griffin california argued march decided april comment jury prosecutor state criminal trial upon defendant failure testify matters reasonably expected deny explain facts within knowledge defendant silence circumstances evidences guilt violates clause fifth amendment federal constitution made applicable fourteenth malloy hogan pp cal reversed morris lavine argued cause filed briefs petitioner albert harris deputy attorney general california argued cause respondent brief thomas lynch attorney general arlo smith chief assistant attorney general derald granberg deputy attorney general justice douglas delivered opinion petitioner convicted murder first degree jury trial california testify trial issue guilt though testify separate trial issue penalty trial instructed jury issue guilt stating defendant constitutional right testify told jury evidence facts defendant reasonably expected deny explain facts within knowledge testify though testify fails deny explain evidence jury may take failure consideration tending indicate truth evidence indicating among inferences may reasonably drawn therefrom unfavorable defendant probable petitioner seen deceased evening death evidence placing alley body found prosecutor made much failure petitioner testify defendant certainly knows whether essie mae beat appearance time left apartment went alley kind man want sex woman beat beat time left know know got alley know blood got bottom concrete steps know long box know wig got know whether beat mistreated know whether walked away place cool cucumber saw villasenor conscious guilt wanted get away damaged injured woman things seen fit take stand deny explain whole world anybody know defendant know essie mae dead ca tell side story defendant wo federal trial reversible error committed wilson holds said however wilson decision rested fifth amendment act congress indeed fact opinion wilson case see adamson california bruno beginning end inquiry question remains whether statute comment rule approved california violates fifth amendment think substance rule evidence allows state privilege tendering jury consideration failure accused testify formal offer proof made situations prosecutor comment acquiescence equivalent offer evidence acceptance wilson case stated act framed due regard also might prefer rely upon presumption innocence law gives every one wish witnesses every one safely venture witness stand though entirely innocent charge excessive timidity nervousness facing others attempting explain transactions suspicious character offences charged often confuse embarrass degree increase rather remove prejudices every one however honest therefore willingly placed witness stand statute tenderness weakness causes mentioned might refuse ask witness particularly may degree compromised association others declares failure defendant criminal action request witness shall create presumption defendant contends reason defendant refuses testify prior convictions introduced evidence impeach cal code civ proc unable deny accusations true defendant might fear prior convictions prejudice jury therefore another possible inference drawn refusal take stand reversed footnotes article california constitution provides part criminal case whether defendant testifies failure explain deny testimony evidence facts case may commented upon counsel may considered jury california later held people modesto cal comment rule squared malloy hogan overwhelming consensus however opposed allowing comment defendant failure testify legislatures courts recognized comment light privilege unwarrantable line argument state howard see wigmore evidence mcnaughton rev ed six permit comment two california ohio give permission means explicit constitutional qualification privilege cal art ohio art new jersey permits comment state corby cf state garvin constitution contains provision embodying privilege see laba newark bd state white absence express constitutional privilege also puts iowa among six see state ferguson iowa connecticut permits comment judge prosecutor state heno new mexico permits comment prosecutor holds accused entitled instruction jury shall indulge presumption accused failure testify stat ann state sandoval section reads follows trial persons charged commission offenses proceedings courts martial courts inquiry state district possession territory person charged shall request competent witness failure make request shall create presumption june stat legislative history shows designed inter alia bar counsel prosecution commenting defendant refusal testify frye maine spokesman bill said law massachusetts propose adopt law cong rec reference mass stat mass laws cl third almost identical see also commonwealth harlow mass commonwealth scott mass opinion justices mass decision today fifth amendment prohibits comment defendant silence innovation previous occasion majority indicated acceptance proposition adamson california question whether fifth amendment proscribed california comment practice four dissenters black douglas murphy rutledge jj answered question affirmative fifth member justice frankfurter stated separate opinion historical reasons limited immunity common duty testify written federal bill rights prepared agree part immunity comment failure accused take witness stand forbidden federal prosecutions though agreed dissenters point also agreed justices vinson reed jackson burton fourteenth amendment make clause fifth amendment applicable thus joined opinion held opinion assumed fifth amendment barred comment expressly disclaimed intention decide point reserve decision whether accused require bruno jury instructed silence must disregarded justice harlan concurring agree within federal judicial system fifth amendment bars adverse comment federal prosecutors judges defendant failure take stand criminal trial right accorded amendment given last term decision malloy hogan fifth amendment applies refinements see legitimate escape today decision therefore concur however great reluctance since decision exemplifies creeping paralysis recent adoption incorporation doctrine infecting operation federal system see opinion concurring result pointer texas ante agree accusatorial rather inquisitorial process fundamental part liberty guaranteed fourteenth amendment brother stewart dissent post fully demonstrates rule might lost justice still done palko connecticut part fifth amendment cf opinion concurring result pointer malloy apply rule malloy put forward single argument applying fifth amendment incongruous different standards determine validity claim privilege depending whether claim asserted state federal therefore standards must determine whether accused silence either federal state proceeding justified malloy hogan supra emphasis added also recently suggested measuring state procedures standards fundamental fairness reflected landmark decisions twining new jersey palko connecticut supra require intervene state judicial process considerable lack predictability consequent likelihood considerable friction pointer texas supra concurring opinion goldberg approach requirements federalism unlike evinced henry mississippi apparently leads cases like conclusion way eliminate friction state judicial systems attempt working harmony override altogether although compelled concur decision free express hope eventually return constitutional paths recently followed throughout history justice stewart justice white joins dissenting petitioner chose take witness stand trial upon charge murder california