People v. Watkins

Summary

The California Supreme Court affirmed the judgment imposing a death sentence for first degree murder, along with robbery convictions and related enhancements. It held that the trial court properly conducted nonsequestered voir dire, excused a prospective juror whose views substantially impaired her ability to impose death, and found sufficient evidence of attempted robbery, the robbery-murder special circumstance, and premeditated murder. The court rejected the remaining guilt-phase, penalty-phase, prosecutorial-misconduct, proportionality, and constitutional challenges. An order modifying the prior opinion deleted language concerning gang influence and did not affect the judgment.