People v. Lopez

384 P.2d 16, 60 Cal. 2d 223, 32 Cal. Rptr. 424, 1963 Cal. LEXIS 234
California Supreme Court·Decided August 5, 1963·No. Crim. 7067·Published·Cited by 195 cases

Opinion

SCHAUER, J.

Ernest Barragan Lopez and Willard Arthur Winhoven were found guilty after jury trial of one count of murder and four counts of attempted murder. The jury fixed the penalty on the murder count at death as to both defendants. Each appeals from the judgments 1 rendered accordingly, from orders denying their respective motions for new trials on all counts and from orders denying *231 their respective motions to reduce the penalty on the murder count. These appeals come to us automatically (Pen. Code, § 1239, subd. (b)) on behalf of both defendants and, as to defendant Lopez, pursuant to notice of appeal and request for record filed by his counsel.

The Multifarious Contentions. Both defendants contend that they were convicted by evidence obtained through an illegal search and seizure; that they were denied the “right” to have counsel present at a police “show-up” or “line-up” during which they were identified by witnesses; that they were denied the right to discover the names of certain prospective witnesses for the prosecution; that on pretrial discovery they were erroneously ordered to disclose certain names and evidence to the People; that the trial court committed numerous prejudicial errors, especially in receiving evidence of other crimes; that they were prejudiced by the court’s permitting the People to proceed on a conspiracy theory although defendants were not charged with conspiracy as a separate crime; that the prosecuting attorney committed prejudicial error during his argument to the jury; that the court erroneously failed to give accomplice instructions and committed error in the giving of conflicting instructions; and that there were errors committed during the penalty phase of the trial. In addition, Lopez contends that the evidence is insufficient to support the judgment against him, especially with respect to identification; that he was required to incriminate himself; that he was not legally committed by a magistrate in that during the preliminary examination a witness was not, but should have been, excluded from the courtroom, and the trial court erroneously denied a motion to dismiss the information; that he was prejudiced because no Mexicans were on the jury; that the prosecution knowingly used perjured testimony; that notes made by one witness were improperly admitted into evidence; that he was denied a fair trial because of certain assertedly unfavorable newspaper publicity; and that he was prejudiced by the failure of the court to grant his motion for severance. Winhoven, who testified in his own behalf and, in effect, judicially admitted the crimes with which he was charged, contends that he was denied the right to counsel; that the court erred in excusing from the jury panel those prospective jurors who held conscientious objections to the imposition of the death penalty; and that the death penalty constitutes a cruel and unusual punishment.

*232 After examination of the entire record, we have concluded that no prejudicial error is shown, that the evidence amply supports the verdicts, and that defendants have been accorded a fair trial with due process of law. Hence, the judgments should be affirmed.

The Pleadings. By information defendants were charged in Count I with the murder of Travis Keith. In Counts II through V, respectively, defendants were charged with the attempted murder of John Bingo, the attempted murder of Lawrence Robbins, the attempted murder of Lyle Mason, and the attempted murder of Robert Kirtz. All offenses were allegedly committed on or about July 29, 1960. In addition, Winhoven was charged with six, and Lopez with three, prior felony convictions. Lopez’s motion to set aside the information (Pen. Code, § 995) was denied. Each defendant entered a plea of not guilty, admitted the prior convictions as charged, and was tried before a jury.

Basic Facts. All the crimes with which defendants are charged were committed in connection with the July 29, 1960, robbery of More, Inc. (hereinafter sometimes called “More”), a discount business establishment located at 3443 Sepulveda Boulevard in West Los Angeles. Lawrence Robbins, a bank messenger, regularly went to More on Mondays through Fridays for the purpose of collecting bank deposits from the various business units at More. On Friday, July 29, 1960, Robbins, following his usual procedure, drove his ear into the More parking lot around 12:40 p.m. He parked near the front door in a No Parking zone, then entered the store. He returned to his ear about 1 p.m. with several thousand dollars in cash and checks in a brief case. He backed his car from the stall and started toward the parking lot exit. At that moment a car pulled in front of him, blocking his way. Robbins saw a man wearing a mask jump from that car and run toward Robbins’ ear. Robbins thought something was wrong, so he put his car in reverse and began to accelerate. The masked man then drew a gun and Robbins stopped. The masked man ordered Robbins to drive on, but the car was stalled. The masked man then opened the car door and reached across Robbins to get the brief case, which was next to Robbins on the front seat. Robbins believed the gun to be a .38-caliber revolver, manufactured by either Colt or Smith and Wesson. Robbins grabbed the robber’s arms and they struggled. They continued to struggle outside the ear and Robbins began yelling *233 for help. Robbins was struck and bitten by the robber during their fighting.

John Ringo, a police officer who had stopped at More as a customer, heard a commotion in the parking lot. He observed two men, one of them masked, scuffling. He ran out to the parking lot and attempted to separate the two men. As he did so, he was shot in the back. He turned around and saw a man whom he identified at the trial as Winhoven. Robbins ran toward the store but was shot in the leg before he reached the building.

Edward Will, associate manager of More, had heard cries for help on the parking lot and ran to that area. He observed the second robber shoot Ringo; he identified Winhoven as the man who fired the shot. Will then returned to the store to trip the burglar alarm. He hastened back to the parking lot, arriving just in time to see Travis Keith, an assistant manager at More, shot by Winhoven while Keith was fighting with the masked robber. Keith died as a result of that gunshot wound. The murder weapon was never recovered by the State.

Lyle Mason, a More salesman, had followed Will onto the parking lot. He also identified Winhoven, of whom he had a full side view, as the person who shot Ringo and Keith. Mason heard several additional shots, one of which struck him in the leg. Mason then saw the two robbers get into a blue Oldsmobile parked on the lot. The car apparently would not start, so they left that car and ran toward Sepulveda. One of the men stepped in front of a 1957 red and white Ford driven by Leroy Caldwell. The robber carrying a brief case and gun and wearing a mask ordered Caldwell out of the car. Caldwell got out; the two robbers got in and sped southward on Sepulveda.

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People v. Lopez, 384 P.2d 16, 60 Cal. 2d 223, 32 Cal. Rptr. 424, 1963 Cal. LEXIS 234 (Cal. 1963).

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