        17              THE THIRD STEP IN THAT PROCESS IS TO EVALUATE
        18  THE SIMILARITIES OR DISSIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE TWO, AND
        19  TO COME TO A CONCLUSION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THOSE TWO
        20  IMPRESSIONS WERE MADE BY THE SAME INDIVIDUAL.
        21              AFTER WE HAVE COME TO OUR CONCLUSION, WE THEN
        22  HAVE EVERY IMPRESSION VERIFIED BY A SECOND QUALIFIED
        23  EXAMINER WITH A HIGH LEVEL OF EXPERTISE AND TRAINING. 
        24  AND THEN AT THAT POINT AND ONLY AT THAT POINT DO WE GIVE
        25  OUR CONCLUSION AND REPORT OUR FINDINGS.
        26        Q    ALL RIGHT.  IN JULY OF 1999, ACTUALLY I GUESS
?                                                                  693
        1  IT'S AUGUST OF 1999, WERE YOU ASKED TO PERFORM AN
        2  ANALYSIS OF FINGERPRINTS TAKEN FROM A CRIME SCENE IN
        3  IRVINE WITH THE ADDRESS OF 9 SOLANO?
        4        A    YES.
        5        Q    OKAY.  WHAT I WOULD LIKE YOU TO DO, MA'AM, IS
        6  TELL US WHAT PRINTS OR HOW MANY -- I'M SORRY, STRIKE
        7  THAT.
        8              HOW MANY DIFFERENT LATENTS DID YOU EXAMINE IN
        9  RELATION TO THAT CASE?
        10        A    MAY I PLEASE RETAIN MY NOTES FROM MY BRIEF
        11  CASE?
        12        Q    IF THAT WOULD HELP REFRESH YOUR RECOLLECTION,
        13  WITH THE COURT'S PERMISSION.
        14        THE COURT:  GO AHEAD.
        15        THE WITNESS:  THANK YOU.  THE LATENT PRINTS THAT I
        16  HAVE HERE IN FRONT OF ME ARE DATED 7/27 OF '99.  AND
        17  THESE ARE MARKED FROM THE SCENE, AND THERE ARE A TOTAL
        18  OF SEVEN LATENT LIFT CARDS.
        19  BY MR. MURPHY:
        20        Q    OKAY.  IN ADDITION TO THE LATENT LIFTS FROM
        21  THE SCENE, WERE YOU ASKED TO PERFORM ANY COMPARISONS
        22  FROM LATENTS TAKEN FROM AN AUTOMOBILE THAT RELATED TO
        23  THAT CASE?
        24        A    YES, I WAS.
        25        Q    ALL RIGHT.  AND HOW MANY LATENTS WERE YOU
        26  ASKED TO LOOK AT FROM THE AUTOMOBILE?
?                                                                  694
        1        A    THERE WAS ONE LATENT FROM THE AUTOMOBILE.
        2        Q    ALL RIGHT.  AND TELL US, MA'AM, WHEN YOU GOT
        3  THE LATENT, WHERE DID YOU OBTAIN THE LATENT FROM?
        4        A    I OBTAINED IT FROM OUR FILES AT THE SHERIFF'S
        5  DEPARTMENT.
        6        Q    HOW WAS THAT LATENT INVOLVED?
        7        A    I WOULD LIKE TO LOOK AT THE NOTES FROM THAT
        8  LATENT, IF YOU STILL HAVE THEM.
        9        Q    OKAY.  I DON'T HAVE THEM IN FRONT OF ME.  DO
        10  YOU NOT HAVE THEM IN FRONT OF YOU?
        11        A    NO, I DON'T.
        12        MR. MURPHY:  OKAY.  MAY I APPROACH, YOUR HONOR?
        13        THE COURT:  ALL RIGHT.
        14  BY MR. MURPHY:
        15        Q    MA'AM, SHOWING YOU WHAT HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY
        16  MARKED AS DEFENSE V FOR IDENTIFICATION.  DO YOU
        17  RECOGNIZE THAT?
        18        A    YES, I DO.
        19        Q    OKAY.  WHAT IS THAT?
        20        A    THIS IS A COPY OF THE ENVELOPE CALLED A
        21  LATENT JACKET THAT WE STORE LATENT IMPRESSIONS IN IN OUR
        22  FILES AT THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT.
        23        Q    OKAY.  IS THAT A COPY OF THE LATENT JACKET
        24  THAT CONTAINED THE FINGERPRINT THAT WE'RE REFERRING TO?
        25        A    YES, IT IS.
        26        Q    OKAY.  ONCE YOU OBTAINED THAT FINGERPRINT,