article california constitution establishes defendant privilege provides criminal case whether defendant testifies failure explain deny testimony evidence facts case may commented upon counsel may considered jury constitutional right defendant criminal trial may compelled testify thus whether testify rests entirely decision evidence facts defendant reasonably expected deny explain facts within knowledge testify though testify fails deny explain evidence jury may take failure consideration tending indicate truth evidence indicating among inferences may reasonably drawn therefrom unfavorable defendant probable connection however noted defendant knowledge need deny explain certain evidence unreasonable draw inference unfavorable failure deny explain evidence failure defendant deny explain evidence create presumption guilt warrant inference guilt relieve prosecution burden proving every essential element crime guilt defendant beyond reasonable doubt claim made prosecutor argument trial judge instructions jury case deprived petitioner due process law long ago decided due process clause fourteenth amendment force forbid kind comment defendant failure testify twining new jersey adamson california holds however california constitutional provision violates fifth amendment injunction person shall compelled criminal case witness injunction less year ago first time found applicable trials courts several candor accuracy concedes question us one first impression question arisen last year provision fifth amendment held apply federal proceedings federal judicial system matter covered specific act congress effect ever since defendants permitted testify federal criminal trials see bruno wilson adamson california supra must determine whether petitioner compelled witness compulsion focus inquiry certainly compulsion detected california procedure dramatically different less palpable nature involved procedures historically gave rise fifth amendment guarantee suspect brought high commission star chamber commanded answer whatever asked subjected deeply probing inquiry effort ferret unknown frequently unsuspected crime declined answer pain incarceration banishment mutilation spoke falsely subject punishment faced formidable array alternatives decision speak unquestionably coerced lurid realities lay behind enactment fifth amendment far cry subject matter case us think case stretches concept compulsion beyond reasonable bounds whatever compulsion may exist derives defendant choice testify comment counsel support conclusion california procedure compel accused testify say penalty imposed courts exercising constitutional privilege cuts privilege making assertion costly exactly penalty imposed consists clear understand problem jury becomes aware defendant chosen testify defense jury course realize quite evident fact even though choice goes unmentioned since comment counsel compel testimony creating awareness must saying california constitutional provision places compulsion upon defendant incriminate compulsion describe readily perceive apparent realistic view trial process defendant disadvantage california practice permitted comment failure take witness stand said inferences drawn jury detrimental defendant limiting carefully controlling language instruction involved result jury left roam large untutored instincts guide draw defendant silence broad inferences guilt instructions case expressly cautioned jury defendant failure testify create presumption guilt warrant inference guilt admonished failure relieve prosecution burden proving every essential element crime finally trial judge warned prosecution burden remained proof beyond reasonable doubt whether limitations observed jury without benefit protective instructions shielding defendant certainly open real doubt moreover one say balance advantage might lie result attorneys discussion matter doubt prosecution argument seek encourage drawing inferences unfavorable defendant however defendant counsel equally opportunity explain various reasons defendant may wish take stand thus rebut natural uneducated assumption defendant truthfully deny accusations made think california comment rule coercive device impairs right rather means articulating bringing light rational discussion fact inescapably impressed jury consciousness california procedure designed protect defendant unwarranted inferences might drawn uninformed jury also attempt state recognize articulate believes natural probative force certain facts surely one deny state important interest throwing light rational discussion transpires course trial protect defendant real dangers silence shape legal process designed ascertain truth california rule allowing comment counsel instruction judge defendant failure take stand hardly idiosyncratic aberration model code evidence uniform rules evidence sanction use procedures practice endorsed resolution american bar association american law institute support weight scholarly opinion formulation procedural rules govern administration criminal justice various properly matter local concern charged general supervisory power matters legitimate function prevent violations constitution commands california honored constitutional command person shall compelled criminal case witness petitioner compelled testify whenever jury trial defendant exercises constitutional right members jury bound draw inferences silence constitution prevent operation human mind without limiting instructions danger exists inferences drawn jury may unfairly broad permitted danger go unchecked forbidding comment upon defendant failure take witness stand dealt danger variety ways opinion indicates ante note pp might differ matter policy way california chosen deal problem even disapprove judge specific instructions case long constitutional command obeyed matters state policy decide affirm judgment see excerpt prosecutor argument quoted opinion ante pp cal case decided malloy hogan california give plenary consideration question us however since upheld federal constitutionality california comment rule thoroughly reasoned opinion chief justice traynor people modesto cal adamson case present question reached majority ruled fifth amendment applicable justice reed opinion made clear california rule assumed contravene fifth amendment without intention ruling upon issue dissenting opinion justice black justice douglas read majority opinion strongly imply ing fifth amendment bar comment upon failure testify considered case majority assumption thereby giving approval assumption even dictum approval given dissenting opinion made evident fact justice murphy justice rutledge also dissent felt necessary make characterized addition expression view guarantee violated case justice frankfurter concurring also indicated prepared agree fifth amendment barred comment thus bringing three members dicta took view embraced today stat amended see generally wigmore evidence mcnaughton rev ed model code evidence rule uniform rules evidence rule proceedings see bruce right comment failure defendant testify rev dunmore comment failure accused testify yale hadley criminal justice america hiscock criminal law procedure new york rev note comment defendant failure take stand yale see state pearce tines commonwealth hanks commonwealth noted defendant counsel request additions instructions brought possible reasons might influenced defendant decision become witness california constitution terms prescribe form instruction given petitioner argued another form denied