People v. Gibbs

12 Cal. App. 3d 526, 90 Cal. Rptr. 866, 1970 Cal. App. LEXIS 1644
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedOctober 29, 1970
DocketCrim. 3759
StatusPublished
Cited by46 cases

This text of 12 Cal. App. 3d 526 (People v. Gibbs) 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. Gibbs, 12 Cal. App. 3d 526, 90 Cal. Rptr. 866, 1970 Cal. App. LEXIS 1644 (Cal. Ct. App. 1970).

Opinion

Opinion

WHELAN, J.

Charles William Gibbs, Jr. (Gibbs) and Edgar Albert Lip-man, Jr. (Lipman) appeal judgments of conviction of attempted escape from lawful custody (Pen. Code, § 4532b), possession of deadly weapons by prisoners (Pen. Code, § 4574), first degree robbery (Pen. Code, § 211) and four counts of kidnaping (Pen. Code, § 207). Lipman was found guilty of the robbery of two persons; Gibbs, of the robbery of one person. In all other respects they were convicted of the same crimes. Each was sentenced to prison and execution of the sentences was stayed as to all but one of the counts, which for Gibbs was count nine (robbery of Lane), and for Lipman count eight (robbery of Amos).

Procedural Background

At arraignment on October 18, 1968, appointed counsel, Mr. Ehrenfreund, who appeared with Lipman, stated Lipman desired to proceed in propria persona. Counsel was then appointed to act as a legal advisor but the record is silent as to whether Lipman was advised of his right to appointed counsel and effectively waived that right. At that time the court did not examine Lipman to determine his competence to act as his own lawyer. Both defendants pleaded not guilty to all counts.

Trial was set for December 12, 1968. On November 15, Lipman filed a motion for discovery, a separate notice of the motion, and a supporting declaration and memorandum of points and authorities.

On November 21, 1968, Lipman filed a petition before the United States District Court for removal to that court, which was denied on December 4.

Meanwhile, the motion for discovery and Gibbs’ motion for severance came on for hearing on November 25 and were continued to November 26. On that date the hearing of the motions was continued without date because of the pending proceeding in the federal court.

On December 12, 1968, the case trailed. Lipman asked leave to enter a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity, which was denied.

On December 16, 1968, Lipman, in propria persona, filed a typewritten *532 notice of motion for dismissal under Penal Code section 995, supported by a memorandum of points and authorities.

The case was assigned for trial to Judge Glen on December 18, 1968.

Lipman appeared for trial before Judge Glen and there stated he challenged the court under Code of Civil Procedure section 170 (challenge for cause). No affidavit in support of the challenge was presented. Judge Glen told Lipman if he wished to exercise a peremptory challenge he might do so, although the district attorney might object that Lipman’s right to do so had been waived. Lipman stated he wished to challenge for cause. The judge then said he would allow Lipman until 2 p.m. to prepare an affidavit. As stated by Lipman at that time, his objection to Judge Glen was that the latter at some earlier time had conducted a probation hearing on another defendant, and in a different matter, in which the probation report made unfavorable mention of Lipman.

At 2 p.m. Lipman presented a declaration under penalty of perjury, in support of his challenge, which was ordered stricken from the file by Judge Glen who denied the challenge. Lipman then said he wished to exercise a peremptory challenge. Gibbs’ counsel made a statement indicating he had thought Lipman’s peremptory challenge could not be made until after the challenge for cause had been made. Judge Glen denied a peremptory challenge (Code Civ. Proc., § 170.6) on the ground it had been waived by both defendants. The challenge had not been attempted before the presiding judge of the criminal department when the case was assigned for trial to Judge Glen.

Judge Glen then proceeded to deny Lipman’s motion to enter a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity and Gibbs’ motion for severance, and started to hear a joint motion for change of venue and a joint motion to quash the jury venire.

Judge Glen became ill before the trial and the case was thereafter assigned to Judge Mahedy who refused to declare a mistrial requested by defendants or to determine de novo some of the matters ruled upon by Judge Glen.

Evidence in support of the joint motion to quash the venire was presented anew and the motion denied. The motion for change of venue was denied with the reservation that should the voir dire examination disclose grounds for change of venue the motion would be reconsidered.

Judge Mahedy also denied Lipman’s motion to dismiss. The judge ordered that Lipman and Gibbs, during good behavior, should not appear before the jury in irons, and that Lipman be furnished attire other than jail clothing.

*533 Statement of Facts

On October 6, 1968, Gibbs and Lipman were cellmates in the San Diego County jail. At about 5:45 p.m., Lipman complained to Deputy Donald Amos, who was assigned to the fourth floor where defendants’ cell was located, that Lipman had cut his hand. Deputy Buford Lane, stationed on the sixth and seventh floors, was summoned and took Lipman to the dispensary. After the hand had been treated Lipman returned to the fourth floor alone. As Amos opened Lipman’s cell door, Lipman stepped behind him holding a switchblade knife and removed Amos’ keys and alarm signal box. While Lipman was attempting to open the door of the box housing the controls to the cells, Amos locked himself in a security well. Lipman released Gibbs and the two men disappeared in the direction of the elevator lobby.

Lewis Jackson was an inmate on October 6 and was a trusty assigned to the fourth floor. He was at the deputy station near the elevators when Lipman approached with a knife and said, “This is an escape; do you want to go with me?” Upon seeing the knife, Jackson said, “I guess I have no choice; I guess I have to go with you.” Lipman and Jackson proceeded to the area of F cell-block and Lipman attempted to release another inmate but was unsuccessful. Gibbs appeared with a broken mop handle he used as a club and suggested Lipman get Amos to open the door. About that time another inmate, John Hoover, who was also a trusty, was collecting trash cans from each floor, using the elevator. On the fourth floor he took some trash cans and was looking about for others when Lipman beckoned him to come to him. Hoover refused and Lipman approached him, stuck the knife out at him and pushed Hoover along back to where the other men were waiting. Lipman and Gibbs took Jackson and Hoover with them to where Amos was locked in. Lipman finally opened the security well Amos was in and forced Amos to release Anthony Reserva. After Reserva was free, Lipman locked Amos, Jackson and Hoover in Reserva’s cell and left with Gibbs and Reserva toward the deputy station.

Deputy Donald Sellers returned to the fourth floor from dinner at about 6 p.m. and as he stepped off the elevator he was confronted by Lipman, Gibbs and Reserva. Sellers attempted to press his alarm button but Gibbs, with a club raised over his head, ordered him not to do so. Gibbs then removed Sellers’ alarm box. Another deputy arrived and distracted Lip-man’s attention, and Sellers stepped through an opened gate and locked it behind him. Sellers proceeded to a telephone and called for help, then released Amos and the two trusties. The four men armed themselves with broken mop handles and began to search for the escapees.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
12 Cal. App. 3d 526, 90 Cal. Rptr. 866, 1970 Cal. App. LEXIS 1644, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-gibbs-calctapp-1970.