People v. Hernandez

*736Opinion

CORRIGAN, J.

In People v. Stevens (2009) 47 Cal.4th 625, 638 [101 Cal.Rptr.3d 14, 218 P.3d 272] (Stevens), we held that the stationing of a courtroom deputy next to a testifying defendant is not an inherently prejudicial practice that must be justified by a showing of manifest need. We explained, however, that the trial court must exercise its own discretion and determine on a case-by-case basis whether such heightened security is appropriate. (Id. at p. 642.) Here, the trial court did not make a case-specific decision but instead deferred to a general policy when it stationed a deputy…