People v. Crowe

Opinion

TOBRINER, J.

Defendant John Irwin Crowe appeals from a conviction, following jury verdict, of assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily harm (Pen. Code, § 245, subd. (a)) and robbery (Pen. Code, § 211). The jury determined the robbery to be of the second degree. (Pen. Code, § 211a.)

The principal issue of the case turns on defendant’s contention that the trial court’s conduct of the voir dire violated Penal Code section 1078. Voir dire does, indeed, often entail a protracted undertaking by counsel that is designed for tactical advantage rather than for the elimination of…