People v. Sykes

238 Cal. App. 2d 156, 47 Cal. Rptr. 596, 1965 Cal. App. LEXIS 1124
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedNovember 16, 1965
DocketCrim. No. 2236
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 238 Cal. App. 2d 156 (People v. Sykes) 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. Sykes, 238 Cal. App. 2d 156, 47 Cal. Rptr. 596, 1965 Cal. App. LEXIS 1124 (Cal. Ct. App. 1965).

Opinion

WHELAN, J.

Defendant was found guilty by a jury of possession of heroin, after admitting a prior conviction of a felony narcotic offense for which he was on parole at the time of the trial. He was given a concurrent prison sentence, and appeals from the judgment of conviction.

[158]*158About 11:30 p.m. of September 16,1964, a police officer saw defendant throw a light-colored small object over a low wall onto a lawn after the officer had shone his flashlight on defendant and asked defendant to come to where the officer was.

The officer found a plastic container filled with heroin at a point on the lawn approximately 6 feet from the point at which defendant was when he made the throwing motion. Having observed defendant’s gait and observed his eyes, the officer was of opinion that defendant was under some intoxicating influence.

The officer arrested defendant and took him to the police station where defendant was given an intoximeter test, to which he made no objection. He was not advised that he might refuse to take the test, nor that he had a right to counsel and to remain silent.

At about 12:30 a.m. of September 17, defendant was examined by Dr. Williams, a police physician. As the result of that examination, which included observation of defendant’s pupils, gait and speech and of five needle marks and scarring on one arm, Williams was of opinion that defendant was a heroin user and was under the influence of a narcotic. Williams did not testify what defendant said to him; and it does not appear that Williams asked questions for the purpose of obtaining incriminating answers.

Defendant testified on his own behalf concerning the previous felony conviction and that he was on parole; that he took weekly Nalline tests, the last having been on the Monday before his arrest, which took place Wednesday night; that he did not throw anything over the fence, did not have possession of the narcotic, and had never seen the container before the officer showed it to him. On cross-examination, defendant stated that he had drunk two beers and no more the evening of his arrest.

On cross-examination of Williams, defense counsel asked Williams, who had testified that defendant’s pupils were 1.5 mm in diameter, to say what was the size of counsel’s pupils. Williams responded: “Am I on trial or is this—excuse me.” At this point, the court said: “Oh, I think you can stand a little cross-examination all right, Dr. Williams.”

Later, counsel asked Williams to say what were the sizes of three pencilled dots placed by counsel on a sheet of paper. The district attorney objected. In overruling the objection, the court said: ‘ ‘ Oh, I think the doctor can handle it all right. Overruled. I’ll let him do it.”

[159]*159When counsel asked Williams to estimate what would be the size of counsel’s pupils as the result of closing his eyes and then opening them quickly, the district attorney objected. The following ensued:

“The Court: Well, I think so, too, and I’m not about to let you become a guinea pig, Mr. Gavin. Read the question back.
"(The question was read by the reporter.)
“The Court: Well, I assume when you say ‘my’ that you’re talking about any person, Mr. Gavin. If you’re talking about any person, I ’ll allow it.
“How you react,—you are not the subject of this examination, and I’m not going to allow you to become a guinea pig. If you want to ask the Doctor if he can determine this on any person, and re-word the question and take out the word ‘ my, ’ I ’ll allow you to ask it. ’ ’

On cross-examination of the arresting officer, defense counsel wished to write “defendant” on a photograph at the point identified as where defendant was standing at the time of the finding of the plastic container. The following took place:

“Mr. Gavin: May I write ‘Defendant’ over there, your Honor ?
“The Court: No, just put a W-3, and put another X there.
“Mr. Gavin: The trouble with that, your Honor—
“The Court: That’s the way I want it done, Mr. Gavin. Let’s follow the rules.
“Mr. Gavin : Your Honor, this is my evidence.
“The Court: I’m running the Court, Mr. Gavin. You mark it W-3.
“Mr. Gavin: O.K.”
In final argument to the jury,.the district attorney said: “As I say, Mr. Gavin apparently has made every effort he can to confuse the issues here. ’ ’

The following ensued:

“Mr. Gavin : Your Honor, I’ll object to that. I don’t think that’s a fair comment, or a fair argument.
“The Court: Well, maybe it goes a little too far, but I think he’s entitled to comment on your argument.
“I think it’s all right; go ahead.”

Defendant’s contentions are as follows:

1. The court erred in admitting evidence of the intoximeter test over defendant’s objection.

[160]*1602. The court erred in interfering with defense counsel in his presentation of the defendant’s case, and in saying that a prosecution witness “could stand a little cross-examination” and could ‘ ‘ handle it all right. ’ ’

3. The court erred in permitting the prosecutor, over objection, to say •. “Mr. Gavin [the defense counsel] apparently has made every effort he can to confuse the issues here. ’ ’

4. The defendant testified only because had he not done so the court would have instructed and the prosecutor commented as to the unfavorable inference that might be drawn according to the practice in California prior to Griffin v. State of California, 380 U.S. 609 [85 S.Ct. 1229, 14 L.Ed.2d 106]; thus, to his prejudice, defendant was compelled to testify against himself with regard to his prior narcotic conviction.

The voluntary taking of an intoximeter test does not constitute the making of an admission prohibited by People v. Dorado, 62 Cal.2d 338 [42 Cal.Rptr. 169, 398 P.2d 361], and the Fifth Amendment to the federal Constitution. If the test is voluntarily taken, it is of the same class as a blood-alcohol test, the voluntary submission to which does not constitute testimonial compulsion. (People v. Kemp, 55 Cal.2d 458 [11 Cal.Rptr. 361, 359 P.2d 913]; People v. Duroncelay, 48 Cal.2d 766, 770 [312 P.2d 690]; People v. Haeussler, 41 Cal. 2d 252, 257 [260 P.2d 8].) The privilege against self-incrimination relates only to testimonial compulsion. (People v. Duroncelay, supra, 48 Cal.2d 766.) Since the test was taken voluntarily, the evidence was admissible.

The evidence was intended to negate the possibility that defendant had been under the influence of alcohol.

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271 Cal. App. 2d 84 (California Court of Appeal, 1969)

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Bluebook (online)
238 Cal. App. 2d 156, 47 Cal. Rptr. 596, 1965 Cal. App. LEXIS 1124, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-sykes-calctapp-1965.