People v. Harris

93 Cal. App. 3d 103, 155 Cal. Rptr. 472, 1979 Cal. App. LEXIS 1750
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedMay 17, 1979
DocketCrim. 17722
StatusPublished
Cited by34 cases

This text of 93 Cal. App. 3d 103 (People v. Harris) 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. Harris, 93 Cal. App. 3d 103, 155 Cal. Rptr. 472, 1979 Cal. App. LEXIS 1750 (Cal. Ct. App. 1979).

Opinion

*108 Opinion

FEINBERG, J.

Appellants Harris and Baker were charged in one count with kidnaping (Pen. Code, § 207) and in three counts, as principal or aider and abettor, with rape by force and by threats of great bodily harm (Pen. Code, § 261, subds. 2 and 3). In addition, Harris was charged with one count of robbery (Pen. Code, § 211). Appellants were convicted as charged.

The questions before us are: (1) was Harris denied a speedy trial; (2) was the jury properly instructed on the issue of consent; (3) did the court commit prejudicial error in excusing defense witnesses on Fifth Amendment grounds; (4) was the failure to instruct, sua sponte, on lesser included offenses with respect to Harris’ conviction of robbery error; and (5) should the robbery conviction be reversed because of the references to a lie detector test?

The Evidence

Denise Dixon, the alleged victim of the kidnaping, rapes and robbery, testified that she boarded a public bus on which there were three males, two of whom were playing a card game. 1

One of the players (Baker) came up to her and asked her for money. When she refused, he snatched her purse and took $15 from it. Baker then played cards on the bus with one of the other male passengers (Harris).

Dixon kept asking for the return of her money. It was not returned though both appellants promised to return it a number of times. Eventually, Harris, Baker, and the third male (C. Jack son) got off the bus. Dixon followed them off still seeking the return of her money.

The three men went across the street to a service station where Harris had a car parked. Dixon followed still intent upon getting her money back.

When she arrived at the car, she again asked for her money. Appellants were then standing outside the car. Harris got into the car and pulled *109 Dixon in, Baker and the third man got in and Harris drove off. As they drove, Baker kept pushing Dixon’s head down so that, Dixon supposed, she couldn’t see where they were going.

Shortly thereafter, the third male was dropped off and he no longer figures in the incidents.

Eventually, Dixon’s testimony continues, she was taken to an apartment. Baker, Harris and Dixon entered the apartment. In the apartment was a man (G. Jackson) and two women. Harris, Baker and Dixon went directly to a bedroom. In the bedroom, with only the three present, Harris told Dixon that he would try to get her money back by playing Three-Card Molly and winning. Since he had no money, he wagered his leather coat. Harris lost (as could have been anticipated). He then told Dixon that because she had made him lose his coat, he was going to have intercourse with her.

Baker then left the bedroom. Harris undressed Dixon. She resisted by telling him to stop. Harris then had coitus with Dixon (the first rape count). After the act of intercourse, Harris dressed and left the bedroom. Thereupon, Baker entered the bedroom and said to Dixon that “he had to get his, too.” He told Dixon to orally copulate him. Dixon refused, whereupon he “did it the same way . . . Harris did” with Dixon struggling (the second rape count). Baker then dressed and left the bedroom.

Moments later, Baker and Harris reentered the bedroom. Within a few minutes thereafter, a third man (Johnson) entered the bedroom. Johnson gave Baker $40 to have intercourse with Dixon. Baker and Harris left the bedroom and Johnson had intercourse with Dixon (the third rape count). She struggled with him as she had “with all of them.” Johnson then left.

Baker and Harris reentered. Harris then removed from Dixon’s finger a school class ring, saying that because she had made him lose his coat trying to win her money back, he was going to try to win his coat back with her ring. Baker and Harris then played cards; Baker won and pocketed the ring. Harris and Baker then left the apartment. Subsequently, Dixon, without any further molestation, dressed and left.

Harris testified. Since his testimony differed from Dixon’s only in certain crucial aspects, we shall only delineate the differences.

*110 According to Harris, Baker approached Dixon on the bus and ascertained she had money. Baker then asked Harris and Dixon if they wanted to play Three-Card Molly. Harris pretended ignorance of the game and Baker explained it. Baker offered to bet $20. Dixon said she only had $15. Harris said he would add $5. The game was played and Baker won. Baker asked Dixon to play again. Dixon said she had no more money. Harris then told her that if she would come with them he would try to get more money in an endeavor to win her money back. After considerable persuasion, Dixon agreed.

Dixon, appellants and a third male (C. Jackson) got off the bus, walked to the gas station and got into Harris’ car. Harris denied forcing Dixon into the car and denied that while she was in the car any force or threat was directed at her by anyone. When they arrived at the apartment (it was G. Jackson’s apartment), two women, C. Jackson and Johnson were present. Appellants and Dixon went into the bedroom and the game resumed. Harris played against Baker, wagered his coat and lost. Dixon then asked Harris how she could get her money back. He told her that she could gamble her clothing, he would gamble his, and they would play against Baker. They so proceeded and they lost. Rapidly thereafter, both Dixon and Harris were reduced to their undergarments. At that point, Harris pretended to be upset, telling Dixon that she had made him lose. Baker then told Dixon that he didn’t want her clothes so he would give her an opportunity to win them back. However, if she lost; she would have to go to bed with Harris. Dixon agreed, played, lost, and Harris then had intercourse with her, Baker having gone out of the bedroom and closed the door. Harris did not use force to commit intercourse nor did Dixon physically resist or protest.

Upon completion of coitus, Harris got dressed, left the bedroom and Baker entered. The door was closed and Harris did not know what took place therein.

When Harris returned to the bedroom, Baker was dressed; Dixon was still in her underclothes. Baker then left and returned with Johnson. Johnson said he would pay $40 to go to bed with Dixon. Baker told Dixon that if she went to bed with Johnson, she would have $40 to win her clothing back. Dixon agreed. Baker gave her the $40; Baker and Harris left the bedroom and closed the door.

Thereafter, Harris and Baker reentered the room; Johnson was gone. Dixon played against Baker and bet the $40 and her high school ring, *111 which she took off her finger, against her clothes and a sum of money. She lost again. Baker took the $40 and the ring. Harris denied taking the ring off Dixon’s finger. Harris then bet his car against the return of Dixon’s clothes. He won. He returned the clothes to Dixon. She dressed. Harris offered her a ride. She declined. Harris and Baker left the apartment at which time the two women and G. Jackson were still there.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
93 Cal. App. 3d 103, 155 Cal. Rptr. 472, 1979 Cal. App. LEXIS 1750, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-harris-calctapp-1979.