People v. Asher

273 Cal. App. 2d 876, 78 Cal. Rptr. 885, 1969 Cal. App. LEXIS 2235
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedJune 12, 1969
DocketCrim. 6623
StatusPublished
Cited by27 cases

This text of 273 Cal. App. 2d 876 (People v. Asher) 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. Asher, 273 Cal. App. 2d 876, 78 Cal. Rptr. 885, 1969 Cal. App. LEXIS 2235 (Cal. Ct. App. 1969).

Opinion

SIMS, J.

William Walter Asher, Victor Franklin Carrafa and William Henry Williams have each appealed from separate judgments of conviction of murder of the first degree, sentencing them to state prison, with varying prior convictions. The judgments were entered after a bifurcated jury trial in which the jury found each defendant guilty of the murder in the first degree of John Kammeyer on December 8,1960, and fixed the penalty at life imprisonment.

The uncontradieted evidence shows that Kammeyer, the manager of a bar, was fatally shot by Williams, and that the three defendants robbed the bar and its patrons. The evidence was conflicting as to whether the intent to rob the establishment was formulated before or after the shooting. Evidence also was introduced to show that Williams was incapable of harboring malice aforethought or the intent to kill or rob because of mental disease, defect and intoxication. Insofar as is material the evidence on these issues is referred to below.

Each of the defendants contends (1) that the evidence is insufficient to sustain the verdicts and judgments, (2) that the court erred in failing to give instructions on manslaughter, and (3) that the court erred in failing to submit separately to the jury the question of whether any defendant could be found guilty of robbery as a lesser included offense. (4) Carrafa and Williams additionally claim that the court’s *883 instructions on the effect of intoxication were erroneous, and (5) that the court erred in admitting evidence of their commission of an earlier offense. (6) Carrafa and Asher each assert error in the findings concerning their respective prior convictions, and (7) Asher complains of irregularities in connection with the hearing and denial of his motion for a new trial.

An examination of these contentions reveals that with, the exception of an error in the designation of a prior conviction found to have been suffered by Asher, there is no prejudicial error in the record, and the judgments must be affirmed with the exception of the finding that Asher suffered a prior felony conviction.

Sufficiency of the Evidence

“Under the felony-murder rule of section 189 of the Penal Code, a killing committed in the perpetration of, or attempt to perpetrate, arson, rape, robbery, burglary, mayhem, or any act punishable under section 288 is murder of the first degree. This is true whether the killing is wilful, deliberate, and premeditated or merely accidental and whether or not the killing is planned as a part of the commission of the robbery. [Citations.]” (Peoples v. Lookadoo (1967) 66 Cal.2d 307, 314 [57 Cal.Rptr. 608, 425 P.2d 208], See also People v. Willingham (1969) 271 Cal.App.2d 562, 575 [76 Cal.Rptr. 760]; People v. Baglin (1969) 271 Cal.App.2d 411, 416 [76 Cal.Rptr. 863]; People V. Lilliock (1968) 265 Cal.App.2d 419, 431 [71 Cal.Rptr. 434]; People v. Chapman (1968) 261 Cal.App.2d 149, 165 [67 Cal.Rptr. 601]; People v. Fortman (1967) 257 Cal.App.2d 45, 51 and 55 [64 Cal.Rptr. 669]; and People v. Sievers (1967) 255 Cal.App.2d 34, 38-39 [62 Cal.Rptr. 841].)

The testimony shows that the defendants entered the bar about 7 or 7:30 p.m. and first occupied and thereafter spent most of their time in the vicinity of three bar stools at the far end of the bar, away from the entrance and near the rest rooms and rear office. They drank, conversed with other patrons in the bar, moved about the bar, occasionally left the premises and returned, displayed large amounts of cash in big denominations, and shook dice for drinks and music. They ordered mixed drinks, and notwithstanding the duration of their stay, none of them appeared to be intoxicated. The bartender noticed that they appeared nervous. He thought they might do something, and called a friend to come over.

*884 The manager and the owner, who had left the bar together earlier in the evening, returned around 10:30 p.m. or sometime earlier. At the bartender’s request Kammeyer went to the safe in the back office and got some change. After this transaction had been completed one of the defendants asked him if he wanted to shake dice for $100. Kammeyer declined saying he only had $20 of his own money. The bartender heard the manager call the defendants “punks” or “bums” when he was urged to roll the dice. Kammeyer also got into an argument with a patron about a loan. During this altercation the defendants impliedly advised the bartender that they would assist him if he needed help in quieting the altercation. According to the bartender, by 11 o’clock things had quieted down and there was no contact between Kammeyer and any of the defendants after the earlier incident.