?                                                                  695
        1  TAKE US THROUGH IT.  WHAT DID YOU DO?
        2        A    I AGAIN WENT THROUGH THE ACV PROCESS, WHICH I
        3  INITIALLY ANALYZED THE PRINT FOR ITS VALUE, ITS QUALITY,
        4  CLARITY, AND DETAIL, THE SHAPE AND FLOW OF THE RIDGES. 
        5  AND I WAS ABLE TO LOOK AT THAT PRINT IN COMPARISON TO
        6  THE INKED IMPRESSIONS THAT I HAD OF AN INDIVIDUAL, AND I
        7  WAS ABLE TO MAKE A DETERMINATION THAT THE LATENT ON THIS
        8  LATENT CARD WAS MADE BY THE SAME INDIVIDUAL AS THE
        9  PERSON I WAS COMPARING.
        10        Q    OKAY.  WHEN YOU WERE LOOKING AT THE KNOWN
        11  PRINT EXEMPLARS, WERE THE FINGERPRINTS TAKEN FROM THE
        12  INDIVIDUAL, WERE THOSE PRINTS MARKED IN SOMEWAY WITH A
        13  NAME?
        14        A    YES.
        15        Q    WHAT WAS THE NAME ON THOSE?
        16        A    VINCENT CHEUNG.
        17        Q    WAS THAT ALSO MARKED WITH THE ASSOCIATED CASE
        18  NUMBER?
        19        A    YES, IT WAS.
        20        Q    OKAY.  AND THE CASE NUMBER, WAS THAT THE SAME
        21  AS THE ONE ON THE TRUNK?
        22        A    YES.
        23        Q    SAME ON THE LATENT LIFT ON THE TRUNK?
        24        A    YES.
        25        Q    I SHOULD SAY FROM THE TRUNK.  I'M SORRY. 
        26  WHEN YOU LOOKED AT THAT PRINT, WAS THAT -- WAS IT FROM A
?                                                                  696
        1  PALM?  WAS IT FROM FINGERS?
        2        A    IT WAS FINGER IMPRESSIONS.
        3        Q    HOW MANY DIFFERENT FINGERS?
        4        A    LET ME REFER TO ANOTHER SET OF NOTES THAT I
        5  HAVE, IF I COULD PLEASE.
        6        MR. MURPHY:  WITH THE COURT'S PERMISSION?
        7        THE COURT:  GO AHEAD.
        8        THE WITNESS:  ACCORDING TO MY NOTES THERE WERE
        9  FOUR AREAS OF LATENT DETAIL THAT WERE IDENTIFIED TO
        10  FINGERS.
        11  BY MR. MURPHY:
        12        Q    OKAY.  AND DOES THAT MEAN FOUR FINGERS OR
        13  JUST ONE PRINT WITH FOUR AREAS?
        14        A    THERE WAS A SINGLE LATENT LIFT CARD, AND WE
        15  SUBDIVIDED THE LATENT CARD INTO SUBDIVIDED AREAS OF
        16  INDIVIDUAL DETAIL.  AND IN THIS CASE THERE WERE FOUR
        17  AREAS OF INDIVIDUAL DETAIL THAT WERE IDENTIFIED, THREE
        18  OF THOSE AREAS TO THE LEFT MIDDLE FINGER, AND ONE AREA
        19  TO THE LEFT RING FINGER.
        20        Q    OKAY.  NOW MOVING ONTO THE PRINTS TAKEN FROM
        21  INSIDE THE HOUSE.  HOW MANY DID YOU SAY THERE WERE?
        22        A    THERE ARE SEVEN LATENT LIFT CARDS FROM THE
        23  CRIME SCENE.
        24        Q    OKAY.  AND AS YOU EXAMINED THOSE, HOW MANY OF
        25  THOSE WERE OF EVIDENTIARY VALUE?
        26        THE COURT:  WELL, THAT'S VAGUE.  I MEAN, SHE
?                                                                  697
        1  DOESN'T KNOW WHAT THE CASE IS TO DETERMINE IF IT'S OF
        2  EVIDENTIARY VALUE.
        3              DID YOU MAKE ANY MATCHES?
        4  BY MR. MURPHY:
        5        Q    THANK YOU.  DID YOU LOOK AT ALL SEVEN?
        6        A    YES, I DID.
        7        Q    OKAY.  AND OF THOSE SEVEN, DID THEY ALL HAVE
        8  ENOUGH DETAIL WITH WHICH YOU COULD PERFORM A FORENSIC
        9  FINGERPRINT ANALYSIS?
        10        A    NO, THEY DID NOT.
        11        Q    HOW MANY OF THEM HAD ENOUGH DETAIL FOR YOU TO
        12  DO THAT?
        13        A    FIVE.
