Bruton/Aranda error is harmless given the overwhelming evidence of guilt. Reyes and Ginez were tried together for the murder of the victim. Reyes spoke to police in a way that could incriminate Ginez, and Ginez could not cross-examine Reyes because Reyes did not testify. Ginez objected to admission of Reyes’s statement to police, contending that it would violate Bruton/Aranda. The court overruled the objection, and instructed the jury not to consider the statement against Ginez. The appellate court agreed that there was Aranda/Bruton error, but found it harmless. The proof of guilt was overwhelming. The brief testimony about Reyes’s statement and the prosecution’s passing mention of it were no more than harmless error.
Case Summaries