People v. Lugo

203 Cal. App. 2d 764
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedMay 21, 1962
DocketCrim. Nos. 7671, 7672, 7673
StatusPublished

This text of 203 Cal. App. 2d 764 (People v. Lugo) 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. Lugo, 203 Cal. App. 2d 764 (Cal. Ct. App. 1962).

Opinion

WOOD, P. J.

By indictment (Superior Court case No. 231178; Appeal No. 7671) defendant Lugo was accused in five counts of unlawfully selling heroin, and one count of unlawfully agreeing to sell heroin and then selling a substance in lieu thereof. It was also alleged therein that he had been convicted previously of two felonies (narcotics and grand theft).

By another indictment (Superior Court case No. 234879; Appeal No. 7673) he was accused in three counts of unlawfully selling heroin. Said prior convictions were alleged therein.

By information (Superior Court case No. 234743; Appeal No. 7672) he and Mollie Valle were accused in two counts of unlawfully possessing narcotics. Said prior convictions were alleged therein. It was also alleged that Valle had been convicted previously of a felony (narcotics).

The allegations of prior convictions were denied.

Trial by jury in each of those cases was waived. Upon stipulation, the cases were consolidated for trial.

Lugo was adjudged guilty on all counts in each of the three accusations. The allegations of prior convictions were found to be true. (Valle was adjudged guilty on the two counts in the information where she was charged jointly with Lugo. The allegation of prior convictions as to her was found to be true.)

Lugo was sentenced to state prison, and it was ordered that the sentences on the counts in each accusation should run concurrently with the sentences on the other counts herein, and that the concurrent sentences on each accusation should run concurrently with the sentences on the other accusations.

Lugo appeals from the judgments rendered upon the indictments and the information.

He contends: That his trial counsel (Mr. Arthur—not present counsel) entered into an improper stipulation, regarding the police reports as hereinafter referred to, and he was thereby deprived of a fair trial and the right to be confronted by the witnesses. That his trial counsel failed to render effective assistance. There was no probable cause for entering his hotel room when he was arrested on the charges set forth in the information (No. 234743; Appeal No. 7672). That the judgment in the second indictment (No. 234879; Appeal No. 7673) is not supported by the evidence.

[767]*767At the trial it was stipulated that the police reports contained in the district attorney’s files might be read and considered by the trial judge with the same force and effect as though the witnesses listed therein “were deemed called, sworn, and testifying in the manner set forth on the reports. ’ ’

The minutes in each of the three cases state that it was stipulated that “the cause is submitted on the testimony contained in the transcript of the proceedings had at the preliminary hearing . . . with each side reserving the right to offer additional evidence. ...”

With respect to the two indictments, there were, of course, no transcripts of preliminary examinations. With respect to the information, the reporter’s transcript of the trial proceedings does not show that there was a stipulation submitting that cause on the preliminary examination transcript. (The stipulation was that the police reports might be considered.)

It thus appears that no preliminary examination transcript is a part of the record on appeal.

The reporter’s transcript herein indicates that nine police reports were referred to in the stipulation regarding police reports. It is to be noted, however, that only one police report is included in the records on appeal. That report pertains to the information charge against Lugo and Valle (Superior Court case No. 234743; Appeal No. 7672). With respect to that charge, police officers who participated in the arrest testified at the trial, and therefore, irrespective of that police report, the evidence regarding that charge was before the trial court.

It thus appears that eight of the police reports are not a part of the records on appeal and, of course, cannot be considered; and that (since officers testified as to matters in another report) it is not necessary to determine whether the one police report, which is a part of the record on appeal, was properly before the trial court. In People v. Parra, 193 Cal.App.2d 93 [13 Cal.Rptr. 828], there was a stipulation similar to the present one relative to submitting the cause on arrest reports from the district attorney’s file, and those reports were not included as a part of the record on appeal. In that case the court held that there was no evidence in support of the judgment. The court said (p. 95) : “It is unfortunate, indeed, that the district attorney evidently put the evidence back in his brief ease and walked away with it, and that the judge was not watching him. ... We have had misgivings over the practice of submitting cases for decision on the reports of [768]*768police officers, thus foregoing the right of cross-examination and incurring the risk of being confronted with damaging hearsay evidence. It is a practice to be discouraged.”

In the present case there is no police report on appeal regarding any of the six counts in the first indictment (No. 231178, filed July 26, 1960; Appeal No. 7671), and therefore there is no police-report evidence on appeal in support of the judgment on that indictment. The question arises as to whether there was sufficient evidence in addition to the police reports. When the stipulation regarding the police reports was made, the deputy district attorney said that some of the reports, particularly as to indictment No. 231178, have not identified the defendant as the person with whom the transactions were consummated, and that he would “call an officer later for testimony along this line.”

Officer Nieto testified as follows: He had testified before the grand jury with reference to John Doe No. 19, in connection with indictment No. 231178. He (witness) had made certain police reports (which were exhibited to him), and those reports pertain to certain transactions which were had on May 31, June 3, 9, 16, 17, and 28, 1960. The person referred to as John Doe 19, before the grand jury, is the defendant Lugo. On cross-examination, he testified that the first transaction he had with Lugo was on May 31, 1960. That about two days before the first transaction, he (witness) and a person by the name of “Eddie” were walking on Broadway (in Los Angeles) near Third Street and they met three other persons, one of whom was Lugo, and then all of them entered into a conversation. On May 31, 1960, while he (witness) was walking on Broadway, near Third Street, he saw Lugo who was in front of a market. After Lugo “motioned to” him, he (witness) went to Lugo and they had a conversation. Lugo asked him whether he had scored or connected. He replied, “No.” Lugo asked whether he was “looking.” He replied, “Tes.” Lugo said that he had half a gram. He replied that that was what he was looking for. That Lugo was the person from whom he purchased narcotics on May 31, 1960, and the subsequent dates. He had testified before the grand jury as to the sales made by Lugo on May 31 and on through June 28. All the purchases were made in the downtown area, and each purchase was for approximately $10. The reason he made so many purchases from defendant, without arresting Mm, was that if he did not buy on the numerous occasions when both [769]*769of them “happened to be around,’’ then Lugo would become leery and would not sell to him.

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Related

People v. Parra
193 Cal. App. 2d 93 (California Court of Appeal, 1961)

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Bluebook (online)
203 Cal. App. 2d 764, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-lugo-calctapp-1962.