        14        Q    AND AS YOU EXAMINED THOSE SEPARATE LATENTS,
        15  WERE THEY ALSO MARKED IN A SIMILAR MANNER AS THE ONE
        16  FROM THE TRUNK?
        17        A    YES.
        18        Q    OKAY.  AND DID THOSE MARKINGS INCLUDE THE
        19  AREA FROM THE HOME THAT THEY WERE LIFTED FROM?
        20        A    YES.
        21        Q    WHAT I WOULD LIKE YOU TO DO, MA'AM, IS
        22  REGARDING THE FIRST ONE YOU LOOKED AT.  PLEASE TELL US
        23  HOW THAT WAS MARKED, AND WHETHER OR NOT THERE WAS ENOUGH
        24  THERE FOR YOU TO MAKE A FORENSIC ANALYSIS?
        25        A    OKAY.  LATENT LIFT NUMBER ONE WAS LABELED
        26  MASTER BEDROOM DOOR RIGHT EXTERIOR, IN PARENTHESIS, AND
?                                                                  698
        1  IT WAS OF NO VALUE FOR COMPARISON.
        2        Q    OKAY.  WHAT ABOUT LATENT LIFT NUMBER TWO?
        3        A    LATENT LIFT NUMBER TWO WAS MARKED MASTER
        4  BEDROOM DOORJAMB, IN PARENTHESIS, RIGHT EXTERIOR.  AND
        5  IT WAS IDENTIFIED TO THE VICTIM WHITNEY'S RIGHT PALM.
        6        Q    OKAY.  LET ME JUST STOP YOU THERE.  AS YOU
        7  PERFORMED THESE EXAMINATIONS OF THESE LATENTS, WHAT WERE
        8  YOU COMPARING THEM AGAINST?
        9        A    I WAS COMPARING THEM AGAINST THE CORONER'S
        10  EXEMPLARS THAT WERE TAKEN DURING AUTOPSY.
        11        Q    AND AUTOPSIES OF WHOM?
        12        A    OF THE VICTIMS, WHITNEY AND WONG.
        13        Q    BUT THOMAS WHITNEY, LARRY WONG, WERE YOU ALSO
        14  COMPARING THEM AGAINST THE SAME EXEMPLAR PROVIDED BY THE
        15  DEFENDANT?
        16        A    YES, I WAS.
        17        Q    OKAY.  SO AS YOU'RE GOING THROUGH THESE,
        18  YOU'RE LOOKING AT THREE SEPARATE PRINTS, MR. WHITNEY,
        19  MR. WONG, AND MR. CHEUNG?
        20        A    THAT'S CORRECT.
        21        Q    OKAY.  SO YOU SAID THAT NUMBER TWO, YOU WERE
        22  ABLE TO MATCH THAT TO MR. WHITNEY; IS THAT RIGHT?
        23        A    THAT'S CORRECT.
        24        Q    OKAY.  NOW TELL US ABOUT LATENT LIFT NUMBER
        25  THREE?
        26        A    LIFT NUMBER THREE WAS LABELED KITCHEN DOOR
?                                                                  699
        1  EDGE, AND WAS IDENTIFIED AS WHITNEY'S RIGHT INDEX
        2  FINGER.
        3        Q    WHAT ABOUT LATENT LIFT NUMBER FOUR?
        4        A    LATENT LIFT NUMBER FOUR WAS LABELED FACE OF
        5  STOVE WITH KNOBS, AND WAS OF NO VALUE FOR COMPARISON.
        6        Q    WHAT ABOUT LATENT LIFT NUMBER FIVE?
        7        A    LIFT FIVE WAS LABELED KITCHEN SINK, IN
        8  PARENTHESIS LEFT SIDE.  IT WAS NOT MADE TO WHITNEY NOR
        9  CHEUNG, AND IT WAS INCONCLUSIVE TO VICTIM WONG.
        10        Q    ALL RIGHT.  WHAT DOES THAT MEAN,
        11  INCONCLUSIVE?
        12        A    MANY TIMES WE HAVE DETAIL THAT MIGHT BE
        13  RETRIEVED FROM A SURFACE THAT IS ON AN EXTREME PORTION
        14  OF THE FINGER, SIDES OF THE PALMS, TIPS OF THE FINGERS. 
        15  ESPECIALLY IN CORONER'S PRINTS THAT ARE RETRIEVED FROM
        16  AN AUTOPSY, IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO RECORD ALL OF THE
        17  FRICTION RIDGE SURFACE FROM THE HANDS AND FINGERS.
        18              IN THIS CASE THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH DETAIL
        19  PRESENT IN THE FRICTION RIDGE EXEMPLAR OF WONG TAKEN AT
        20  AUTOPSY TO CONCLUSIVELY COMPARE THE IMPRESSION LIFT
        21  NUMBER FIVE FROM THE KITCHEN SINK, SO WE WERE NOT ABLE
