People v. Leonard

Opinion

MOSK, J.

Defendant appeals from a conviction of two counts of armed robbery. He contends that by admitting into evidence the guilty plea of another person, arrested at the same time as defendant, the court denied him the constitutional right to confrontation and violated its statutory obligation under Evidence Code section 352 to exercise its discretion to exclude the evidence as unduly prejudicial. As will appear, we conclude the statutory claim has merit and compels reversal. We therefore do not reach the constitutional issue.

On the evening of May 19, 1981, Matthew Cusimano and…