People v. Kendall

212 Cal. App. 2d 472, 28 Cal. Rptr. 53, 1963 Cal. App. LEXIS 2867
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedJanuary 29, 1963
DocketCrim. 8189
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 212 Cal. App. 2d 472 (People v. Kendall) 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. Kendall, 212 Cal. App. 2d 472, 28 Cal. Rptr. 53, 1963 Cal. App. LEXIS 2867 (Cal. Ct. App. 1963).

Opinion

BURKE, P. J.

In an information filed by the District Attorney of Los Angeles County defendant was charged with four counts of abortion in violation of section 274 of the Penal Code. Defendant was also charged with a prior felony conviction of the crime of abortion. Defendant made a motion pursuant to section 995 of the Penal Code which was denied. Defendant entered a plea of not guilty to the offenses charged and denied the prior conviction. Trial was by jury, and before the taking of testimony defendant admitted the prior out of the presence of the jury. Defendant was advised of his right to be represented by counsel but indicated that it was his desire to proceed without counsel. Defendant was found guilty as charged. Probation was denied and defendant was sentenced to state prison for the term prescribed by law on each count, with the sentences to run concurrently with each other. This is an appeal from the judgment of conviction in which defendant is represented by counsel.

Donna L. Walls, an unmarried girl, testified that her regular menstrual periods were interrupted in February 1961 and she observed the symptoms of pregnancy. In June she talked to her boy friend, Mike McKane. They agreed upon an abortion. Through her boy friend she was introduced to Art Me Clinton whom she accompanied to the Arroyo Seco Park where they waited until defendant arrived. Defendant left his car and sat with Miss Walls and Me Clinton in the front seat of Me Clinton’s ear. Miss Walls told defendant she thought she was pregnant and defendant replied that he could help her; he would give her a solution to cause a miscarriage and it was agreed that Miss Walls would call him in about a week as soon as school closed. Defendant gave her his telephone number.

The following week Miss Walls telephoned defendant and arranged to meet him at a certain gas station. Defendant left *475 his car and entered her automobile. Subsequently she followed defendant to the trucking business office on Fountain Avenue called “Dispatchers, Incorporated” where defendant was employed. Defendant got a brown bag. He then led the way down a side street or alley to a small house located behind a larger house about 250 feet away from the office. Defendant took Miss Walls into a bedroom in the small house and there boiled some instruments on a burner stove. He then directed her to disrobe and lie on the bed and inserted a long silver tube in her vagina through which he placed some solution into the vaginal area. She felt cramps, which defendant said was a normal reaction. He informed her that a miscarriage should follow in about 12 to 18 hours and that she should report to him by telephone. Defendant followed her out to her car where she secured $140 which she paid to defendant, $120 of which amount was contributed by her boy friend, Mike.

About four days later she telephoned defendant and told him that nothing had happened. He told her that he would use a different method. She then met defendant on or about June 22 at which time he again took her to the same bedroom in the small house near his office. On this occasion he inserted a gauze pack into the vaginal opening. Subsequently, on July 3 when no result had been achieved he again inserted a pack and again a final pack on July 31. On this latter occasion she subsequently became ill, an ambulance was called by her parents and she' was taken to the county hospital where she miscarried.

Miss Walls identified a photograph of the building and of the bedroom where defendant had taken her, the aluminum pan and other articles he used and the pills which he had instructed her to take. She further testified that he had instructed her that if it became necessary for her to see another doctor she was first to remove the vaginal pack so that there would be no connection made between Miss Walls and defendant.

Arthur McClinton testified for the People. He stated he was first contacted by Miss Walls’ boy friend, Mike McKane, who told him his girl friend wished to terminate her pregnancy. McClinton told McKane he knew someone who might help and mentioned the name of defendant whom he called “Doctor Kendall.” McClinton went to see defendant and made arrangements for defendant to meet Miss Walls. Me- *476 Clinton stated he had been asked by Mike to find ont how much defendant would charge and that defendant had told him “it would be around $200 or so He said he didn’t know. Two or three, I don’t remember now what it was.” He testified concerning the meeting in Arroyo Seco Park. He said that Miss Walls had a calendar in her hand and was discussing with defendant how long she had been pregnant. He first thought the park meeting was in July. The prosecutor advised the court that this testimony caught him by surprise; and, out of the presence of the jury, that it varied with a previous statement secured from the witness and asked permission of the court to cross-examine him as a surprise witness. Under cross-examination MeClinton admitted that it was possible that the park meeting took place in the early part of June. At the close of his testimony the witness volunteered the statement that as defendant left his ear he said “he was glad to have met Miss Walls but sorry he couldn’t help her.” He remembered this portion of the conversation but that was about all.

Michael McKane testified that he had been working with Mr. MeClinton in a service station; that he told him he needed help for his girl friend in regard to a pregnancy; and that he gave Miss Walls $120 for the abortion.

The arresting officer testified that in the company of fellow officers he went to the Dispatchers, Incorporated, office to arrest defendant. The officers had the information concerning the probable abortion that was performed in the small frame house up the alley. Subsequent to the arrest a Mr. Bojorkland approached the office and from an inquiry as to where he resided it was ascertained that he lived in the small house where the abortion allegedly had taken place. The arresting officer testified he inquired of Mr. Bojorkland whether they could go up to the house and look in it and that he said that they could and took them to the house. When they arrived at the house, according to the officer, defendant stated to Bojorkland, “You know, you don’t have to let them in here if you don’t want to, and I wish that you would not.” Bojorkland then said, “Well, I don’t think I’ll let you go in.” The officer stated that it occurred to him that Bojorkland had guilty knowledge concerning the abortion and that he immediately placed him under arrest and then proceeded to enter the house. In the house they located the aluminum pan under the bathtub and the speculum and catheter in paper bags under the daybed. They also found penicillin pills in *477 the middle drawer of defendant’s desk in the office where he was arrested.

On appeal defendant first contends that the trial court committed error in admitting evidence obtained by the police as a result of an illegal search and seizure. The issue is the reasonableness of the search under the circumstances of the particular case. (Carroll v. United States, 267 U.S. 132, 149 [45 S.Ct. 280, 69 L.Ed. 543, 39 A.L.R. 790]; People v. Brown, 45 Cal.2d 640, 643 [

Related

People v. Medina
496 P.2d 433 (California Supreme Court, 1972)
People v. Robertson
240 Cal. App. 2d 99 (California Court of Appeal, 1966)

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Bluebook (online)
212 Cal. App. 2d 472, 28 Cal. Rptr. 53, 1963 Cal. App. LEXIS 2867, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-kendall-calctapp-1963.