        22  TO DRAW A CONCLUSIVE RESULT FROM THAT.
        23        Q    OKAY.  AND WHAT ABOUT THE FLIP SIDE OF THAT. 
        24  WERE YOU ABLE TO ELIMINATE MR. WONG AS A POTENTIAL
        25  CONTRIBUTOR OF THAT PRINT?
        26        A    NO.
?                                                                  700
        1        Q    PLEASE TELL US ABOUT LATENT LIFT NUMBER SIX?
        2        A    LIFT SIX WAS FROM THE KITCHEN COUNTER, RIGHT
        3  SIDE OF THE SINK, AND WAS IDENTIFIED AS THE RIGHT PALM
        4  OF VICTIM WHITNEY.
        5        Q    ALL RIGHT.  AND FINALLY, LIFT NUMBER SEVEN?
        6        A    LIFT NUMBER SEVEN WAS FROM THE TOP, IN
        7  PARENTHESIS, LID OF WASHER, AND WAS NOT MADE TO WHITNEY
        8  NOR CHEUNG, AND AGAIN WAS INCONCLUSIVE TO WONG.
        9        Q    NOW YOU DID NOT PHYSICALLY GO TO THE CRIME
        10  SCENE AT 9 SOLANO; IS THAT CORRECT?
        11        A    THAT'S CORRECT.
        12        Q    HAVE YOU REVIEWED THE REPORTS WRITTEN BY
        13  OTHER PEOPLE WHO WERE THERE IN MAKING YOUR COMPARISONS?
        14        A    NO.
        15        MR. MURPHY:  THANK YOU.  AT THIS POINT, I HAVE
        16  NOTHING FURTHER.
        17        THE COURT:  CROSS.
        18                      CROSS-EXAMINATION  ^
        19  BY MS. PETROSINO:
        20        Q    YES.  MS. DAHER, YOU PREPARED A REPORT IN
        21  THIS CASE; IS THAT CORRECT?
        22        A    THAT'S CORRECT.
        23        Q    AND PRIOR TO PREPARING THAT REPORT OR DOING
        24  ANY ANALYSIS, YOU WERE GIVEN A REQUEST BY SOMEONE,
        25  CORRECT?
        26        A    YES.
?                                                                  701
        1        Q    OKAY.  AND IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE -- AND YOU
        2  PUT THAT REQUEST ON YOUR REPORT, CORRECT?
        3        A    I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU MEAN?
        4        Q    OKAY.  AS PART OF YOUR REPORT -- WELL, DO YOU
        5  HAVE YOUR REPORT IN FRONT OF YOU?
        6        A    LET ME LOOK, PLEASE.  OKAY.  YES, I DO.
        7        Q    OKAY.  AND IN YOUR REPORT ARE THERE THINGS --
        8  ARE THERE THINGS THAT YOU PUT ON AND THEN THINGS THAT
        9  SOMEBODY ELSE MAY HAVE PUT ON, OR IS IT ALL YOURS, THE
        10  INFORMATION?
        11        A    THE COPY OF THE REPORT THAT I'M LOOKING AT IS
        12  MARKED WITH DIFFERENT NOTATIONS FROM OUR CLERICAL STAFF
        13  FOR FILING PURPOSES AND COPY PURPOSES.
        14        Q    YOU HAVE LIST ITEM TO BE EXAMINED, AND YOU
        15  HAVE COMPARE LATENTS FROM VEHICLE DEVELOPED BY KMB.  DO
        16  YOU KNOW WHO KMB IS?
        17        A    YES, I DO.
        18        Q    WHO IS THAT?
        19        A    THAT'S KELLI BROWN.
        20        Q    AND YOU ALSO HAVE IN YOUR REPORT, COMPARE
        21  LATENTS FROM THE SCENE DEVELOPED BY DEM.  DO YOU KNOW
        22  WHO THAT IS?
        23        A    THAT'S DELORA MOGA.
        24        Q    AND YOU ALSO HAVE ON THE SAME REPORT VINCENT
        25  CHEUNG'S NAME, CORRECT?
        26        A    YES.
?                                                                  702
        1        Q    ALL RIGHT.  AND YOU ALSO HAVE INFORMATION
        2  THAT IT'S A HOMICIDE, CORRECT?
        3        A    YES.
        4        Q    NOW IN YOUR EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING, YOU TAKE
        5  LATENT -- YOU'RE TAKING ELIMINATION PRINTS.  YOU COMPARE
        6  -- HAVE YOU HEARD THE TERM, ELIMINATION PRINTS?
