People v. Otash

186 Cal. App. 2d 132, 8 Cal. Rptr. 878, 1960 Cal. App. LEXIS 1609
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedNovember 4, 1960
DocketCrim. 7144
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 186 Cal. App. 2d 132 (People v. Otash) 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. Otash, 186 Cal. App. 2d 132, 8 Cal. Rptr. 878, 1960 Cal. App. LEXIS 1609 (Cal. Ct. App. 1960).

Opinion

FOURT, J.

This is an appeal from a judgment of conviction of conspiracy to drug a race horse (the order granting probation) and the order denying a motion for a new trial.

In an indictment in Los Angeles County, the appellant, hereinafter referred to as Otash, and others were charged in Count I with conspiracy to violate section 337b of the Penal Code (offering a bribe to a participant in a contest) between December 1958 and June 1959. In Count II Otash, Dave Negri, Lou Kane, Don Lee Wells, Richard Gach, Donald Hinton and Donald Potter, as well as persons whose names were unknown were charged with conspiracy to violate Penal Code, section 337f (administering a drug to a horse in a race) between February 1959 and June 1959.

As to Counts I and II the defendants were also charged with conspiracy to cheat and defraud by criminal means and to obtain money by false pretenses; in Count III Otash and *135 Gach were charged with violating Penal Code, section 337b on or about January 26, 1959, with reference to a horse race and in Count IV Otash was charged with violating Penal Code, section 337b on or about February 10, 1959, with reference to a horse race. Otash pleaded not guilty. After the jury was impaneled the cause was dismissed as to Gaeh and Wells on motion of the prosecutor to the end that they could become witnesses for the People, all pursuant to Penal Code, section 1099. Count III was dismissed upon motion of the prosecution after the evidence was presented.

As to Count II Otash and Potter were, by the jury, found guilty. The remaining defendants were found not guilty. Otash was found not guilty as to Count IV and he and his codefendants were found not guilty as to Count I. Otash’s motion for a new trial was denied. Proceedings were suspended and Otash was granted probation for five years, one of the terms being that he spend six months in the county jail. Otash has appealed from the judgment of conviction. However, we will consider it as though it were an appeal from the order granting probation and the order denying a motion for a new trial.

A résumé of some of the facts as set forth in the nine volumes of testimony is as follows:

Gach was a former race horse trainer and jockeys’ agent and was acquainted with Otash and Kenny Godkins. Gaeh, while with Godkins, met Otash in December 1958, in the latter’s office in Hollywood. Godkins knew Christopher Wells, hereinafter referred to as C. Wells, a jockeys’ agent; Don Wells, who owned and trained race horses; Glen Lasswell, a jockey; Arthur Stone, a jockey; Mike Lane, an actor; Buddy Kuskin, Dave Negri, Lou Kane and Don Potter. Gaeh met Otash in Otash’s office about February 4 or 5, 1959, and God-kins and Lane might have been present. Gach told Otash that if they could buy a race horse at the Santa Anita Track he thought they could “cash a gamble” with the horse “if the odds were long enough and if we hopped him or gave him a stimulant.” To Gach to “hop a horse” meant to stimulate a horse with a narcotic and to “cash a gamble” meant to win a bet. Otash asked Gach how much money it would cost and Gaeh replied at least $10,000. Otash related that he had lost some money in a race but that he would invest two or three thousand dollars in a race at Caliente (Mexico) the next Sunday or so and that if the horse he selected won he would put the money in the purchase of a race horse. Gach told of his *136 being suspended but said that he could secure a trainer from Florida and that such person could be utilized as owner and trainer of the horse. Shortly thereafter Gach had another talk with Otash at his office. Otash stated that if a horse which Godldns had “set up” at Caliente won he would place the money from the bet toward the purchase of a horse.

Stone said that about February 4 or 5,1959, he came to Los Angeles from San Diego at Godkins’ request and was taken by Godkins and Lane to Otash’s office. Lasswell was present and possibly Gach. Godkins talked of stimulating horses and suggested that Otash talk to Stone about it. Otash asked Stone what he knew or thought about stimulating horses and Stone answered that it was a “hit or miss affair.” Godkins spoke of Otash’s having ideas of buying a horse and said they could go into business. During the evening of about February 7, 1959, while Gach was at Otash’s office, word was received that the bet on the horse at the Caliente track was won. Otash told Gach to come back the next day. On the evening of about February 9th Gach saw Otash at the office and Otash told Gach to go ahead and find the horse he wanted and then to return and tell him of the price.

Gach had been in touch with C. Wells, who was in Arizona, with reference to fronting for an owner’s and trainer’s license to the end that a stall could be secured at the Santa Anita Track. Gach arranged for C. Wells to come to Los Angeles. Gach talked to C. Wells about putting a horse in his name and then stimulating it and winning a gamble. C. Wells demurred because his record was good. However, he said he would contact his brother in Florida and he might be interested because he was out of work.

Thereafter Gach, C. Wells and Otash had breakfast at a drug store near Otash’s office. Otash asked C. Wells about his qualifications and the advantage of stimulating horses rather than fixing a race. C. Wells related that one would have a “lot better shot” in.stimulating a horse. Gach stated that he could improve a horse substantially by stimulation. Otash stated that it sounded all right to him and that Gach should see if he could find the right type of animal and Otash said he would supply the $3,500 for the purchase of the horse.

Shortly thereafter Don Wells arrived in Los Angeles from Florida pursuant to arrangements made with Gach. Gach and the two Wells brothers talked of buying a horse. Gach explained that they planned to stimulate the horse and that Don Wells would lose his license. Such was agreeable to Don *137 Wells, if he got paid sufficiently. Gach said they would buy a horse “that the odds are already up at least twenty to one on him” and that if they stimulated him Wells should get at least $20,000 back for a $2,000 bet. Don Wells agreed to the proposal.

During February, Gach went with Otash to the apartment of John Abbott, a relative of Kenneth McMillen, an owner of horses at Santa Anita Race Track. Godkins was also present. Otash introduced Gach to McMillen and Gach stated that he wanted to buy a horse, put it into another owner-trainer’s name and stimulate it. Gach talked with McMillen about the matter of leasing one of his horses and McMillen stated that he would talk it over with his trainer. Gach considered the sales price of one of McMillen’s horses exorbitant. After they left the McMillen place, Otash said that he thought McMillen would eventually come around and offer them a horse for the $3,500 they were willing to pay. A few days later Otash, Gach, Abbott and Godkins went to McMillen’s residence and the latter stated that he could not sell at a price less than he had previously offered. Gach asked Mc-Millen if he might be interested in letting them stimulate one of his horses and McMillen stated that it might be worked out. There then followed a discussion with reference to doping horses and the chances of their winning if doped.

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Related

People v. Bowman
240 Cal. App. 2d 358 (California Court of Appeal, 1966)
Otash v. Bureau of Private Investigators
230 Cal. App. 2d 568 (California Court of Appeal, 1964)

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Bluebook (online)
186 Cal. App. 2d 132, 8 Cal. Rptr. 878, 1960 Cal. App. LEXIS 1609, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-otash-calctapp-1960.