People v. Black

113 P.2d 746, 45 Cal. App. 2d 87, 1941 Cal. App. LEXIS 897
California Court of Appeal·Decided May 28, 1941·No. Crim. 3204·Published·Cited by 52 cases

Opinions

THE COURT.

By an amended indictment defendants were charged in count I with a conspiracy to violate sections 245, 375, subdivision (4) and 518 of the Penal Code, and in counts VI to X inclusive with five separate violations of section 375, subdivision (4) of the Penal Code. Counts II, III, IV and V, which charged the commission of other offenses, were dismissed. The trial, which lasted more than three months, resulted in verdicts finding all the defendants, other than those against whom the charges had been dismissed, guilty of the offenses alleged in count I and in counts VI to X inclusive, and judgments of conviction were accordingly entered. From such judgments and from the orders denying their motions for a new trial defendants have appealed.

[92]*92The testimony in the voluminous record (more than 9,400 pages) is conflicting in many respects and much of it is circumstantial. Viewing the evidence most favorably to the prosecution, the facts are as follows: In 1926 a group of persons, including some of the defendants, organized an association of cleaners and dyers the object of which was to control, by means of picketing and sabotage, the prices and practices i of the cleaners and dyers in the city of Los Angeles and vicinity. This association continued in existence from 1926 until 1938, although its name was changed from time to time and different individuals became participants in its activities. There is no occasion for detailing the acts committed by the members of the association or their hirelings at a time more than three years prior to the filing of the indictment herein. For the purpose of showing the continuing character of the conspiracy it is sufficient to observe that during the first nine years of its existence the members of the association were endeavoring by every means possible to “whip outlaw cleaning plants into line". The cleaners and dyers who refused to accede to the demands of the conspirators were subjected to many atrocious acts of violence and sabotage. During this period a representative was sent to Chicago to study the methods used by racketeers in the same industry. He returned with a list of the chemicals and acids which were used in that city and disclosed some of the means of sabotage which were there employed. Defendants were informed by the representative that if metallic potassium be concealed in garments sent to be cleaned it would cause fires during the cleaning process; that acid could be sprayed on clothing from fire extinguishers or other instruments, and that indelible dye could be hidden in clothing which, when placed in cleaning solvent in the cleaning drum, would damage all other clothing in the drum. Defendants procured chemicals, acids and equipment and proceeded to apply these methods in Los Angeles.

During the period within three years prior to the filing of the indictment defendants were shown to have been actively connected with the association and were conspirators in furtherance of its objects. Defendants Cowan, Keller and Meyers were owners and operators of both wholesale and retail cleaning establishments and were the moving force in the conspiracy. Defendants Black, Blumenberg, Dansky and [93]*93Porter were representatives of various labor unions. The association sought to compel the many cleaners and dyers in the Los Angeles area to enter into agreements with labor unions, to fix the price to be charged for cleaning garments and to prevent anyone not a member of the association from encroaching upon the territory of any member. To enforce their demands defendants and various employees of the association contacted many cleaners and dyers and threatened to cause strikes, to picket the places of business, to assault the owners or operators, to damage property and even to kidnap a child. Many of .the cleaners and dyers who refused to comply with these demands discovered to their sorrow that the association was making no idle threats. Noncomplying cleaners suddenly found themselves victims of a series of atrocious acts. Windows were broken, indelible dye placed in cleaning drums and powdered dye scattered over clothing in their establishments; “stink bombs” were thrown into their places of business, an obnoxious smelling “perfume” sprayed over garments, acid thrown into the establishments and over garments, a truck filled with clothing was stolen and the garments destroyed by acid, assaults were committed upon cleaners and their employees and pickets were placed in front of the places of business. As a result of such acts much property was damaged, several cleaners were forced to quit business and their establishments were acquired by one or more of the defendants.

In the briefs filed by defendants, which consist of nearly 1500 pages, a multitude of errors are urged. Many of them concern inconsequential matters, and as to others defendants have seen fit to advance no argument whatever. This opinion will be confined to those rulings which if erroneous might have resulted in prejudice to defendants.

Particular stress is laid on defendants’ contention that section 375 of the Penal Code is unconstitutional and therefore void. The title and material portions of that section are as follows:

“Putting offensive substance in theater or other place of public assemblage; Making or possessing such substance with unlawful intent; Punishment. Use of substance likely to produce serious illness or permanent injury; Use of tear or mustard gas, acid or explosives; Punishment.
[94]*94“(1) It shall be unlawful to throw, drop, pour, deposit, release, discharge or expose, or to attempt to throw, drop, pour, deposit, release, discharge or expose in, upon or about any theater, restaurant, place of business, place of amusement or any place of public assemblage, any liquid, gaseous or solid substance or matter of any kind which is injurious to person or property, or is nauseous, sickening, irritating or offensive to any of the senses . . .
“ (4) Any person who, in violating any of the provisions of subdivision (1) of this section, willfully employs or uses any liquid, gaseous or solid substance which may produce serious illness or permanent injury through being vaporized or otherwise disbursed in the air, or who, in violating any of the provisions of subdivision (1) of this section, willfully employs or uses tear gas, mustard gas or any of the combinations or compounds thereof, or willfully employs or uses acid or explosives, shall be guilty of a felony and shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison for not less than one year and not more than five years.”

It is asserted that section 375 is so indefinite, uncertain and broad in its terms that it prohibits the legitimate use of acid in industry or in any place of business, and that the crime is not made dependent upon the malicious use of acid with a criminal or wrongful intent. Accordingly defendants contend that the statute violates sections 1 and 13 of article I of the Constitution of the State of California and the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution of the United States. The statute must be construed in the light of certain well settled principles. We are enjoined by section 4 of the Penal Code to construe the provisions of the code “according to the fair import of their terms, with a view to effect its objects and to promote justice”. Once the intention of the legislature is ascertained it will be given effect even though it may not be consistent with the strict letter of the statute. (In re Sekuguchi, 123 Cal. App. 537 [11 Pac. (2d) 655] ; Crawford v. Payne, 12 Cal.

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People v. Black, 113 P.2d 746, 45 Cal. App. 2d 87, 1941 Cal. App. LEXIS 897 (Cal. Ct. App. 1941).

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