        7        A    YES.
        8        Q    WHAT IS THAT?
        9        A    ELIMINATION PRINTS ARE GENERALLY FINGERPRINTS
        10  THAT ARE FROM A VICTIM, EXEMPLARS FROM A VICTIM, OR A
        11  SOURCE THAT IS USED TO ELIMINATE BECAUSE THEY MIGHT HAVE
        12  HAD SPECIFIC CONTACT OR REASONABLE CONTACT WITH THE
        13  SURFACE WHERE THE PRINTS WERE LIFTED.
        14        Q    BY REASONABLE YOU MEAN -- WELL WHAT DO YOU
        15  MEAN BY REASONABLE?
        16        A    LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE GO TO A BURGLARY
        17  SCENE AT A HOME AND A PRINT IS LIFTED FROM THE FRONT
        18  DOOR, THE OWNER OF THE HOME WOULD HAVE HIS ELIMINATION
        19  PRINTS TAKEN BECAUSE WE KNOW HE BELONGS THERE.  WE KNOW
        20  THAT HE GOES IN AND OUT OF THAT DOOR ALL THE TIME, SO IT
        21  WOULD BE REASONABLE TO THINK THAT THAT PRINT MIGHT
        22  BELONG TO HIM.  AND SO THE ELIMINATION PRINTS OF THE
        23  VICTIM ARE TAKEN IN ORDER TO ELIMINATE THAT PRINT AS A
        24  POSSIBLE SUSPECT PRINT.
        25        Q    SO WHEN YOU MAKE A DETERMINATION THAT
        26  SOMEBODY LEFT THEIR PRINTS THERE, YOU'RE NOT DETERMINING
?                                                                  703
        1  UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCE THEY WERE LEFT, YOU'RE SIMPLY
        2  DETERMINING THAT THERE MAY OR MAY NOT BE A FINGERPRINT
        3  THERE BELONGING TO THAT PERSON.  LET ME REPHRASE THAT.
        4              YOUR ASSESSMENT THAT SOMEBODY HAS LEFT A
        5  FINGERPRINT AND YOU HAVE IDENTIFIED IT TO THAT PERSON IS
        6  SIMPLY THAT, CORRECT?
        7        A    YES.
        8        Q    IN OTHER WORDS --
        9        THE COURT:  THAT'S A LITTLE VAGUE.  IT IS WHAT?
        10  BY MS. PETROSINO:
        11        Q    YOU'RE NOT DETERMINING UNDER WHAT
        12  CIRCUMSTANCE THEY LEFT IT THERE, CORRECT?
        13        A    CORRECT.
        14        Q    ALL RIGHT.  AND CAN YOU DETERMINE WHEN THEY
        15  LEFT IT THERE?
        16        A    NO, MA'AM.
        17        Q    SO -- OKAY.  NOW YOU TALKED ABOUT RIDGE
        18  DETAIL, AND YOU TOLD US THAT THOSE ARE THE DETAILS THAT
        19  YOU'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT AND MAKING COMPARISONS,
        20  CORRECT?
        21        A    CORRECT.
        22        Q    IN YOUR ASSESSMENT, THERE ARE TIMES WHEN YOU
        23  CAN MAKE -- WHEN YOU CAN'T MAKE A COMPARISON BECAUSE
        24  THERE'S NOT ENOUGH RIDGE DETAIL IN THE FINGERPRINT,
        25  CORRECT?  THE LATENT?  THE UNKNOWN?
        26        A    THAT'S CORRECT.
?                                                                  704
        1        Q    LATENT MEANS UNKNOWN TO YOU, CORRECT?
        2        A    YES.
        3        Q    ALL RIGHT.  THEN WE HAVE THE KNOWNS, CORRECT?
        4        A    YES.
        5        Q    ALL RIGHT.  ARE THERE ALSO TIMES WHEN YOU
        6  CAN'T MAKE A DETERMINATION BECAUSE THE KNOWNS WEREN'T
        7  TAKEN PROPERLY?
        8        A    YES.
        9        Q    AND THAT'S WHAT YOU WERE TALKING A LITTLE BIT
        10  ABOUT BEFORE WITH SOMETIMES ON AUTOPSY FINGERPRINTS
        11  THEY'RE NOT CLEAR ENOUGH FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER, YOU
        12  CAN'T MAKE A DETERMINATION ON ALL THE FINGERS?
        13        A    THAT'S CORRECT.
        14        Q    ALL RIGHT.  DO YOU HAVE YOUR FINGERPRINT
        15  CARDS WITH YOU FROM THE CRIME SCENE?
        16        A    YES.
        17        Q    MAY I SEE THEM?
        18        MS. PETROSINO:  YOUR HONOR, WOULD IT BE ACCEPTABLE
        19  TO MARK ALL SEVEN OF THE CARDS AS DEFENSE NEXT IN ORDER,
        20  OR DO YOU WANT THEM INDIVIDUALLY MARKED?
        21        THE COURT:  I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IDENTIFYING
        22  INFORMATION IS ON EACH CARD SO YOU COULD TELL THEM
        23  APART.
        24              IN ANY CASE, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE OUR MORNING
        25  RECESS.  WE'RE GOING TO RESUME AT 20 MINUTES OF 11:00. 
        26  I'LL REMIND YOU NOT TO DISCUSS THE CASE OR FORM ANY
?                                                                  705
        1  OPINIONS ABOUT IT UNTIL IT IS SUBMITTED TO YOU.  PLEASE
        2  GATHER BACK OUTSIDE THE DOORS OF THIS COURTROOM AT 20
        3  MINUTES OF 11:00.
        4                      (MORNING RECESS.)
