People v. Tawney

336 P.2d 659, 168 Cal. App. 2d 599, 1959 Cal. App. LEXIS 2501
CourtCalifornia Court of Appeal
DecidedMarch 12, 1959
DocketCrim. 6352
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 336 P.2d 659 (People v. Tawney) 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. Tawney, 336 P.2d 659, 168 Cal. App. 2d 599, 1959 Cal. App. LEXIS 2501 (Cal. Ct. App. 1959).

Opinion

FOX, P. J.

Defendant was indicted on two counts of violating section 580 of the Business and Professions Code. In count I it was alleged that on February 28, 1957, he “offered to sell a medical and osteopathic degree”; in count 2, that on March 26, 1957, he “sold a medical and osteopathic degree.” The jury found defendant guilty on each count. He moved for a new trial and arrest of judgment. Both motions were denied. Proceedings were suspended and defendant was placed on probation for three years on condition, inter alia, that he spend the first four months in the county jail, and pay a fine of $1,000. He has appealed from the judgment (Pen. Code, § 1237, subd. 1), from the order denying his motions for a new trial and arrest of judgment, and “any and all other orders prior to or subsequent to the judgment herein or any orders made in lieu of judgment.”

In the interest of clarity, it seems desirable to summarize the transactions disclosed by the evidence in the order of their chronology. The first of these relates to a transaction between defendant and one Moskowitz, who was a reporter and writer on the staff of a local television station. On October 10, 1955, Moskowitz telephoned defendant stating that *603 he had heard that defendant was offering various degrees in connection with certain institutions known as Educational Associates, Inc., and arranged with defendant for an appointment later in the day. Upon arrival at defendant’s office on the second floor of a building on North Vermont, in Los Angeles, Moskowitz identified himself as the person who had called earlier that day and made an appointment. Defendant inquired as to the purpose of his visit. Moskowitz stated that he wanted to become an ordained minister; that he was employed by a literary agency at a very small salary; that he had an opportunity to become a lecturer in the field of comparative religion which would enable him to supplement his income, and that he felt if he could become an ordained minister it might help him to get the new position.

As a result of their negotiations, defendant delivered to Moskowitz the next day two documents with his name engraved thereon. One of these showed Moskowitz was an ordained minister; the other that he was a licensed practitioner in “New Thought Science.” Each was signed by defendant as “President.” For these documents Moskowitz paid defendant $59.

The next transaction relates to the acquisition of a Doctor of Engineering degree by Robert H. Meng, an investigator for the district attorney of Los Angeles County. Meng contacted defendant by telephone on October 8, 1956, and made an appointment to see the defendant at his offices the following evening. At that time, Meng informed the defendant that he would like to get an engineering degree, explaining that he worked with his father-in-law, who was an architect; that his father-in-law was planning to retire, and that he had a chance to take over the business provided he had an engineering degree. Defendant told him he could get an engineering degree for him for $250. Meng stated that he would contact defendant the following week and let him know whether he could raise the money. On October 17th Meng telephoned defendant that he had been able to obtain the money. Defendant informed him that he would have to get a letter of recommendation from his father-in-law and some preliminary plans that he might have drawn. Meng agreed to this. On October 22d Meng telephoned defendant at about 1 o’clock in the afternoon that he had the money, the plans, and the letter from his father-in-law. Defendant told him to come over at 2 o’clock and pick up the degree. At the appointed time, Meng appeared at defendant’s office. Meng handed defendant a letter which purported to come from his *604 father-in-law but which, in fact, had been prepared in the attorney general’s office, and two sheets of plans which Meng had had no part in preparing and of which he knew nothing. Defendant glanced at them and inquired whether Meng had the fee. Meng thereupon gave him the $250. Defendant left the room but returned immediately with a blank degree which was signed by the defendant and the secretary of the school. The defendant telephoned to an engraver named Jones advising him that Meng was coming to his place of business. Defendant then gave Meng Jones’ address and told him to take the document there and that Jones would engrave it. Pursuant to these instructions, Meng had the words “Doctor of Engineering,” the date, and his name engraved on the diploma.

In late November or early December, 1956, Robert G. Wells, an editor and columnist for a Long Beach newspaper, went to defendant’s office and told him that he had prepared a manuscript on self-help psychology which he desired to sell to a publisher; that he needed a degree in psychology in order to get a publisher to consider his work. Defendant suggested that for such a purpose Wells would need a doctor’s degree. The latter concurred in this suggestion. Defendant made inquiry as to what Wells had been doing. The latter told defendant that he was unemployed but was working on his manuscript and explained some of the philosophy embodied in his treatise. Defendant said that $300 was the normal tuition fee. Wells objected to the amount of the fee on the ground that he had a background in psychology and believed that he had completed all the necessary requirements. He made inquiry as to whether he could take tests rather than attend courses. The suggestions with respect to attending courses and taking tests were eliminated in favor of a thesis. On the basis that there would be no tests to grade and no courses to give, defendant agreed to reduce the price to $200.

Shortly after Christmas, Wells advised defendant that his thesis had been finished and that he was anxious to get a degree because he and his family were going back to Minneapolis. A few days after New Tear’s Day, 1957, Wells went to defendant’s office and told defendant that he had brought a thesis with him which he was prepared to submit as the requirement for the degree. Upon Wells’ paying the balance due, defendant gave Wells a diploma filled out in ink which defendant signed. An engraved diploma was later mailed to Minneapolis and forwarded to Wells.

*605 We come now to the transactions on which the indictment is based. On February 26, 1957, Meng again contacted defendant stating that a friend from Denver wanted to get some kind of a medical degree because this friend was going into the shoe business with Meng and another man. An appointment was made for Meng, who was to bring his friend in upon his arrival. On the next day Meng and David Anthony May, a special investigator for the State Board of Medical Examiners, went to defendant’s office where Meng introduced May as Mr. Anthony, whom he had known in the service. Meng explained to defendant that they were going to manufacture orthopedic shoes and needed some type of medical degree to aid in the promotion of sales of such shoes, and that since he had received an engineering degree from defendant he thought that defendant might be able to help them out with a medical degree. Defendant stated that he could get them an honorary degree from a local school and one from a school in Paris, but they could not get a medical degree from him because that was a felony.

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Bluebook (online)
336 P.2d 659, 168 Cal. App. 2d 599, 1959 Cal. App. LEXIS 2501, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-tawney-calctapp-1959.