People v. Stanley

327 P.2d 973, 162 Cal. App. 2d 416, 1958 Cal. App. LEXIS 1890
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedJuly 29, 1958
DocketCrim. 1379
StatusPublished
Cited by17 cases

This text of 327 P.2d 973 (People v. Stanley) 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. Stanley, 327 P.2d 973, 162 Cal. App. 2d 416, 1958 Cal. App. LEXIS 1890 (Cal. Ct. App. 1958).

Opinion

GRIFFIN, J.

Defendant-appellant Cordon was charged in count one of an indictment, along with defendants Stanley and Phillips, with the crime of conspiracy to commit the offense of bookmaking (violation of Pen. Code, §§ 182, subd. 1, and 337a). Five separate overt acts are charged. As to count one the jury returned a verdict of guilty. Appellant’s sentence was suspended and he was granted probation for three years. As a part of the conditions of probation, he was to serve six months in the detention facilities of San Diego County and pay a fine of $1,000, not associate with any known bookmakers, not cross the international border into Mexico, and not have a telephone in his home or upon any property under his control, except his wife may have such telephone while he is in custody.

Appellant, on appeal, claims: (1) that the evidence is insufficient to establish a conspiracy as alleged; (2) error in the admission of certain evidence and in denying his motion for a directed verdict and for a new trial; and (3) imposition of unreasonable conditions pertaining to the telephone service as above italicized.

One Schrader, District Attorney Investigator, testified that between July 1st, 1957, and October 21st, 1957, he placed numerous bets on horse races with defendant Stanley at her place of business (a souvenir shop located at 1023 Fourth Avenue) in San Diego; that on several occasions, immediately upon taking the bets, she informed the investigator that she would telephone the bets in and thereupon she would place a telephone call; that on certain of these occasions the investigator overheard defendant state the name of the horse, the name of the track and the amount of the bet, over the telephone. He observed other persons placing bets on horse races with her on some of the occasions on which he was in her place of business. On the afternoon of July 29th the investigator observed the numbers AT-44722, which defendant *418 Stanley dialed after taking his bet (Overt Act No. 2) and he determined that the number was of a telephone located at 4438% 30th Street, San Diego. On August 1st, after placing a bet with defendant Stanley, the investigator again observed her dialing the same number he had observed her dialing on July 29th, and again he heard her speak the name of the horses, the track and the amount of the bet into the telephone. The number dialed was AT-44722. On the morning of August 3rd the investigator observed defendant Stanley and appellant Cordon sitting in a booth in a coffee shop and observed them leaving it together. He again observed them leaving the same coffee shop on August 6th. In each instance they were engaged in conversation. On October 21st (the occasion of placing the bet alleged in Overt Act No. 3) Mrs. Stanley informed the investigator that the man with whom she met at the coffee shop was George Cordon; that at these meetings she gave him money or he gave her money; that Cordon “is the person she books for”; that he was a good person to book for and that he “treated her real good.” She further stated that Cordon had collected money which was owed for a bet which she had accepted on credit. ,

Another investigator testified that on October 22, 1957, accompanied by investigator Schrader, he went to an apartment designated as 4438% 30th Street; that he rang the door bell and a woman’s voice answered; that he told her he was a police officer, had a search warrant, and asked to be admitted ; that upon entering he saw defendant Phillips and observed a considerable amount of bookmaking paraphernalia in the room; that during the time they were in there the telephone rang incessantly; that while the investigator was interrogating defendant Phillips, appellant Cordon entered the house. (Overt Act No. 5.) The investigator stated that appellant Cordon, in response to a question, remarked that he recognized the equipment and paraphernalia as a “bookie layout,” but said he did not know anything about it, “that he had used a different system”; that Cordon admitted that he owned the premises but denied he knew anything about the bookmaking equipment or that he knew defendant Phillips; and that he also denied that he had met any bookmakers or any woman or women downtown for coffee or lunch.

One Mary Jane Ducote testified that she had placed bets on horse races with defendant Stanley at Stanley’s place of business; and that she had seen appellant Cordon there. Another witness testified that she was engaged in the bookmaking *419 profession in August, 1957, and that she had telephoned her bets to the same telephone number to which the investigator telephoned; that Pay Stanley was telephoning the bets to AT-44722, which she was taking.

A police officer, testifying as an expert on bookmaking professions, stated that the paraphernalia found at the apartment operated by defendant Phillips in the premises owned by defendant Cordon was equipment commonly used by bookmakers in San Diego and was used for the purpose of recording and registering bets. The manager of the telephone company testified that Ms records showed that the number AT-44722 was the telephone number of an instrument located at 4438% 30th Street. It was stipulated that these premises were owned by appellant Cordon and his wife.

Cordon testified in Ms own behalf and denied that he had ever seen Ms codefendant Phillips prior to the date of her arrest. He said he did not know of the activities being carried on in the premises in the back of his residence on 30th Street; that he told the officers that Ms wife did all of the renting and that as to most of the tenants “I don’t know what they look like. ’ ’ He admitted knowing defendant Stanley and meeting her at Manning’s Coffee Shop; admitted having financial transactions with her in an effort to give her a little moral support and a little bit of financial support. Defendant Stanley acknowledged taking money from Schrader and telephoning a bet in for him. She denied knowing defendant Phillips and admitted being friendly with appellant. She stated that she borrowed money from appellant and tried to pay it back. She denied telephoning the number AT-44722, admitted meeting Cordon at the coffee shop, but claimed it was “purely accidental.” Defendant Phillips did not take the stand to testify.

The gist of a criminal conspiracy is a corrupt agreement of two or more persons to commit an offense prohibited by statute, accompanied by some overt act in furtherance of the objects of the conspiracy. (People v. Sica, 112 Cal.App.2d 574, 580-581 [247 P.2d 72]; People v. Brownstein, 109 Cal.App.2d 891, 892 [241 P.2d 1056]; Pen. Code, §§ 182-184.) The existence of the agreement may be established by circumstantial evidence and may be inferred from acts and conduct of defendants in mutually carrying out a common purpose in violation of the statute. (People v. Benenato, 77 Cal.App.2d 350, 358 [175 P.2d 296].)

*420 As between defendants Stanley and Phillips, the evidence is sufficient to show that they were guilty of violating section 337a of the Penal Code.

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Bluebook (online)
327 P.2d 973, 162 Cal. App. 2d 416, 1958 Cal. App. LEXIS 1890, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-stanley-calctapp-1958.