        5              (THE FOLLOWING PROCEEDINGS WERE HAD IN OPEN
        6  COURT IN THE PRESENCE OF THE JURY:)
        7        THE COURT:  BACK ON THE RECORD ON PEOPLE VERSUS
        8  CHEUNG.  ALL OF OUR JURORS ARE PRESENT.  AND BOTH
        9  COUNSEL AND DEFENDANT ARE PRESENT.  WITNESS IS BACK ON
        10  THE STAND.
        11              SO DEFENSE MAY PROCEED WITH
        12  CROSS-EXAMINATION.
        13        MS. PETROSINO:  THANK YOU, YOUR HONOR.
        14  BY MS. PETROSINO:
        15        Q    WHAT I'VE MARKED AS DEFENSE -- OR WHAT I
        16  WOULD ASK TO BE MARKED AS DEFENSE Y FOR IDENTIFICATION. 
        17  YOU SEE WHAT I'M REFERRING TO?
        18        A    YES.
        19                    (DEFENSE Y = MARKED)
        20        Q    THAT'S A PHOTOCOPY OF THE JACKET THAT SHOWS
        21  WHO TOOK THE PRINTS OUT?
        22        A    YES.
        23        Q    OR WHO LOOKED AT THEM?
        24        A    YES.
        25        Q    THANK YOU.
        26              NOW X1 THROUGH 7 ARE THE ACTUAL CARDS WITH
?                                                                  706
        1  THE SKETCH OF WHERE THE FINGERPRINT WAS TAKEN ON ONE
        2  SIGNED AND THE FINGERPRINT ITSELF ON THE OTHER, CORRECT?
        3        A    CORRECT.
        4        Q    AND YOU DIDN'T EITHER -- DID YOU DRAW THE
        5  SKETCH?
        6        A    NO.
        7        Q    ALL RIGHT.  AND YOU DIDN'T TAKE THE PRINTS,
        8  CORRECT?
        9        A    CORRECT.
        10        Q    YOU DID THE COMPARISON?
        11        A    YES.
        12        Q    ALL RIGHT.  AND JUST SO WE KNOW.  THE NUMBERS
        13  1 THROUGH 7 THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT FROM THE CRIME SCENE,
