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7 Cal. 3d 420

People v. Eli

California Supreme Court

Decided June 27, 1972

California Supreme Court · decided 1972-06-27

Cited by 3 later decisions — most recently June 1973

Relies on Witherspoon v. Illinois · Ruffalo v. Mahoning County Bar Ass'n · 6 Cal. 3d 628 - People v. Anderson

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Decided 1972-06-27

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¶1Opinion

BURKE, J.

¶2Nathan Eli was convicted of first degree murder, and his penalty was fixed at death. The judgment was affirmed. (People v. Eli, 66 *421Cal.2d 63 [56 Cal.Rptr. 916, 424 P.2d 356] [cert. den. 389 U.S. 888 (19 L.Ed.2d 188, 88 S.Ct. 136)].) Thereafter under the compulsion of Witherspoon v. Illinois, 391 U.S. 510 [20 L.Ed.2d 776, 88 S.Ct. 1770], the judgment was reversed insofar as it related to the death penalty and affirmed in all other respects. (In re Eli, 71 Cal.2d 214 [77 Cal.Rptr. 665, 454 P.2d 337] [cert. den. 396 U.S. 1020 (24 L.Ed.2d 512, 90 S.Ct. 589)].) At the penalty retrial Eli’s penalty was again fixed at death, and his automatic appeal is now before us. (Pen. Code, § 1239, subd. (b).)

¶3People v. Anderson, 6 Cal.3d 628 [100 Cal.Rptr. 152, 493 P.2d 880], held that the death penalty violated our state constitutional provision proscribing cruel or unusual punishment. (Art. I, § 6, Cal. Const.) Since Eli’s death penalty must therefore be set aside, it is unnecessary to consider his claims of error regarding his second penalty trial.

¶4In his in propria persona, brief on appeal Eli also requests that the remittitur be recalled and the judgment of guilt vacated. Each of the grounds relied upon has been examined, and none warrants our recalling the remittitur.

¶5The judgment, insofar as it provides for the penalty of death, is modified to provide a punishment of life imprisonment and as so modified is affirmed. Pursuant to defendant’s request, the motion to vacate the death sentence and remand the case to the superior court for resentencing is dismissed.

¶6Wright, C. J., Peters, J., Tobriner, J., Mosk, J., and Sullivan, J., concurred.

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