Is a defendant entitled to a fair trial if he is found guilty in the guilt phase of his trial?

California, United States of America

The following excerpt is from People v. Mincey, 2 Cal.4th 408, 6 Cal.Rptr.2d 822, 827 P.2d 388 (Cal. 1992):

Defendant argues that the cumulative effect of the errors in the guilt phase of his trial requires reversal. We disagree. The only significant error pertained to defendant's misdemeanor convictions, which were barred by the applicable one-year statute of limitations. We corrected the error by reversing the misdemeanor convictions. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial, not a perfect one. (See People v. Miranda (1987) 44 Cal.3d 57, 123, 241 Cal.Rptr. 594, 744 P.2d 1127.) In this case, defendant received a fair trial.

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