People v. Boyce

99 Cal. App. 2d 439
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedSeptember 18, 1950
DocketCrim. 4477, 4478
StatusPublished
Cited by19 cases

This text of 99 Cal. App. 2d 439 (People v. Boyce) 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. Boyce, 99 Cal. App. 2d 439 (Cal. Ct. App. 1950).

Opinion

WHITE, P. J.

We are here confronted with two appeals (Superior Court case numbered 127562—numbered in this court 4477—hereinafter referred to as case “A,” and Superior Court ease numbered 116216—numbered in this court 4478—hereinafter referred to as ease “B”).

As to case “A” defendant was accused in an information filed by the District Attorney of Los Angeles County containing three counts of the crime of grand theft. It was also alleged therein that defendant had suffered a prior conviction upon a charge of issuing checks without sufficient funds, a *441 felony (Pen. Code, § 476a). Defendant duly entered her plea of not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity. She denied the prior conviction charged against her. The cause proceeded to trial before a jury, resulting in a verdict of guilty as to the offense charged in Count I of the information and not guilty of the crimes charged in Counts II and III. Following a subsequent trial on the plea of not guilty by reason of insanity, the jury returned a verdict finding the defendant was sane at the time the offense charged in Count I was committed. The allegation of a prior conviction was found to be true. Defendant’s motion for a new trial and for arrest of judgment was denied. From the judgment of conviction, the order denying her motion for new trial and for arrest of judgment, defendant appeals.

In case “B” the record reflects that defendant had previously been convicted on two counts of issuing checks without sufficient funds. Prior to pronouncement of judgment proceedings were suspended and defendant was placed on probation. In this ease the order denying her motion for a new trial was affirmed and the purported appeal from the judgment was dismissed by Division II of this court (People v. Boyce, 87 Cal.App.2d 828 [197 P.2d 842]). Subsequent to her conviction under Count I of the information in case “A,” defendant was charged with a violation of the terms of probation granted her in the instant case “B.” After hearing had before the court on a charge of violation of probation, the court entered its order revoking probation and judgment was pronounced sentencing defendant to the California Institution for Women, said sentence to be served concurrently with the sentence in ease “A.” From the order revoking probation and the judgment thereupon pronounced defendant appeals.

The attempted appeal in case “A” from the order denying defendant’s motion in arrest of judgment must be dismissed because such an order is nonappealable (People v. Okada, 14 Cal.App.2d 660, 664 [58 P.2d 967]; People v. Rodgers, 94 Cal.App.2d 166; 168 [210 P.2d 71]).

We shall first give consideration to the appeal taken in case “B.” The notice of such appeal reads:

“Please Take Notice that the defendant, Ruth Boyce, in the above entitled matter, hereby appeals to the District Court of Appeal, State of California, from the order and judgment revoking probation therein entered by the Superior Court on the 12th day of December, 1949.”

*442 While subdivision 3 of section 1237 of the Penal Code provides for an appeal “From any order made after judgment, affecting the substantial rights of the party” (emphasis added), the order here in question revoking probation was made before judgment and is therefore, not appealable and must be dismissed. The validity of appellant’s conviction in case “B” was reviewed and upheld upon her appeal from the order denying her motion for a new trial therein (People v. Boyce, supra).

Coming now to the appeal taken in case “A,” viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the prosecution as we are required to do following a guilty verdict (People v. Carothers, 77 Cal.App.2d 252, 253 [175 P.2d 30]), the record discloses that Olivia Herzberg, a “personal worker” in the ministry, took appellant into her home upon the latter’s release from the Los Angeles County Jail on December 20, 1948, after service by appellant of a term of imprisonment therein pursuant to and as a condition of probation granted in case “B.” Miss Herzberg had in her possession several rings. At the trial of appellant a certain ring was introduced into evidence as People’s Exhibit 4. Miss Herzberg testified that she recognized this exhibit as one of her diamond rings.

On December 21, 1948, appellant asked Miss Herzberg if she could wear Exhibit 4, to which the latter replied that she was averse to permitting anyone to wear her ring. Upon appellant’s assurance that she would be careful of the ring and wear it only in Miss Herzberg’s presence, the latter consented. Appellant wore the ring (Exhibit 4) or had it in her possession until December 24 when the complainant requested its return. Thereafter it remained in the possession of Miss Herzberg until January 3, 1949. On this date appellant asked for, received the ring and wore it during lunch, after which time the complaining witness requested its return and again placed it in her ring box. Thereafter Miss Herzberg, according to her testimony, at no time gave appellant permission to take the ring into her possession. On January 4, 1949, appellant made a trip to San Francisco. Coneededly, appellant removed the ring (Exhibit 4) from the owner’s ring box and took it with her to San Francisco. On January 15, 1949, appellant wrote the complainant from San Francisco, advising that she had lost the ring down the basin in her hotel and offering to make restitution for the loss in the sum of $500 but her promise in this regard was never fulfilled. The ring in question was valued at $700.

*443 On January 11, 1949, the ring in question was pawned at a loan office in San Francisco by appellant, who received $135 in the transaction. A representative of the San Francisco loan office where the ring was pledged, and who qualified as a jewelry appraiser with 24 years experience, appraised Exhibit 4 as worth $500. Miss Herzberg next saw the ring when it was produced in court at the preliminary examination. To regain its possession she paid a representative of the San Francisco loan office $135 loaned the appellant when she pledged the ring as security for such loan to her.

Mrs. Charlotte Johnson testified that she sold the ring (Exhibit 4) to Miss Herzberg in May or June, 1947, and that prior thereto she had it for some 24 years. Miss Herzberg paid the equivalent of $275; $200 in cash and services estimated by Mrs. Johnson at $75. Mrs. Johnson’s husband had the ring made and it cost about $475.

Appellant testified that she and Miss Herzberg traded rings; that Exhibit 4 was the one so traded; that the ring which was lost was a different one. That when she moved away from Miss Herzberg’s residence she left a 3-stone ring as security for the one lost.

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99 Cal. App. 2d 439, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-boyce-calctapp-1950.