People v. Diaz

206 Cal. App. 2d 651, 24 Cal. Rptr. 367, 1962 Cal. App. LEXIS 2067
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedAugust 13, 1962
DocketCrim. 3888
StatusPublished
Cited by32 cases

This text of 206 Cal. App. 2d 651 (People v. Diaz) 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. Diaz, 206 Cal. App. 2d 651, 24 Cal. Rptr. 367, 1962 Cal. App. LEXIS 2067 (Cal. Ct. App. 1962).

Opinion

BRAY, P. J.

Defendants appeal from judgments of conviction after jury trial. Each was separately found guilty of three offenses: (1) violation of section 11500, Health and Safety Code (sale of heroin) ; (2) violation of section 11500 (offer to sell heroin) ; and (3) violation of section 182, Penal Code (conspiracy to offer to sell heroin). 1

Questions Presented

1. Alleged abuse of discretion in denying defendants’ motions to withdraw plea.

2. Alleged error in refusing to quash the indictment.

3. Alleged error in consolidating information and indictment for trial.

*658 4. Alleged lack of speedy trial.

5. Restriction of cross-examination of witness Mantler.

6. Effect of delay in giving information concerning the informer.

7. Alleged improper cross-examination of defendant Siegel.

8. Failure to 1 grant Diaz’ motion to dismiss sale charge.

9. Alleged entrapment.
10. Alleged misconduct of district attorney.
11. Have defendants been subjected to multiple punishment?

Record

In 1959 defendants were convicted of violating section 11500, Health and Safety Code (sale of heroin). On appeal, People v. Diaz (1959) 174 Cal.App.2d 799 [345 P.2d 370], we reversed the conviction because of the refusal of the prosecution to disclose information concerning the informer Tomlinson. When the cause came on for resetting, new counsel were appointed, and defendants moved for leave to withdraw their pleas of not guilty for the purpose of moving to set aside the information on the ground that they were not properly advised of their right to counsel at the arraignment in the municipal court. In the meantime, an additional complaint was filed in the municipal court charging defendants with offering to sell heroin and with conspiracy to offer to sell heroin. Thereafter an indictment was returned by the grand jury charging the same offenses. This was filed in the superior court after defendants’ motion to withdraw pleas had been denied. Defendants’ motion to quash the indictment was denied, as was a petition for a writ of mandate directing the municipal court not to dismiss the charges there filed.

The information upon which the first trial was had, and the indictment, were consolidated for trial. Then, on arraignment on the indictment, defendants stood mute. Pleas of not guilty were entered for them. On the trial each was convicted of all three offenses.

Inasmuch as no contention is made that the evidence was insufficient to support the verdicts, only a brief summary of the facts dealing with the commission of the offenses will be given.

On April 4, 1957, at San Jose, State Narcotic Agent Mantler, in the presence of informer Tomlinson and with Deputy Sheriff Best concealed in the trunk of Mantler’s car, purchased 1 ounce and 5 grams of heroin from defendants. As soon as the sale was consummated defendants together negoti *659 ated with Mantler for further sales. After discussion of quantity and time of delivery, defendant Siegel agreed to call Mantler on Wednesday. Subsequent telephone conversations took place between Siegel and Mantler culminating in an arrangement to meet on April 13. Mantler met Diaz and Siegel and defendants agreed to deliver Mantler 2 ounces of heroin for $800. Diaz suggested that Mantler take more on consignment. Siegel suggested that Mantler in his car lead them to a safe place for completing the deal. Mantler drove to Burlingame, followed by defendants in another car. There Mantler and other officers arrested defendants. In the car of the latter a total of 2,612 grains of heroin was found.

At the trial, Diaz did not testify. He offered the depositions of two used car salesmen to the effect that he was in Los Angeles on April 4 and 5.

Siegel testified, admitting being present on the above mentioned occasions but denied knowing anything about the heroin or that Diaz was with him on April 4. He admitted phoning Mantler but only to “ spoof him along. ’ ’

1. No Abuse of Discretion.

After the return of the remittitur on the prior appeal, defendants moved to withdraw their pleas of not guilty so that they might make a motion under section 995, Penal Code, to dismiss the information on the ground specified in that section “That before the filing thereof the defendant had not been legally committed by a magistrate” in that on their arraignment in the municipal court, the magistrate did not properly inform them of their rights to counsel. 2

Failure of the committing magistrate to inform a defendant of his right to counsel justifies an attack on the information under section 995 on the ground that the defendant “ ‘had not been legally committed. . . .’ ” (People v. Malowitz (1933) 133 Cal.App. 250, 255 [24 P.2d 177].)

The law is well settled that a motion under section 995 to set aside an indictment or information “must be made in the court in which the accused is arraigned before demurrer or plea and that a failure to so move at that time constitutes a waiver of any future objections.” (People v. Egan (1946) 73 Cal.App.2d 894, 897 [167 P.2d 766] ; People v. Brown (1946) 72 Cal.App.2d 717, 719 [165 P.2d 707] ; People v. Ahern (1952) 113 Cal.App.2d 746, 750 [249 P.2d 63] ; In re Tedford (1948) 31 Cal.2d 693, 694 [192 P.2d 3].)

*660 However, a court, in spite of such waiver, may allow a defendant to withdraw his plea of not guilty and allow him to make the motion under section 995 which he should have made theretofore. In effect the court is allowing such defendant to withdraw his waiver. However, the defendant is not entitled as a matter of right to withdraw his plea.

A motion to withdraw the plea of not guilty is addressed to the sound discretion of the trial court. (People v. Lee (1860) 17 Cal. 76, 80; People v. Crowder (1945) 69 Cal.App.2d 304, 310 [158 P.2d 988].)

The court did not abuse its discretion in denying defendants the opportunity of questioning the instruction given them by the committing magistrate concerning their right to counsel, primarily because they did not raise this question timely. They were represented by counsel at their first arraignment in the superior court and at the first trial in that court.

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Bluebook (online)
206 Cal. App. 2d 651, 24 Cal. Rptr. 367, 1962 Cal. App. LEXIS 2067, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-diaz-calctapp-1962.