People v. Saltz

280 P.2d 900, 131 Cal. App. 2d 459, 1955 Cal. App. LEXIS 2073
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedMarch 14, 1955
DocketCrim. 5206
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 280 P.2d 900 (People v. Saltz) 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. Saltz, 280 P.2d 900, 131 Cal. App. 2d 459, 1955 Cal. App. LEXIS 2073 (Cal. Ct. App. 1955).

Opinion

WHITE, P. J.

In an amended information filed by the district attorney of Los Angeles County defendant was accused in Count I of the crime of grand theft (Pen. Code, § 487, subd. 3) in that he feloniously took an automobile owned by Mary Ann Haigh.

Count II alleged a violation of section 503 of the Vehicle Code in that defendant feloniously took and drove an automobile belonging to Mary Ann Haigh without her consent and with the intent to deprive her of title and possession thereof.

Count III accused the defendant of the crime of burglary (Pen. Code, § 459) in that he feloniously entered the apartment of Dotti Allen with intent to commit theft.

In Count IV defendant was accused of grand theft (Pen. Code, § 487, subd. 1) in that he feloniously took jewelry and clothing belonging to Dotti Allen and valued in excess of $200.

In Count V, as a separate offense connected in its commission with the charges set forth in all preceding counts, defendant was accused of assault with intent to commit rape upon the person of Louise M. Soper in violation of section 220, Penal Code of California.

In Count VI, as a separate cause of action connected in its commission with Count V, defendant was accused of assault upon Louise M. Soper by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury in violation of section 245, Penal Code of California.

In Count VII, as a separate cause of action, the offense being connected in its commission with the charges set forth in Counts V and VI, defendant was accused of burglary in that he entered the apartment of Louise M. Soper with intent to commit a felony.

It was further alleged that appellant had been previously convicted of armed robbery in Cook County, Illinois.

*462 The public defender was appointed as counsel for defendant and the latter entered a plea of not guilty to each of the offenses charged against him, and denied the prior felony conviction.

When the cause was called for trial a motion was made by a member of the State Bar of California that Messrs. E. A. Simmons and Homer C. Griffin of the Illinois State Bar be admitted to practice in the courts of California for the purpose of representing defendant in the trial of this action. The motion was granted and Attorneys Griffin and Simmons were substituted for the public defender as counsel for defendant. Thereupon, the latter admitted the prior conviction as charged against him in the amended information.

The cause proceeded to trial before a jury which returned verdicts'finding defendant guilty as charged in counts I, II, III and IV. The burglary charged in Count III was found to be burglary of the first degree. As to counts V, VI and VII defendant was found not guilty. Motion for a new trial was denied and defendant was sentenced to concurrent terms of imprisonment in the state prison.

From the judgments of conviction and the order denying his motion for a new trial, defendant prosecutes this appeal.

As an aid to understanding the subsequent discussion of points raised on this appeal which refer to matters deemed by us as being beyond the scope of the record on appeal, we deem it advisable to here refer to proceedings had for augmentation of the record on appeal.

In the trial court defendant filed an amended notice of appeal wherein he requested augmentation of the record beyond the normal record on appeal by the addition thereto of certain proceedings and documents. The trial court denied such request on the ground that a notice of appeal had theretofore been filed, and that defendant had failed to set forth the “points on which he intends to rely” (rule 33, subd. (b), Rules on Appeal). Thereafter, defendant, pursuant to rule 12 of the Rules on Appeal, filed in this court a motion for “diminution of the record,” in which he sought to have included in the record on appeal the following:

(1) Voir dire examination of jurors;
(2) Opening statement of the district attorney ;
(3) Argument of counsel;
(4) Affidavit of defendant’s attorney, H. 0. Griffin;
(5) Certain exhibits of a documentary nature marked and offered in evidence, whether refused or allowed;
*463 (6) Jury instructions, both those given and those requested by defendant but refused;
(7) Defendant’s written motion for a new trial.

This court granted defendant’s motion in part by ordering the clerk of the superior court to transmit the following items:

(1) The affidavit of H. C. Griffin;
(2) Exhibits introduced or offered into evidence;
(3) Defendant’s written motion for a new trial;
(4) Jury instructions given, and those offered by appellant and refused by the trial court.

In all other respects, the motion for “diminution of the record” was denied.

In the order granting in part defendant’s motion for diminution of the record this court said: “The record reveals that there was no showing whatever of any materiality of any of the additional matters sought to be included in the record. Therefore, in denying the motion to incorporate such additional matters, the trial court committed no abuse of discretion.

“Augmentation of the record is not a matter of right and granting or refusing thereof is committed to the sound discretion of the court. Augmentation of the record is not to be regarded as a cure-all for negligent preparation of the record by the appellant.
“However, in the instant case the original request for preparation of the record was made by appellant in propria persona, and because of the inclination of the courts to permit augmentation of the record liberally in furtherance of justice, we have come to the conclusion, by reason of the contentions advanced by appellant in the present motion, that his request for diminution of the record should be granted in part.”

While defendant was acquitted on counts V, VI, and VII, a brief summary of the evidence as to such counts is here set forth because of its close connection with the events upon which defendant’s convictions were predicated.

From a reading of the lengthy reporter’s transcript we conclude that the following narrative appearing in the respondent’s brief presents a fair epitome of the factual background surrounding this prosecution.

“I

“People’s Case

“A. Evidence Relating to Counts V through VII of the Amended Information.

*464 “Mrs. Soper, the prosecuting witness as to Counts V through VII, first met appellant on May 16, 1953 At that time he came to the apartment house of which Mrs. Soper was the landlady, accompanied by her son and a James Triplett. Triplett and appellant did some work for the prosecutrix and subsequently rented a room from her.

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Related

People v. Malamut
16 Cal. App. 3d 237 (California Court of Appeal, 1971)
People v. Miller
196 Cal. App. 2d 171 (California Court of Appeal, 1961)
People v. Mattson
336 P.2d 937 (California Supreme Court, 1959)

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Bluebook (online)
280 P.2d 900, 131 Cal. App. 2d 459, 1955 Cal. App. LEXIS 2073, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-saltz-calctapp-1955.