People v. Roy

251 Cal. App. 2d 459, 59 Cal. Rptr. 636, 1967 Cal. App. LEXIS 1994
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedJune 1, 1967
DocketCrim. 11559
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 251 Cal. App. 2d 459 (People v. Roy) 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. Roy, 251 Cal. App. 2d 459, 59 Cal. Rptr. 636, 1967 Cal. App. LEXIS 1994 (Cal. Ct. App. 1967).

Opinions

FLEMING, J.

On February 5, 1965, Stella Weeks signed up for telephone answering service with RSYP Answering Service operated by Theresa Roy. In a personal talk with Mrs. Roy, Mrs. Weeks implied she was a prostitute and expressed a desire that her business calls be kept confidential, especially from the police. After some discussion about hours for calls and the handling of difficult callers, referred to as tricks, Mrs. Weeks paid a $15 deposit. As she was leaving Mrs. Roy gave her the following advice: “. . . don’t get greedy, there’s plenty to go around, and check the references of your guys. Don’t take anybody you’re not sure of. $50 or $100 is not worth it if you have to spend two or three thousand dollars and three months in jail. If you just watch your step and be extra careful, there’s no problem. ’ ’

On March 1 Mrs. Weeks telephoned the RSYP Answering Service, secured one call from Mrs. Roy, and voiced her [461]*461disappointment at the lack of other calls, after which the following conversation occurred:

‘11 said, don’t you know anybody that can help me out ?
11 She said, I know a girl.
“Who?
11 She said, Kathy Martin.
‘11 said, I can call her.
11 She said, do you know her ?
‘11 said no.
‘1 She says, very good.
1 ‘ I said, what is she ?
“And she said, she’ll give you lots of business.
‘ ‘ I said, oh, really ?
“She said, uh-huh.
“I said, does she have a number where I can call her? Maybe I could talk-—
“She said no. You call her through me.
‘ ‘ I said all right, I ’ll call you tomorrow.
“And she said, don’t talk about this to my other girls. I’ll ■arrange it for you. ’ ’

The next day Mrs. Weeks telephoned the RSVP Answering Service, talked to Theresa Roy and, after a pause, was connected by Mrs. Roy to Kathy Martin.

Miss Martin said she was completely undressed and expecting company and to telephone back later.

That afternoon Mrs. Weeks again telephoned Mrs. Roy at RSVP and, after some delay, was put through by Mrs. Roy to Kathy Martin, at which time the following conversation occurred:

“I said, things have been kind of slow and she suggested that maybe I get together with you and talk about some business.
“She said, yeah. She said, oh, my, how am I supposed to reach you ?
“I said, well, I’m kind of on a will-call basis still with Terry—you know, Theresa.' ’

Business terms were discussed as follows:

“I said, you know? What’s the percentage, anyway? What’s the deal?
‘1 She said, well, it works on a 60-40.
“I said, 60-40?
“She said, or a trade, but you said you don’t have too much business right now ?
[462]*462“I said, no, or actually I’m just kind of just been on the board recently, so you know, you have to give your number out and that takes a little time, but I don’t like to wait too long.
1 ‘ She said, nobody does. You need the money. ’ ’

There followed a long conversation about some out-oftowners coming to town for a couple of nights:

“Miss Martin said, the thing is with these people coming in towards the end of the week I’d like to see you first, she said, I would like to see you and talk to you. ’ ’

A meeting was arranged for the next afternoon at the cafe of the Hotel Continental.

On March 3 Mrs. Weeks telephoned Miss Martin through Mrs. Roy to cancel the appointment at the Hotel Continental and arrange a meeting for the following week. The appointment was never kept, for, unknown to Mrs. Roy and ICathy Martin, Mrs. Weeks was an undercover policewoman.

On April 1 the police arrested Theresa Roy on the premises of RSVP Answering Service, and seized a listing card from the board marked Kathy Martin and an address book giving Kathy Martin’s name, address, and telephone number. The same day a deputy sheriff arrested defendant Kathy Martin at the address shown on the RSVP listing card and address book, an address which contained the telephone listed by the answering service for Kathy Martin. After she had been warned of her constitutional rights, Kathy Martin said she had been working at that location as a prostitute for the last few months and had been using the RSVP Answering Service. She had two lines, one a straight line and one that went through the RSVP board. A looseleaf notebook was seized on the premises and identified as a trick book, that is to say a directory of a prostitute’s customers.

Theresa Roy and Kathy Martin were indicted for conspiring to commit the crime of prostitution, and six overt acts were charged, including Theresa Roy’s conversation with Stella Weeks on February 5; Theresa Roy’s introduction of Stella Weeks to Kathy Martin on March 2; Kathy Martin’s conversation with Stella Weeks on the same day; and Theresa Roy’s introduction of Stella Weeks to Kathy Martin on March 3.

On defendants’ motion the trial court set aside the indictment as having been returned without probable cause (Pen. Code, § 995). The People have appealed.

[463]*463 Identification of the Conspirators

Apparently the dismissal was based on the theory that there had been insufficient evidence of the identity of Kathy Martin as the person who conspired with Theresa Boy to commit the crime of prostitution. On this point we think it helpful to consider the evidence separately against each defendant.

With respect to Theresa Boy, there was evidence that while operating BSYP Answering Service she referred a supposed prostitute to a woman designated as Kathy Martin as a source of business. There is evidence that the woman using the name Kathy Martin undertook to furnish customers to the supposed prostitute and that business arrangements were negotiated and a meeting arranged between them. Theresa Boy was indicted for conspiring with another to commit prostitution. If we forget the name Kathy Martin and assume an indictment charging Theresa Boy with conspiring with an unknown Madame X, still such an indictment would be valid, for one individual may be indicted for conspiring with a person or persons unknown. The rule is summarized in 1 Within, California Crimes (1963) p. 105: “. . . a single defendant may be charged with and tried for conspiring with C, an unapprehended coconspirator, or for conspiring with X and U, unknown and unidentified coconspirators. ’ ’ Further statements of the rule are found in People v. Richards, 67 Cal. 412, 416, 419 [7 P. 828, 56 Am.Rep. 716]; People v. Sagehorn, 140 Cal.App.2d 138, 146 [294 P.2d 1062]; and Saugstad v. Superior Court, 183 Cal.App.2d 277, 283, 284 [6 Cal.Rptr. 580], in which it is said:

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Bluebook (online)
251 Cal. App. 2d 459, 59 Cal. Rptr. 636, 1967 Cal. App. LEXIS 1994, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-roy-calctapp-1967.