Hollywood v. Superior Court

Opinion

WERDEGAR, J.

Does a prosecutor’s consulting with the makers of a major motion picture that is based on a criminal defendant’s story create a conflict sufficient to require recusal of the prosecutor when the defendant is finally brought to trial? Here, the lead prosecutor, bent on tracking down the fugitive defendant in this capital case, gave his case files to a screenwriter/director to make a movie based on the defendant’s alleged life and crimes and consulted with the filmmakers during its subsequent production. The defendant, Jesse James Hollywood, was ultimately captured in Brazil…