People v. Gana

In People v. Gana (2015) 236 Cal.App.4th 598, the defense presented expert medical testimony "who identified the medications defendant was taking to combat cancer and to overcome the adverse effects of the chemotherapy, and explained how these medications could affect her mental state. In particular, a defense expert concluded defendant was suffering from a psychosis likely caused by 'a combination of events, combination of factors, including both her depression as well as the medications that she was taking. It appears that she was experiencing a delirium, which is a kind of fluctuating level of consciousness, due to medical illness that caused her to ... have worsening symptoms of depression and worsening psychoses.'" (Id. at p. 610.) However, a divided panel went on to also conclude that the error was harmless. (Id. at p. 615 (conc. & dis. opn. of Moore, J.).)