        14  THAT'S THESE CARDS, CORRECT?
        15        A    YES.
        16        Q    AND THE NUMBER LIFT ONE CORRESPONDS WITH WHAT
        17  YOU SAID IS ONE ON YOUR DIRECT TESTIMONY, CORRECT?
        18        A    YES.
        19        Q    ALL RIGHT.  AND LIKEWISE THROUGH 7?
        20        A    CORRECT.
        21        Q    FOR ALL THE LATENTS THAT YOU COMPARED,
        22  DEFENSE X1 THROUGH 7, MR. CHEUNG'S PRINTS WERE NOT FOUND
        23  THERE, CORRECT?
        24        A    CORRECT.
        25        Q    AND YOU DOCUMENTED THAT IN YOUR REPORT,
        26  CORRECT?
?                                                                  707
        1        A    YES.
        2        Q    ALL RIGHT.  IN TERMS OF CATEGORIZING THEM. 
        3  SOME OF THOSE 1 THROUGH 7 YOU COULD IDENTIFY AS
        4  MR. WHITNEY'S, CORRECT?
        5        A    YES.
        6        Q    ALL RIGHT.  AND YOU'VE TOLD US WHAT THOSE
        7  WERE?
        8        A    CORRECT.
        9        Q    ON NUMBER 4 YOU SAID, AND IF YOU WANT TO LOOK
        10  AT THE LATENT CARD I'D BE HAPPY TO SHOW IT TO YOU TO
        11  HELP YOU REFRESH YOUR MEMORY.  I THINK YOU SAID IT HAD
        12  NO VALUE, CORRECT?
        13        A    YES.
        14        Q    WHAT DO YOU MEAN WHEN YOU SAY NO VALUE? 
        15        A    WHEN A LATENT IMPRESSION IS OF NO VALUE FOR
        16  COMPARISON, THAT MEANS THAT THE CLARITY IN DETAIL IS NOT
        17  PRESENT AND WE HAVE NOTHING THAT WE CAN LOOK AT AND MAKE
        18  A DETERMINATION OF WHO MIGHT HAVE LEFT THAT IMPRESSION.
        19        Q    NOW IF I LOOK AT THIS CARD, THERE ARE SEVERAL
        20  MARKINGS ON THE CARD ON THE BACK WHERE THE FINGERPRINT
        21  IS; WOULD YOU AGREE WITH ME ON THAT?
        22        A    YES.
        23        Q    ALL RIGHT.  WERE YOU LOOKING AT THE ENTIRE
        24  CARD OR ONE PARTICULAR MARKING?
        25        A    THE ENTIRE CARD.
        26        Q    ALL RIGHT.  ON NUMBER 5.  AND IF YOU NEED TO
?                                                                  708
        1  LOOK AT THE CARD I'D BE HAPPY TO SHOW YOU.  THAT'S THE
        2  SINK AREA.
        3        A    YES.
        4        Q    ON THAT ONE YOU SAID IT'S NOT MR. WHITNEY,
        5  IT'S NOT MR. CHEUNG, AND IT'S INCONCLUSIVE AS TO
        6  MR. WONG.  AND WAS THAT ONE OF THE ONES BECAUSE YOU
        7  COULDN'T TELL FROM MR. WONG'S FINGERPRINT?
        8        A    YES, THE EXEMPLARS WERE OF INSUFFICIENT
        9  QUALITY TO DRAW A CONCLUSION.
        10        Q    ON THE CARD THAT YOU HAVE THERE, 5, ARE YOU
        11  LOOKING AT A PARTICULAR FINGER ON THE HAND OR A PALM OR
        12  WHAT EXACTLY CAN YOU TELL WHAT IT IS?
        13        A    I WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A MAGNIFIER.  I WOULD
        14  HAVE TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT IT IN THE SAME CONDITIONS
        15  THAT I LOOK AT IT WHEN I DO A COMPARISON.
        16        Q    OKAY.  I GUESS I WANT TO ASK YOU.  WERE ALL
        17  OF MR. WONG'S ELIMINATION PRINTS THAT YOU HAD, WERE THEY
        18  ALL OF INSUFFICIENT QUALITY THAT YOU COULDN'T USE THEM
        19  AT ALL, OR IS IT JUST CERTAIN FINGERS?
        20        A    I DON'T KNOW THAT.
        21        Q    WOULD YOUR NOTES -- BECAUSE YOU SAID --
        22  BECAUSE IN NUMBER 5 YOU SAID THAT IT'S INCONCLUSIVE AS
        23  TO MR. WONG.  WOULD YOUR NOTES REFLECT WHAT PART OF IT
        24  IS INCONCLUSIVE, WHETHER IT'S HIS ENTIRE EXEMPLAR OR
        25  JUST PART OF IT?
        26        A    IT DOES NOT REFLECT THAT.
?                                                                  709
        1        Q    AND CARD NUMBER 7, X7.  SHOW YOU THAT AGAIN. 
        2  LET ME BACK UP TO 5.  FIVE HAD ENOUGH RIDGE DETAIL THAT
        3  YOU WERE ABLE TO MAKE A DETERMINATION THE CARD ITSELF,
        4  THE LATENT, THE UNKNOWN HAD ENOUGH RIDGE DETAIL,
        5  CORRECT?
        6        A    YES.
        7        Q    IN YOUR OPINION.
        8              NUMBER 7.  THAT WAS ALSO ONE YOU SAID
        9  EXCLUDED MR. WHITNEY, EXCLUDED MR. CHEUNG, BUT WAS
        10  INCONCLUSIVE AS TO MR. WONG, CORRECT?
        11        A    CORRECT.
        12        Q    SAME QUESTION FOR THAT ONE AS NUMBER 5.  DO
        13  YOU KNOW WHY IT WAS INCONCLUSIVE?  WAS IT HIS ENTIRE
        14  EXEMPLAR, HIS ENTIRE PRINT THAT THEY TOOK, OR WAS IT
        15  JUST A PART OF THAT?
        16        A    I DON'T KNOW.
        17        Q    BUT IN NUMBER 7 THERE WAS ENOUGH RIDGE DETAIL
        18  TO MAKE A DETERMINATION OF SOME SORT ON THE UNKNOWN
        19  PRINT?
        20        A    YES.
        21        Q    MR. WHITNEY'S EXEMPLAR -- WHEN I SAY
        22  EXEMPLAR.  COULD YOU TELL ME WHAT YOU BELIEVE I MEAN BY
        23  THAT?
        24        THE COURT:  WELL, THAT'S IRRELEVANT.  SHE DOESN'T
        25  HAVE TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT YOU MEAN.
        26        MS. PETROSINO:  SURE.
?                                                                  710
        1  BY MS. PETROSINO:
        2        Q    I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ON THE SAME
        3  PAGE WHEN I WAS SAYING EXEMPLAR, SO WHAT DO YOU MEAN
        4  WHEN YOU SAY EXEMPLAR?
        5        A    I MEAN A FINGERPRINT CARD THAT WAS
        6  DELIBERATELY TAKEN AND WHO WE KNOW THE DONOR IS.
