People v. Allen

231 P.2d 896, 104 Cal. App. 2d 402, 1951 Cal. App. LEXIS 1631
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedMay 24, 1951
DocketCrim. 4556
StatusPublished
Cited by22 cases

This text of 231 P.2d 896 (People v. Allen) 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
People v. Allen, 231 P.2d 896, 104 Cal. App. 2d 402, 1951 Cal. App. LEXIS 1631 (Cal. Ct. App. 1951).

Opinion

BARTLETT, J. pro tem.

The appellants, Dr. James S. Allen and Marie 0 ’Neil, were each charged in an information filed by the District Attorney of Los Angeles County with the crime of abortion in three counts and, in a fourth count, with the crime of conspiracy which count alleged that the appellants conspired together to violate section 274 of the Penal Code. In regard to this count six overt acts in furtherance of the alleged conspiracy were alleged: (1) that the appellants blindfolded Patsy Kelley; (2) that they blindfolded Anne Ulicsnu; (3) that they blindfolded Lorraine Ashley ; (4) that the appellants occupied an office at 4809 Coldwater Canyon Road in the county of Los Angeles, State of California; (5) that the appellants caused to be printed professional cards under the name of Dr. A. L. Hammond; (6) that the appellants received certain sums of money as compensation for their illegal acts. Appellants waived trial by jury and the court adjudged the appellant Marie O’Neil guilty as charged in each count of the information and found the appellant Allen not guilty as to counts I and II of the information *405 and guilty as charged in counts III and IY. Each appellant made a motion for a new trial which was denied. Each has appealed from the judgments and the orders denying motions for new trials. The transcript is lengthy and we will not attempt to set forth a résumé of all the testimony in the transcript. On account of the contentions made by the appellants it is necessary to call attention to the following testimony.

The woman named in count I of the information, Patsy Kelley, testified that in the early part of February, 1949, she was pregnant and went to see a Dr. Ketridge regarding the matter and that following her conversation with him she went to 4811 Coldwater Canyon Road in Los Angeles County, California. Upon going there and entering the reception room, she talked to a receptionist and later on had a conversation with the appellant Marie O’Neil. The appellant told her not to worry about anything. They then went back into one of the offices and Marie O’Neil asked her to undress. Marie O’Neil then went away for a few moments, came back and asked the witness if she had any money with her. She told the appellant that she had $250 and asked her for a receipt as she had an insurance policy that would pay off anything that she paid on a doctor bill. Marie 0 ’Neil said she would surely try to give her a receipt, went away and came back and said that was impossible. The witness then gave Marie 0 ’Neil the $250 in cash. Marie O ’Neil took her into another little room where there was a table and blindfolded her and then her legs were put up in stirrups of some kind on the table. She felt water poured between her legs and felt some cold metal in her vagina and after that she felt terrific pain. After feeling these sensations on the table, she went back to the anteroom and lay down for a long time. At the time of the operation, other than Marie O’Neil, she knew there was a man in the room by his voice but she did not get a glimpse of him. After that Marie O ’Neil told her if she had any trouble to contact them. After she had been there about an hour, Marie O ’Neil told her not to go out in the hall because the doctor was very strict about not having anybody see him. While she was resting in the other room she heard a girl come in who said she was scared and they told her not to be frightened. Then she heard a door slam and heard Marie O’Neil’ ask her to disrobe. This girl was in the room about a full hour. Marie O’Neil did not stay with the witness during that time. Marie O’Neil was with this girl and she heard the same man’s voice in there *406 also. She heard the man’s voice ask for an anaesthetic. Other than the fact that she was pregnant, the witness testified that she was in good health at the time she made this visit on February 10th. She noticed the name of Dr. James S. Allen on the window of this particular building.

Anne Ulicsnu, mentioned in count II of the information, testified that in the early part of February, 1949, she was pregnant. She went to an office in the valley on February 10, 1949, about a quarter of 12 and saw the appellant Marie O’Neil after having talked to a receptionist. A friend named Julia Molnar accompanied her and when she was asked for money, Julia Molnar handed $250 in cash to Marie O ’Neil. Marie O’Neil asked the witness how far she was along and she told her three months. She was taken to another room and Marie O’Neil told her to undress.. She left her clothes in that room and went into another room where there was a doctor’s table. She noticed instruments and metal things were in the room. She was told by Marie O ’Neil to get on the table and Marie O’Neil put a mask on her. Then a man came in who she could feel examining her. Her legs were strapped up. The appellant Marie O’Neil was very nice and stayed with her. While she was lying on the table the nurse was holding her hands and she could hear a man’s voice from the foot of the table. She was there for about an hour and a half. She felt uncomfortable and there was a scraping inside her vagina and she does not know with what instrument. She was then taken out of the room and laid on a cot where Marie O ’Neil took off the blindfold. Marie O ’Neil gave her instructions not to take a bath for two weeks and not to douche for two weeks and then pressed her stomach from the outside. Other than being pregnant she was not in ill health.

Julia Molnar next testified and said that she went to an office building in Coldwater Canyon with Anne Ulicsnu. She noticed the name of Dr. Allen on this building. After seeing a receptionist she met the appellant Marie O’Neil and Anne went inside and then came out and asked her for the money and she took in $250. She asked this nurse why she had to give the money to her before the operation was performed. The nurse said “that would be putting the cart before the horse.” Anne Ulicsnu went into the room about five minutes to 12 and came out about 20 minutes before 2.

Lorraine Ashley, who is named in count III of the information, testified that prior to the morning of February 15, 1949, she was pregnant but was otherwise in good health. She *407 stated that she talked to somebody about her pregnancy and her attention was directed to Los Angeles by the person to whom she talked. She took a taxi to an office building and saw a receptionist in a front office and then met a person who appeared to be a nurse. She had a friend with her named Laura Ashley who had come with her from San Francisco and who held the money. She then went to another room and was told to take oft her clothes which she did. She was then blindfolded and laid down on a table, and was told to put her feet in stirrups which pulled her knees up. There was a man’s voice and a woman’s voice in the room and she felt a hard instrument in her vagina. Afterwards she was taken into another room and told to lie down and the blindfold was removed. When she was on the table she heard some buzzing and heard a nipping sound like scissors. Afterward she saw the appellant Dr. Allen on the premises and heard and saw him talking on a telephone. That was while the police officers were in the room.

Lois Shively, a policewoman of the city of Los Angeles, testified that she went to 4811 Coldwater Canyon Road on February 15, 1949. At about 9 o’clock she entered the building which had the name of Dr. James S. Allen on the outside.

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Bluebook (online)
231 P.2d 896, 104 Cal. App. 2d 402, 1951 Cal. App. LEXIS 1631, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-allen-calctapp-1951.