Laurel v. Superior Court

255 Cal. App. 2d 292, 63 Cal. Rptr. 114, 1967 Cal. App. LEXIS 1274
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedOctober 23, 1967
DocketCiv. 32061
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 255 Cal. App. 2d 292 (Laurel v. Superior Court) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering California Court of Appeal primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Laurel v. Superior Court, 255 Cal. App. 2d 292, 63 Cal. Rptr. 114, 1967 Cal. App. LEXIS 1274 (Cal. Ct. App. 1967).

Opinion

STEPHENS, J.

This is a petition for writ of prohibition following a denial of motion under Penal Code section 995.

Laurel, the petitioner here, and his codefendant, Russell, were charged by amended information with the following counts: (I) solicitation of one Beverford to join in the commission of a robbery (Pen. Code, § 653f); (II) robbery of one Simpkins (Pen. Code, § 211) ; (III) kidnaping one Simpkins *290 for the purpose of robbery (Pen. Code, § 209) ; (IV) robbery of one King (Pen. Code, § 211); (V) kidnaping of one King (Pen. Code, § 209) ; (VI) kidnaping of one Salazar (Pen. Code, § 209); (VII) attempted robbery of one King (Pen. Code, § 664).

The facts are substantially adduced by the testimony of one Murphy: On March 23, 1967, Murphy called defendant Russell. Russell drove to Murphy’s residence in Burbank and picked him up along with one Beverford. The three persons drove to a pancake house on San Fernando Road. Murphy asked Russell about some scheme to rob a hotel. After some conversation at the pancake house, the three proceeded to Russell’s apartment and there continued conversing about a robbery of an apartment, the specific layout of the apartment to be robbed and its office, doors and steps. All three men stayed at Russell’s place and the following day, the 24th, they continued their talks of the robbery. The detailed plan of how the robbery was to be accomplished was formulated.

On the night of the 24th, Russell drove Beverford and Murphy to a coffee shop at Soto and Olympic. Russell told the other two he would return in half an hour after talking to an “inside man” on this robbery. The “inside man” was stated at that time to be a relative of Russell’s. Subsequently, the “inside man” was identified by Russell as “Bill,” the security guard at the apartment to be robbed, and the security guard was merely a friend. Telephone calls were had between a person referred to by Russell as “Bill,” both before and after the trip to the Soto-Olympic coffee shop. Russell drove away from the coffee shop, returning sometime later as he said he would. On his return, it was reported that the robbery would be more difficult than anticipated. The plan for the robbery was discussed again that evening, but not determined upon until the morning of the 25th.

The scheme to be employed was that Russell was to walk past an apartment which was known as the residence of one King and one Simpkins. These two men worked at the office of the apartment and had the necessary keys and safe combination. Russell was to identify the King and Simpkins place by dropping his keys in front thereof. Beverford and Murphy were then to gain admittance and overpower and secure King and Simpkins and deliver the keys and combination to Russell. Russell was to accomplish the robbery of the safe in the apartment office. Russell related to the others that he had conversed with the security guard (the inside man) and that *291 the robbery would take place between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. when the guard would be out of the office; also, that if the guard did see the participants he would look away and not ‘ ‘ give us any hassle.” The time King and Simpkins were to get off work and be home was related by Russell after phone calls to “Bill.”

Following this scheme, the three men drove to the vicinity of the apartment, stopping first at a food store, whence Russell stated he was to make a phone call to the guard, Bill. Russell returned to the car and the three proceeded to the apartment.

After the car was parked, the three participants carried out the scheme as above related. Both King and Simpkins were forcibly restrained and moved from the vicinity of the door of their apartment to a bedroom therein. Each was bound by rope, and property, including the keys and combination, taken from their persons. In the course of this restraint, both a knife and hammer handle were used, the latter inflicting injury requiring stitches in the scalp of King. Beverford took the keys and combination to Russell, but Russell failed to complete the robbery of the safe.

The three men, after Russell reported his failure, determined to make a further effort to accomplish that which Russell had failed to do. In the process, Bill, the guard, was seen at a position in the alleyway. Bill, with drawn gun, motioned Murphy and the others away, and Russell stated “he was motioning us away and let’s get out of here.” The three returned to the car and drove to Russell's apartment. Russell made a phone call to the guard, Bill. Russell left, then returned after the expiration of some period of time and reported that King was not in serious condition and had had stitches. This was reported at about 11:30 p.m., Saturday, the 25th. Nothing else was done until the morning of the 26th, when Russell again made a phone call. After the call, Russell said that the guard was enthused, that he wanted in on the job that was to be pulled.

Thereafter, a new plan was conceived in the expectation of accomplishing the robbery. The new scheme called for the guard to call the plumber to fix a toilet at around 8 p.m.; that upon arrival of the plumber, he would be “jumped” and required to call for the guard to open the apartment office, and after a pretended “hassle” by the guard, he would be gently subdued and tied. Russell would then open the safe, and the robbery would be completed.

*292 The robbery was set to take place the night of the 26th, and following another phone call from Russell to the guard, the plan was to commence at the expiration of 10 minutes from the call. Russell, B ever ford and Murphy took positions near the apartment and awaited the arrival of the plumber. Very shortly thereafter, the plumber (Salazar) did arrive. He approached the apartment, and, in accordance with the stated plan, Murphy put a knife to his back and cautioned about attempting escape or calling for help. At this moment, a civilian employee of the apartment arrested Murphy, enforcing the arrest by putting a gun on Murphy.

Subsequently, it was established that the guard, Bill, was the defendant, Laurel; that Laurel was found to have on his person the safe’s combination and that this was without authorization. The fact that Laurel had in fact called the plumber as outlined in the above stated robbery plan was established, plus Russell’s possession of the phone number and diagram of the apartment office.

Defendant’s contention before us is in the singular: “No competent evidence was presented at the preliminary examination to show reasonable or probable cause for believing that petitioner was a principal to the offenses charged in the complaint or Amended Information, and, that lacking such reasonable or probable cause to believe that petitioner committed the offense charged, the Motion to Dismiss the Information should have been granted and this Writ of Prohibition should therefore issue. ’ ’

We have referred in the facts to phone conversations between Russell and Laurel, the substance of which was related by the witness, Murphy. Timely hearsay objection was made to this testimony of Murphy as to the contents of phone calls allegedly made by Russell to Laurel. Murphy did not hear any of the alleged conversations or even that such phone communication was had between Russell and a third person.

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Bluebook (online)
255 Cal. App. 2d 292, 63 Cal. Rptr. 114, 1967 Cal. App. LEXIS 1274, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/laurel-v-superior-court-calctapp-1967.