People v. Fanizza

251 Cal. App. 2d 484, 59 Cal. Rptr. 544, 1967 Cal. App. LEXIS 1996
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedJune 1, 1967
DocketCrim. No. 12092
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 251 Cal. App. 2d 484 (People v. Fanizza) 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. Fanizza, 251 Cal. App. 2d 484, 59 Cal. Rptr. 544, 1967 Cal. App. LEXIS 1996 (Cal. Ct. App. 1967).

Opinion

ROTH, P. J.

Appellants Marco Panizza and Michael Porbes entered pleas of not guilty to two counts of robbery in violation of Penal Code, section 211. They were jointly tried before a jury. Each was found guilty of two counts of first degree robbery, the jury finding they were armed at the commission of each offense. They were sentenced to state prison, sentences as to each on the two counts to run concurrently.

At approximately 12:45 a.m. on June 3, 1965, appellants entered the restroom of the Powerine service station at Florence and Atlantic Avenues in Cudahy. A few minutes later, Panizza came to the station office door, and asked Bobert McMillen, the attendant, for some toilet paper. McMillen gave him the paper. Panizza returned to the restroom. Both appellants then came to the office doorway and Panizza stated: “This is a hold-up.” McMillen observed a pistol tucked inside the waist-band of Forbes’ pants. At appellants’ direction, McMillen went with them to the restroom, gave them 11 all the money ’ ’ (around $85) and appellants left.

At midnight on June 4, 1965, Leroy Zeller was alone in the office of the Powerine service station on East Gage in Bell. Porbes entered and informed him the men’s restroom was overflowing. Zeller went with him to the restroom, saw Panizza leaning against a portion of the building next to the restroom door, his left arm behind his back, and became suspicious. He turned to go back to his office, but was blocked by Panizza. Porbes then pulled a .38 caliber revolver and stated: “This is a hold-up.” Zeller was pushed into the restroom, relieved of approximately $25, and locked inside. A nail file was used to jam the door from the outside. Appellants left and Zeller was later released by neighbors who heard his shouts.

McMillen identified appellants from among 14 photographs shown him by police about 10 days after the robbery. He remembered seeing Panizza at the service station once prior to [486]*486June 3 and was certain on seeing the pictures that Fanizza was one of the robbers. At the time of the robbery, Fanizza was carrying a tan raincoat over his left arm; McMillen did not mention seeing a cast on his arm. McMillen first stated he was not sure of Forbes’ identity, but later, after viewing Forbes standing alone, he said he believed him to be one of the men who held him up.

Zeller identified both appellants from a series of photographs shown him on several days by police, and also picked them out of lineups. Zeller’s testimony was impeached on cross-examination at the trial on the basis of testimony given at the preliminary hearing which differed as to descriptions of the robbers’ clothing and the type of gun used. He also testified he did not see a cast on Fanizza’s left arm.

Fanizza testified, with partial corroboration, that he was at a friend’s house overnight from the evening of June 2 to late morning of June 3. He stated that on June 3 he went to Mexico for two days with some friends and at the time of the robberies, he had a large cast on his left arm. This testimony was confirmed by a doctor, his parole officer, and his sister.

Forbes testified, with partial corroboration, that on June 2, he had helped some friends move into a new house and then spent the next two nights at their home. He admitted having been at both of the Powerine stations prior to June 3 and 4 to buy gasoline, but denied having been at either station on the above dates.

Officer Wagner of the Bell Police Department testified he had two conversations with each of the appellants following their arrests. The first was with Forbes on June 11, 1965. After Forbes had been advised of his constitutional rights under People v. Dorado, 62 Cal.2d 338 [42 Cal.Rptr. 169, 398 P.2d 361], Forbes stated he would rather not say anything until he talked to his Dad. On June 14, Officer Wagner again advised Forbes of his rights, and told him he had been identified by three witnesses as a robbery suspect. Forbes then stated: “ ‘Three witnesses? How come three?’ ” Officer Wagner admitted, although the jury was admonished to disregard the information, that he had “mentioned the three to see what reaction he [Forbes] would give me.” Forbes further asked: “ ‘If I cop out to this—’ ” and later, “ ‘I would like to call my dad and if he tells me my best shot is to cop—well you know.’ ”

Officer Wagner’s first conversation with Fanizza was on June 14, 1965. He advised appellant of his constitutional [487]*487rights. The officer then told him “they” were “specifically identified” as being the two suspects. Panizza then asked: “ ‘What did Mike say?’ ” Later the same day, Wagner was told Panizza wanted to talk to him. At this time, Panizza stated: “ ‘What did Mike say? Did he cop to it? Just tell me.’ ” Wagner then asked whether he wanted to make a statement. Panizza agreed. “I then said, ‘Let’s start with the station ... [on] Atlantic.’ Panizza stated, ‘I’m leery man.’ I then stated, ‘Well, it is up to you.’ He then stated [,] [‘I]f Mike tells me to my face he has already copped then I know it would be all right—do you know what I mean ? ’ ”

On June 15, Officer Wagner showed both appellants the nail file found at the station on Gage. He asked: ‘ ‘ Did one of you leave that behind?’’ Panizza looked at it and said: “ ‘It is mine.’ ’’ Eight after this, he looked at it and said: “ ‘Oh no, it’s not mine.’ ”

Appellants contend that the evidence of identification was inherently unbelievable.

To sustain a conviction, it is not necessary that evidence of identification of defendants be positive or free from inconsistencies. (People v. Miller, 185 Cal.App.2d 59, 68 [8 Cal.Rptr. 91] ; People v. Jackson, 183 Cal.App.2d 562, 568 [6 Cal.Rptr. 884].) At bench, there was identification of both appellants by both victims. Panizza’s contention that it is “inconceivable” the witnesses could have observed him without noticing his arm cast is refuted by evidence that in the first robbery, a tan raincoat, and in the second, his posture in leaning against a wall, were successfully employed to hide his cast from view. This “failure” to observe, the circumstances of identification, the impeachment of Zeller’s testimony, and any lack of certainty of identity testified to by MeMillen and Zeller, were factual considerations going to weight and credibility of the evidence, and for determination by the jury. (People v. Wyback, 193 Cal.App.2d 754, 757 [14 Cal.Rptr. 501] ; People v. Finnegan, 192 Cal.App.2d 151, 156 [13 Cal.Rptr. 264].) The contention that there was “no evidence” which could support their verdict is refuted by the record.

Neither challenges the admissibility of Wagner’s testimony under Dorado rules, applicable at time of trial.

Porbes contends, however, that Panizza’s extrajudicial statements implicated him in the robberies and it was prejudicial error, under People v. Aranda, 63 Cal.2d 518, 530-531 [47 Cal.Rptr. 353, 407 P.2d 265], and People v. Charles, [488]*48866 Cal.2d 330 [57 Cal.Rptr. 745, 425 P.2d 545], to introduce them in the joint trial.

The Aranda rules are now fortified and made retroactive by Charles, supra. Aranda

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Bluebook (online)
251 Cal. App. 2d 484, 59 Cal. Rptr. 544, 1967 Cal. App. LEXIS 1996, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-fanizza-calctapp-1967.