People v. Mize

224 P.2d 448, 100 Cal. App. 2d 578, 1950 Cal. App. LEXIS 1258
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedNovember 21, 1950
DocketCrim. No. 688
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 224 P.2d 448 (People v. Mize) 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. Mize, 224 P.2d 448, 100 Cal. App. 2d 578, 1950 Cal. App. LEXIS 1258 (Cal. Ct. App. 1950).

Opinion

GRIFFIN, J.

Defendant and appellant Clayton Mize, together with defendants Briseno and Vivian, were charged with and convicted by a jury of the crime of armed robbery of one William Dodd. All were represented by counsel until time of trial. Defendant Mize then chose to act as his own attorney.

Dodd was a coowner of a store near Patton. On October 5, 1949, he withdrew $1,980 from the bank and placed it in a drawer in the counter of the store. About 2 p. m. a light green Mercury sedan drove up to the front of his store. The complaining witness and two others, a Mr. Parshley and a Mrs. Thompson, were in the store at the time. Three persons got out of the Mercury ear. Mize, hereinafter referred to as defendant, was identified as the driver of the car. The complaining witness asked them if they wanted gasoline, which was sold in front of the store. They replied: “No,” and asked if he had “coke” inside. Vivian and Briseno walked into the store and sat at the counter. Mize followed and asked to see some jam. When the complaining witness started to the location of the jam Mize followed him around the counter. When the complaining witness turned to ask him the brand desired Mize pulled a nickel-plated revolver on him and said: “I want your money. I want you to open the drawer.” The complaining witness opened the drawer and handed over to Mize $2,000 in cash.

[580]*580When Mize pulled the gun, Vivian ran to the front door and also drew a gun. Briseno escorted Mrs. Thompson into a corner and made her stay there. Mize took the money and told Dodd to lie down on the floor. The other witness was told to turn around and start walking. The three then left in the car. Mize was driving. The officers were called.

The complaining witness testified that he was absolutely positive and there was no doubt in his mind that the man who held him up was defendant Mize. Parshley identified Vivian as the one who came around the back of the ear. When defendant came into the store he left the premises.

. Mrs. Thompson corroborated Dodd’s testimony and identified Mize as the one who held the gun on him and asked for the money. She also identified Vivian and the gun used by Mize.

Another witness testified that she was driving her ear near Patton and saw a late model light green Mercury sedan about 500 feet west- of the store and saw three people in the front seat but that she could not otherwise identify them.

A deputy sheriff, Shockléy, testified he went to Sacramento with another deputy, Mathewson, where defendant Mize had been apprehended; that a nickel-plated revolver and a pair of dark glasses were found among defendant’s property there; that on their return with defendant he was asked if that was the gun he used in the “Patton stick-up,” and that Mize replied it was. He was asked who “cased the job” (looking over the store to see when the most money was there and the best hour to make the holdup), and Mize replied that he did. He was then asked who received the proceeds and he declined to implicate anyone else but stated that four parties received a portion of it. . Deputy Sheriff Mathewson testified to these same facts and corroborated Deputy Sheriff Shockley’s testimony.

Defendant did not testify in his own behalf but presented other witnesses. One testified that as he remembered it, Mize was wearing a beard around October 1, 1948, for the “Pioneer Days” celebration, and that defendant Vivian was with Mize on one occasion when they came to his oil station for gas.

Defendant called his father as a witness, who identified the gun in evidence as one purchased by defendant for his protection in prospecting for uranium. He also testified that defendant shaved his beard off about October 12, the date he left for Sacramento.

[581]*581On appeal, through an attorney, defendant does not now question the sufficiency of the evidence to support the verdict, although it is argued that since the People’s witnesses did not testify that Mize had whiskers on the occasion of the robbery, they must have been mistaken in their subsequent identification of him when he appeared without whiskers. The entire question of the sufficiency of defendant’s identification was before the jury, and it decided that there was sufficient evidence connecting the defendant with the commission of the crime. The positive identification of the defendant by the witnesses, the circumstances presented, and the statements of the accused are most convincing evidence that defendant participated in the crime charged. Defendant did endeavor to show, at the trial, by cross-examination of the officers, that the statements he made to them were obtained under claimed threats and duress. However, he did not take the witness stand and deny that such statements were made. The officers testified that no threats were made. Apparently the jury rejected defendant’s contention that these statements were made under duress. The testimony in reference to these admissions or confessions was related on the witness stand, not only by Officer Shockley, whose testimony defendant claims was unworthy of belief, but also by Officer Mathewson, whose testimony stands unimpeached.

Defendant next claims error because he was foreclosed from offering evidence affecting the character of a witness who testified against him. Upon cross-examination of the complaining witness, defendant Mize asked the question :

“Your Honor, I would like to know if a person is judged-solely on the evidence that happened at the crime or upon anything introduced to show the man’s character.
“The Court: Mr. Mize, every defendant in a criminal action is presumed innocent until otherwise proven. His character is not in issue unless he elects to put it in issue.
“Mr. Mize: What I wanted brought out, Your Honor, if there is an undesirable character, can that be brought during the trial as to the truth of his testimony 1
“Mr. Turner: Perhaps it might be wise, Your Honor, to have the afternoon recess at this time and we could all get together with Mr. Mize as to what he has in mind and advise him a little better.”

A .recess was then taken. Then followed a statement by [582]*582defendant, in the absence of the jury, that he wanted to bring out some hearsay evidence that Dodd had been sued for overcharging and swindling people in that neighborhood and that there was some “slight evidence” that he was running a gambling game. The court in effect told the defendant that that had no bearing on the case; that his reputation for truth, honesty and integrity was not in issue in the case upon matters “that are not material to the trial itself.” Then it added the statement that “you cannot impeach him by proving a reputation for lack of truth, honesty or integrity in this particular case.” The defendant complains of the statement italicized.

It is true that an adverse witness may be impeached by evidence that his general reputation for truth, honesty or integrity is had, hut not by evidence of positive wrongful acts. (Code Civ. Proc., § 2051.) Apparently this is what the trial judge had in mind in making the general statement as reflected by the record. Following this statement the defendant remarked:

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Related

People v. Mize
224 P.2d 452 (California Court of Appeal, 1950)

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Bluebook (online)
224 P.2d 448, 100 Cal. App. 2d 578, 1950 Cal. App. LEXIS 1258, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-mize-calctapp-1950.