People v. Dunlop

179 P.2d 658, 79 Cal. App. 2d 207, 1947 Cal. App. LEXIS 811
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedApril 17, 1947
DocketCrim. 4058
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 179 P.2d 658 (People v. Dunlop) 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. Dunlop, 179 P.2d 658, 79 Cal. App. 2d 207, 1947 Cal. App. LEXIS 811 (Cal. Ct. App. 1947).

Opinion

KINCAID, J. pro tem.

By information, the appellants Dunlop and Lilly, together with their codefendant, William J. Finley, were charged with the crime of robbery, a felony, which crime was alleged to have been committed in Los Angeles County on or about the 14th day of January, 1946. Dunlop was also charged therein with four prior convictions, Lilly with three prior convictions, and Finley with two prior convictions. Each defendant entered a plea of not guilty of the crime of robbery, but each defendant admitted the prior convictions as charged in the information. After trial by jury, each defendant was found guilty of robbery in the first degree. Motions for new trial followed, which were denied, and each defendant was adjudged to be an habitual criminal and sentenced to the State Prison accordingly. The defendants Dunlop and Lilly appeal from the order denying their motions for new.trial and from the judgment of conviction.

The evidence shows that the robbery took place at approximately 10:45 a. m., on January 14, 1946, in the office of a bowling alley, the office being on the second floor of the build *209 ing which housed the alleys: Bach of the defendants entered the office and was armed with and exhibited a revolver. Money was forcibly taken, both from the person of one of the owners of the bowling alley and from the office safe. The defendant Finley was captured at the scene of the crime, and Dunlop and Lilly were apprehended elsewhere shortly thereafter. Bach of the defendants was positively identified, both at and near the scene of the crime, by several witnesses. The defense of the defendants Dunlop and Lilly was an alibi.

Appeal op Bud Lilly

Appellant Lilly contends, as his one point on appeal, that the trial judge committed prejudicial errors of omission and commission in instructing the jury with regard to the evidence of alibi which he produced.

After fully and completely instructing the jury as to the doctrine of reasonable doubt and burden of proof, the following instructions on the subject of alibi were given by the court: “The burden of proving the presence of the defendant, at the time and place of the alleged crime, devolves upon the state, and the state must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he was present at the time of the alleged commission of the offense. It does not devolve upon the defendant to prove that he was not present.” “An alibi means that the defendant was at another place at the time the crime charged is alleged to have been committed. All the evidence should be carefully considered by you, and if the evidence on the subject, considered with all the other evidence, is sufficient to raise a reasonable doubt as to the guilt of the defendant on that particular count, you should acquit him. It is sufficient to justify an acquittal if the evidence upon that point raises a reasonable doubt of his presence at the time and place of the commission of the crime charged, if you find that a crime was committed.” No other instruction on the subject of alibi was offered by Lilly, or either of his codefendants, or given by the court.

Appellant Lilly contends that the instructions so given were misleading and erroneous. He argues that the court should, of its own motion, have instructed the jury more specifically “to acquit unless convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant was at the place charged at the hour when the People’s evidence shows the crime to have been committed, because, in such cases, time is a material fact and factor” and the commission of the offense charged *210 during the time the People’s evidence shows the crime to have been committed is an essential element of the crime requiring an instruction-by the court on its own motion, even though no such instruction was submitted or requested by the defendant.

The rule in California is well established that, although substantial alibi evidence may be given by the defense, in the absence of any request for an instruction in respect thereof, it is not the duty of the trial court to give a specific charge upon that subject. (People v. Whitson (1944), 25 Cal.2d 593, 603 [154 P.2d 867]; People v. Foster (1926), 198 Cal. 112 [243 P. 667]; People v. Jori (1929), 99 Cal.App. 280, 283 [278 P. 250] ; People v. Tracy (1937), 18 Cal.App.2d 444, 446 [64 P.2d 166] ; People v. Ramirez (1937), 21 Cal.App.2d 466 [69 P.2d 913] ; People v. Keilly (1942), 54 Cal.App.2d 764 [129 P.2d 939] ; 118 A.L.R. 1303.)

As was said in People v. Whitson, supra, at pages 603, 604: “Neither do we perceive any valid reason why the fact that an alibi is offered by one defendant and not by another should change the general rule. In the case of People v. Tracy, supra, which involved a similar situation, the general rule was held applicable. And if the sole defense of a defendant is an alibi, it would seem that less reason exists for requiring an alibi instruction on the court’s own motion, since the general instructions regarding reasonable doubt, burden of proof, etc., would apply directly to the only defense, and there could exist no possibility of confusion.”

The general instructions on the subject of alibi in the instant ease, particularly when considered with the general instructions given regarding reasonable doubt and burden of proof, under the conditions here existing properly charged the jury as to this phase of the case. (People v. Notz (1946), 73 Cal.App.2d 439, 440, 441 [166 P.2d 607].)

Appeal oe Frank C. Dunlop

The appellant Dunlop contends, as his first point on appeal, that the court committed error in failing to give an instruction of its own motion defining grand theft and kindred lesser offenses included in the crime of robbery, even though no such instruction was offered by this appellant or his codefendants. He argues that such an instruction is one on the general principles of law pertinent to this case making it incumbent upon the court to give it of its own motion. He relies upon the case of People v. Best (1936), 13 Cal.2d 606 [57 P.2d 168], in support of this contention. In *211 that case the defendant was charged with murder, the jury was instructed that manslaughter was an included offense, a form of verdict of manslaughter was given the jury, but no instruction was given defining the crime of manslaughter, even though one was offered by the prosecution. In that case it was held to be prejudicial error for the court to have failed to instruct the jury on the definition of manslaughter.

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Bluebook (online)
179 P.2d 658, 79 Cal. App. 2d 207, 1947 Cal. App. LEXIS 811, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-dunlop-calctapp-1947.