People v. Verdugo

Summary

The court affirmed the judgment imposing death for defendant's convictions for two first degree murders with a multiple-murder special circumstance and firearm-use findings. It rejected claims concerning appointment of second counsel, discovery violations, evidentiary and instructional rulings, penalty-phase procedures, denial of a new trial, discharge of retained counsel, and constitutional challenges to California's death-penalty scheme. The court concluded that any discovery or other assumed errors were harmless, forfeited, or within the trial court's discretion.