People v. McGill

257 Cal. App. 2d 759, 65 Cal. Rptr. 482, 1968 Cal. App. LEXIS 2503
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedJanuary 10, 1968
DocketCrim. 2653
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 257 Cal. App. 2d 759 (People v. McGill) 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. McGill, 257 Cal. App. 2d 759, 65 Cal. Rptr. 482, 1968 Cal. App. LEXIS 2503 (Cal. Ct. App. 1968).

Opinion

■WHELAN, J.

Defendant was found guilty by a jury of violating section 288a, Penal Code, and section 288, Penal Code. The victim of both offenses was a boy more than 10 years younger than defendant. Defendant was sentenced to prison for the offenses. However, execution of the sentence for violation of section 288a was suspended during the period of the section 288 commitment, the stay to become absolute if the 288 sentence should be fully served.

The evidence of guilt was ample, although denied by defendant, who did not, however, deny the opportunities for commission of the offenses.

On appeal defendant asserts that his trial counsel failed to call witnesses who could have established defendant’s innocence. The record does not support that claim. He himself did not testify that on the occasion of the alleged offenses anyone was present other than the victim and two other boys who testified for the prosecution. There was discussion in the absence of the jury at the conclusion of the first day’s trial as to whether defense counsel should call a certain Dr. Duncan, a psychiatrist who had examined defendant, to testify that defendant was not a sexual psychopath. At that timé all other evidence was in. The situation at the evening adjournment on that day was that defense counsel would talk to Dr. Duncan and if he wished to have the doctor testify, would have him present when court should open the following day. The next day defense counsel informed the court that he had talked to Dr. Duncan and thought the doctor’s testimony would not be helpful; that defendant rested his ease.

Defendant’s contention must also be considered to be a claim that he was denied a right to effective counsel.

*761 Representation of defendant will not be declared inadequate except in those rare cases where his counsel displayed such a lack of diligence or incompetence as to reduce the trial to a “farce or a sham.” (People v. Wein, 50 Cal.2d 383, 410 [326 P.2d 457].) The record in this ease does not even remotely approach such a situation. It reveals that the public defender was active in the trial; he cross-examined the People’s witnesses, vigorously presented all aspects of defense, placed defendant on the stand, examined him; requested the cautionary instruction, which was given; argued the matter to the court; and appeared at the time for hearing on the application for probation and pronouncement of judgment and sentence. Appellant’s bare allegation that his defense counsel was derelict in not calling “numerous witnesses” is without merit. (People v. Gaines, 58 Cal.2d 630, 634-635 [25 Cal.Rptr. 448, 375 P.2d 296]; People v. Lugo, 220 Cal.App.2d 54, 59 [33 Cal.Rptr. 572] ; People v. Seals, 191 Cal.App.2d 734, 738-739 [13 Cal.Rptr. 7].)

Defendant contends also that he was denied his right to a speedy trial. The information was filed on April 8, 1966; the trial commenced June 13, 1966; meanwhile, on April 8, 1966, the trial was set for May 16, 1966; on May 16, the trial was continued until May 18; on May 18, defendant being present with his counsel, the criminal proceedings were suspended pursuant to section 1368, Penal Code, two medical doctors were appointed to examine defendant, and June 10 was set as the time to try the question of defendant’s then present sanity; trial of the criminal case was continued to June 13. On June 10, defendant being present with his counsel, the proceedings under section 1368, Penal Code, were suspended, the criminal proceedings reinstated, and the trial date of June 13 confirmed.

When the trial date was fixed for a date 66 days after the filing of the information, defendant made no objection. Under such circumstances, consent to the setting is presumed. (People v. Wilson, 60 Cal.2d 139, 146 [32 Cal.Rptr. 44, 383 P.2d 452].) In any event, in view of all the cireumtanees, it cannot be said that there was no good cause for the fact that the case was not tried within the 60-day period. A delay caused by a proceeding to determine a defendant’s present sanity provides good cause. (People v. Hocking, 140 Cal.App.2d 778 [296 P.2d 59].)

In the post-conviction phase the court, on June 17, 1966, ordered the criminal proceedings suspended and made an *762 order fixing July 5 as the time for hearing of a proceeding to determine whether defendant was a mentally disordered sex offender; a duplicate original of the order fixing the time for such hearing, appointing two psychiatrists and fixing time for defendant’s examination by the doctors was served on defendant; on July 5 defendant, knowing the contents of the written reports to the court by the two doctors, stated through his counsel that he wished to contest the finding of the doctors contained in their reports; the matter was then continued for hearing until July 8; the two doctors were ordered to be present at that time, and defendant was advised that additional witnesses and evidence might be presented on July 8; on July 8, after the examination of one witness, the further hearing was postponed until July 22; the defendant meanwhile was to have additional physical and psychological examinations; on July 22, the two medical doctors were both sworn and examined; at the conclusion of the evidence the court stated he found defendant to be a mentally disordered sex offender who would not benefit by care and treatment in a state hospital; the mentally disordered sex offender proceedings were terminated.

There was no error in the manner in which the mentally disordered sex offender proceeding was handled. The form of certification by the trial judge to the superior court has not been made a part of the record on appeal; nor have the order appointing the psychiatric physicians and setting the time for hearing and the order determining defendant to be a mentally disordered sex offender who would not respond to care and treatment. We are satisfied from the record before us that such certification and orders were made and recognize that the trial court’s jurisdiction to pronounce judgment depended upon the correctness of the proceeding for determination whether defendant was a mentally disordered sex offender and its proper termination (People v. Fuller, 226 Cal.App.2d 331, 333 [38 Cal.Rptr. 25] ; People v. Succop, 67 Cal.2d 785 [63 Cal.Rptr. 569, 433 P.2d 473]). Defendant personally and through counsel waived a statement by the court as to defendant’s rights in such a proceeding. The fact that the judge before whom the criminal trial was held also conducted the civil proceedings under former sections 5500 et seq., Welfare and Institutions Code, does not mean that the criminal proceedings were not suspended (cf. People v. Howerton, 40 Cal.2d 217, 219 [253 P.2d 8]).

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
257 Cal. App. 2d 759, 65 Cal. Rptr. 482, 1968 Cal. App. LEXIS 2503, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-mcgill-calctapp-1968.