        7        Q    OKAY.  AND USING THAT DEFINITION, WAS THERE
        8  ANYTHING ABOUT THE EXEMPLAR OF MR. WHITNEY THAT WAS
        9  INCONCLUSIVE ITSELF?
        10        A    THERE'S NO INDICATION ON ANY OF MY CASE NOTES
        11  THAT INDICATES THAT THERE WERE INCONCLUSIVE RESULTS TO
        12  MR. WHITNEY.
        13        Q    AND THAT WAS PROBABLY -- WELL ACTUALLY THAT
        14  ANSWERS THE QUESTION.
        15              WERE MR. WHITNEY'S PRINTS, THE EXEMPLARS THAT
        16  WERE TAKEN, WERE THEY OF SUFFICIENT QUALITY THAT YOU
        17  COULD USE THEM TO MAKE ASSESSMENTS?
        18        A    YES.
        19        Q    OKAY.  THE CARD THAT YOU LOOKED AT FROM THE
        20  LATENTS, THE UNKNOWNS FROM THE VEHICLE, YOU DON'T GET
        21  THE INFORMATION AS TO WHOSE VEHICLE THAT IS, DO YOU?
        22        A    THAT IS CORRECT.
        23        Q    YOU'RE JUST LOOKING AT THE PRINTS, CORRECT?
        24        A    YES.
        25        MS. PETROSINO:  THANK YOU.  I HAVE NOTHING FURTHER.
        26        THE COURT:  REDIRECT.
?                                                                  711
        1                    REDIRECT EXAMINATION  ^
        2  BY MR. MURPHY:
        3        Q    THANK YOU, YOUR HONOR.
        4              MS. DAHER, REGARDING LATENT LIFT NUMBER 2,
        5  CAN YOU REFRESH MY MEMORY ON THAT.
        6        THE COURT:  WELL, HOLD ON.  THAT'S IRRELEVANT. 
        7  SHE DOESN'T HAVE TO REFRESH YOUR MEMORY.
        8  BY MR. MURPHY:
        9        Q    OKAY.  IF I COULD HAVE JUST ONE MOMENT, YOUR
        10  HONOR.
        11        THE COURT:  OKAY.
        12  BY MR. MURPHY:
        13        Q    THE MASTER BEDROOM DOORJAMB, LATENT LIFT
        14  NUMBER 2, WHAT WAS THE RESULT OF THE COMPARISON OF THAT
        15  PRINT?
        16        A    LATENT LIFT NUMBER 2 WAS IDENTIFIED AS THE
        17  LEFT PALM OF MR. WHITNEY.
        18        Q    OKAY.  ALL RIGHT.  SO WERE ANY OF THE PRINTS
        19  MADE TO MR. WONG?
        20        A    NO.
        21        Q    WHY IS THAT?  YOU TESTIFIED THERE ARE
        22  SOMETIMES PROBLEMS WHEN EXEMPLARS ARE TAKEN FROM PEOPLE
        23  IN THE MORGUE.  WHY IS THAT?
        24        MS. PETROSINO:  OBJECTION.  ASSUMES FACTS NOT IN
        25  -- LACKS FOUNDATION.
        26        THE COURT:  WELL IT'S IRRELEVANT AS TO EVERYONE
?                                                                  712
        1  ELSE.  IF YOU WANT TO ASK HER WHAT THE PROBLEMS WERE
        2  WITH MR. WONG'S PRINTS, THAT'S FINE.
        3  BY MR. MURPHY:
        4        Q    OKAY.  WHAT WERE THE PROBLEMS WITH MR. WONG'S
        5  PRINTS?
        6        A    THEY MAY HAVE LACKED CLARITY IN CERTAIN
        7  AREAS.  THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SMUDGING AS A RESULT OF THE
        8  RIGIDITY OF THE FINGERS, AND THE DIFFICULTY IN TAKING
        9  INKED EXEMPLARS FROM A DECEASED PERSON.
        10        Q    OKAY.  ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE DIFFICULTY
        11  IN TAKING INKED EXEMPLARS FROM A DECEASED PERSON?
        12        A    YES, I AM.
        13        Q    WHAT ARE THOSE DIFFICULTIES?
        14        A    THEY ARE -- HANDS ARE VERY RIGID, AND IT'S
        15  VERY DIFFICULT TO OFTEN TIMES GET THE FINGERS TO BECOME
        16  FLEXIBLE ENOUGH TO RETAIN A GOOD INKED IMPRESSION
        17  BECAUSE THEY'RE OFTEN TIMES VERY CLAW LIKE, AND EVEN
        18  THEIR HANDS SOMETIMES ARE CLOSED.  AND SO IN ORDER TO
        19  GET INSIDE, WE HAVE TO PULL THEIR FINGERS APART AND
        20  BREAK THE RIGOR IN THE FINGERS AND TRY AND INK THE
        21  PRINTS AND THEN DEPOSIT THOSE PRINTS CLEARLY ON A PAPER
        22  SURFACE OF SOME KIND.
        23        Q    WHAT IS RIGOR?
        24        A    RIGOR OCCURS WHEN THE JOINTS ARE BEING FIXED
        25  AFTER DEATH.
        26        MR. MURPHY:  THANK YOU.  I HAVE NOTHING FURTHER.
?                                                                  713
        1        THE COURT:  RECROSS.
        2        MS. PETROSINO:  NO.  THANK YOU.
        3        THE COURT:  ALL RIGHT.  YOU MAY STEP DOWN.

Latest revision as of 15:47, 18 November 2010

The types of errors that may occur at trial are the following:

  • Fundamental Error: This is an error which goes to the heart of the case, and which can be considered by the court "in the interest of justice," even if the appellant fails to properly raise the issue on appeal.
  • Harmful Error: This is an error which the appellate court concludes had a probable impact on the outcome of the trial.
  • Harmless Error: This is an error which the appellate court concludes had no effect on the outcome of a trial. For example, if a defendant confesses to a murder, and the prosecution has his fingerprints on the murder weapon, the use of inadmissible hearsay testimony is likely to be found harmless due to the overwhelming evidence against the defendant.
  • Invited Error: This is where the defendant has asked the trial court to make a ruling which is actually erroneous. The defendant cannot then later appeal the trial court's decision on the basis of that error.
  • Reversible Error: An error which causes the appellate court to overturn the lower court's decision is a "reversible error."
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