At almost the stroke of midnight the defendants opened their coats and withdrew weapons. Williams had a sawed-off shotgun which a patron recognized as a 12-gauge single barrel weapon. Asher and Carrafa had pistols. Williams said, ‘ ‘ This is a holdup. Don’t make a move, and don’t anybody do anything wrong. Put your hands on top of the bar.” Williams walked up to Kammeyer saying, “I’ll show you who to call a punk.” He put the shotgun in Kammeyer’s back, pressed the trigger and the weapon discharged. Kammeyer fell, mortally wounded.

The bartender heard Williams threaten to do the same to anyone who interfered “because you only die once.” Then, apparently to the dying Kammeyer, Williams said, “You didn’t know who you were fooling with, Baby. ’ ’

The owner moved to help Kammeyer but Williams told her to get back. A voice said, “What did you do that for?” Two patrons thought they heard the owner and the bartender say these words. The bartender thought they came from Carrafa. Williams replied, “I’m going to pay for this.” The defendants each cautioned the patrons, “Everybody keep still. Nobody else will get shot. ’ ’

The bartender and the owner heard the announced holdup before Williams shot Kammeyer. Other patrons who testified were apparently unaware of what was happening until their thoughts or conversations were interrupted by the blast of the shotgun.

Kammeyer was moaning, “I’m dying; I’m dying; I’ve been shot.” Williams demanded money from the bartender who complied by giving him bills and- checks, worth about $418. Williams then directed either Asher or Carrafa to *885 empty the cash register of the change. Williams reloaded the shotgun and took a position guarding the entrance door. The bartender asked him if he wanted the front door closed and Williams replied, “No; leave the door open. We want the business operating as normal.”

Carrafa, gun in hand, emptied the cash register. Carrafa or Asher.then sa.id, “Let’s get that safe open." Williams told the bartender that he picked “The New Hearth” for the robbery because they had been there on Friday night and had seen the receipts, which they thought by Sunday would total some $1,200-$!,500.

Asher, armed with a pistol, pulled the owner back toward the office where the safe was located. She did not have a key to the office door and Asher broke down the door. Asher said that they expected to find $2,000 in the safe.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

People v. Rosas and Juarez CA2/1
California Court of Appeal, 2013
People v. Braxton
101 P.3d 994 (California Supreme Court, 2004)
People v. Pulido
936 P.2d 1235 (California Supreme Court, 1997)
People v. Esquivel
28 Cal. App. 4th 1386 (California Court of Appeal, 1994)
Trinity Ventures, Inc. v. Guerrero
1 N. Mar. I. 54 (Sup. Ct. of the Comm. of the N. Mariana Islands, 1990)
People v. Rivera
162 Cal. App. 3d 141 (California Court of Appeal, 1984)
Stenehjem v. Kyn Jin Cho
631 P.2d 482 (Alaska Supreme Court, 1981)
People v. White
118 Cal. App. 3d 767 (California Court of Appeal, 1981)
People v. Yoder
100 Cal. App. 3d 333 (California Court of Appeal, 1979)
People v. Patterson
88 Cal. App. 3d 742 (California Court of Appeal, 1979)
People v. Fuller
53 Cal. App. 3d 417 (California Court of Appeal, 1975)
People v. Wingo
34 Cal. App. 3d 974 (California Court of Appeal, 1973)
People v. Conrad
31 Cal. App. 3d 308 (California Court of Appeal, 1973)
People v. Gay
28 Cal. App. 3d 661 (California Court of Appeal, 1972)
People v. Brunt
24 Cal. App. 3d 945 (California Court of Appeal, 1972)
People v. Rhodes
21 Cal. App. 3d 10 (California Court of Appeal, 1971)
People v. Satchell
489 P.2d 1361 (California Supreme Court, 1971)
People v. Cuevas
16 Cal. App. 3d 245 (California Court of Appeal, 1971)
People v. Young
9 Cal. App. 3d 106 (California Court of Appeal, 1970)
People v. Rasher
3 Cal. App. 3d 798 (California Court of Appeal, 1970)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
273 Cal. App. 2d 876, 78 Cal. Rptr. 885, 1969 Cal. App. LEXIS 2235, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-asher-calctapp-1969.