People v. Hambarian

31 Cal. App. 3d 643, 107 Cal. Rptr. 878, 1973 Cal. App. LEXIS 1101
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedApril 16, 1973
DocketCrim. 5699
StatusPublished
Cited by16 cases

This text of 31 Cal. App. 3d 643 (People v. Hambarian) 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. Hambarian, 31 Cal. App. 3d 643, 107 Cal. Rptr. 878, 1973 Cal. App. LEXIS 1101 (Cal. Ct. App. 1973).

Opinions

[646]*646Opinion

KAUFMAN, J.

Defendant appeals from a judgment of conviction of various violations of the Health and Safety Code relating to narcotics and dangerous restricted drugs.

Defendant was charged in an indictment with six counts, all arising out of alleged conduct on December 15, 1971: count I, manufacturing LSD (Health & Saf. Code, § 11912); count II, possession of LSD for sale (Health & Saf. Code, § 11911); count III, possession of marijuana for sale (Health & Saf. Code, § 11530.5); count TV, possession of mescaline for sale (Health & Saf. Code, § 11500.5); count V, maintaining a place for sale of narcotics (Health & Saf. Code, § 11557); and count VI, conspiracy to commit the other offenses (Pen. Code, § 182, subd. 1). By an amendment to the indictment, it was charged that defendant had suffered a prior conviction of a violation of Health and Safety Code section 11530 (possession of marijuana), which defendant admitted.

The case was tried to a jury. During the trial, counts I (manufacturing LSD) and VI (conspiracy) were dismissed on motion of the prosecution. The jury found defendant guilty of counts II (possession of LSD for sale), III (possession of marijuana for sale), and IV (possession of mescaline for sale). As to count V (maintaining a place for sale of narcotics), the jury found defendant guilty of two necessarily included offenses, possession of paraphernalia for smoking a narcotic (Health & Saf. Code, § 11555) and knowingly being in a place where narcotics are being unlawfully used (Health & Saf. Code, § 11556).

At sentencing, the admitted prior conviction was stricken, defendant was sentenced to state prison for the term prescribed by law on the conviction of count II (possession of LSD for sale), and sentence was suspended as to the other convictions pending service of the sentence imposed with respect to count II.

Preliminary Fact Statement

It was the theory of the prosecution that defendant, using his own name Donald Hambarian and an alias, David Talbert, was engaging in the charged unlawful conduct primarily at a residence at 1183 Miramar Street, Laguna Beach. Quite correctly, defendant does not challenge the sufficiency of the evidence to support his convictions, for the evidence of his guilt can only be characterized as overwhelming. Substantial quantities of narcotics, dangerous drugs and paraphernalia were found in numerous locations throughout the residence; defendant alone was found present at the resi[647]*647dence; personal effects belonging to defendant were found scattered throughout the residence; and his occupancy of the premises, at least as a cotenant, was established by at least two disinterested witnesses. Nevertheless, a statement of some of the pertinent facts is necessary at this point to understand the contentions made by defendant and our disposition thereof. Further facts, most of them procedural, will be set forth hereinafter in connection with the contentions to which they pertain.

At about 2 a.m. on December 15, 1971, at the Laguna Beach police station, Agent Michael Barnes of the Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement obtained a search warrant for the premises at 1183 Miramar Street, Laguna Beach, a residence structure consisting of three levels, the lowest level being a cellar or at least having a dirt floor. At about 4 a.m. that same morning, Agent Barnes, in the company of other law enforcement personnel, executed the warrant. They approached the front door of the house and twice knocked and loudly announced their identity, their possession of a search warrant and their intention of serving the warrant. They heard some noise inside the residence, but no one came to the door, and after waiting a moment or two, they opened the unlocked front door and entered. The only person found in the premises was defendant, who appeared to be asleep, in an alcove near the kitchen. A light was on in the kitchen. Agent Barnes looked into the kitchen, saw marijuana in ash trays and ice trays on the kitchen table and placed defendant under arrest. Within the house were found numerous documents bearing the names Talbert or Hambarian. A wallet was found containing a receipt bearing the name David Talbert and the address 1183 Miramar. In the same wallet there was a California driver’s license in the name of Donald Hambarian. Also found was a receipt from an automobile repair agency made out to- David Talbert. In one of the kitchen cabinets there were found a temporary driver’s license and a receipt for the same in the name of defendant. In a closet on the lower level of the house were found photographs of defendant with other persons. In an overhead cabinet in the kitchen was found a glass flask with oily substance in it later determined to be hashish oil. In the storage area below the house in an ammunition box there were found nine plastic baggies containing numerous pills later determined to be LSD. Within a plaid canvas bag in a hall closet there were found white plastic bags containing what appeared to be marijuana and numerous bottles containing various colored powders appearing to be restricted dangerous drugs. It was later determined that these containers did in fact contain mescaline sulfate, DMT and LSD. Also found within the plaid canvas bag was material later determined to be hashish. Found buried beneath the house (in the ground floor of the lower level) was a plastic bottle con[648]*648taining approximately $7,799 in currency. Also found in various places in the house were sizable quantities of ethyl alcohol (commonly used as a solvent to extract the active ingredient from hashish into hashish oil), a scale of a type commonly associated with the measurement and sale of narcotics and numerous vessels and smoking pipes of various sizes and descriptions containing residue of marijuana or hashish.

Mr. Redick was a real estate broker who negotiated the rental of the premises at 1183 Miramar Street in the spring of 1971 with a man named James Cowie. The rental agreement indicated that the premises were to be occupied by Cowie, Cowie’s wife and another adult person. Mr. Redick saw Cowie early in May 1971 but did not see him thereafter.

Jo Ann Redick, the wife of the aforementioned Mr. Redick, was also a real estate broker in business with her husband in Laguna Beach. She received a number of communications from the owner of the premises at 1183 Miramar Street, Reverend Merwin, expressing some concern about the property. As a result of these communications, she went to the residence on a number of occasions. The first occasion was in early August 1971. She was greeted by defendant. She asked defendant if Mr. Cowie was there, and defendant said Mr. Cowie was in Hawaii but that he, defendant, was the third person on the rental agreement. Defendant paid her the rent and promised to keep up the premises. In October 1971, Mrs. Redick again went to the house where she had a conversation with defendant. Defendant stated that his name was David Talbert; that Mr. Cowie was no longer there; that he and another person named “Cappie” “were now in the property” and, again, that he was the third person on the rental agreement. “Cappie” was also present on this occasion. Just before Thanksgiving, in November 1971, Mrs. Redick again went to the house, saw defendant and had a conversation with him. Mrs. Redick told defendant that Reverend Merwin was worried about the condition of the house and wanted to make a physical inspection. Defendant gave her a telephone number and said he and the other residents would be more than happy to show the owner through.

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People v. Hambarian
31 Cal. App. 3d 643 (California Court of Appeal, 1973)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
31 Cal. App. 3d 643, 107 Cal. Rptr. 878, 1973 Cal. App. LEXIS 1101, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-hambarian-calctapp-1973.