On Monday morning, the Supreme Court will file opinions in People v. Espinoza and People v. Zaragoza, which were both argued on the early-May calendar.
Espinoza raises these issues: (1) Did the trial court err in continuing trial in defendant’s absence without a valid waiver of his trial rights or appointment of counsel after defendant, who was out of custody and representing himself, voluntarily failed to appear for his ongoing trial? (2) Was reversal required because the trial court refused to grant defendant a one-day continuance after it granted his motion during jury selection to represent himself?
Zaragoza is an automatic appeal from a May 2001 judgment of death.
Both opinions can be viewed Monday starting at 10:00 a.m.