People v. White

222 Cal. App. 2d 774, 35 Cal. Rptr. 571, 1963 Cal. App. LEXIS 1730
California Court of Appeal·Decided December 3, 1963·No. Crim. 8807·Published·Cited by 3 cases

Opinion

LILLIE, J.

Defendant was charged "with possession of marijuana (No. 259191), sale of heroin and marijuana (counts III and IV, No. 258838) and two prior felony convictions (Dyer Act and burglary and larceny). On arraignment and plea he was represented by two separate deputy public defenders. He appeared for trial on July 17, 1962, with a third deputy, K. Watanabe, and denied the priors; he joined his codefendant in a request for continuance and waived time, but when the court denied his motion to dismiss Watanabe as his counsel defendant refused to comply with his prior waiver and declined to waive the statutory time. Thus, the court ordered severance from the codefendant and continued defendant’s trial to July 20, 1962. On that day, to accommodate defendant who did not want Watanabe to try the case, the court transferred the case for trial to another department where a fourth deputy, C. Boags, was appointed. He moved for a continuance for time in which to prepare a defense; defendant waived time and, at counsel’s request, was permitted to use the facilities of the law library. On August 13, 1962, defendant appeared for trial with deputy Boags; he waived trial by jury and submitted the matter on the transcript of the grand jury proceedings. Defendant re *776 fused to testify. After argument defendant was acquitted in case No. 259181; the court found him guilty of selling heroin and marijuana and the allegations of the two prior convictions to he true, in No. 258838. He was sentenced to the state prison on both counts, the terms to run consecutively. He appeals from the judgment.

The undisputed evidence shows two narcotic sales by defendant. On May 3, 1962, around 5 p.m. Willis, an undercover narcotics officer, and his partner met eodefendant Scott. Willis wanted a “spoon,” but Scott had none to sell so they waited for Scott’s “connection.” Soon defendant appeared and was introduced to Willis by Scott; defendant removed a small package containing heroin from his coin purse and handed it to Willis saying, “Check”; Willis looked into the package and said: “It’s o.k.” and handed defendant $5.00. Defendant gave the officer his telephone number in the event he should “need more.” On May 7, around 3:10 p.m. Willis called defendant and asked him if he “had any stuff”; defendant replied that he had and suggested they meet in 15 minutes. For $7.50 Willis purchased “a half can of weed” from defendant who gave him a wax paper package containing marijuana.

Three main issues are presented by counsel—defendant was deprived of the effective assistance of counsel; he was denied a speedy trial; and the evidence is insufficient to support the finding that previously he had been convicted of two felonies. At defendant’s request, counsel also offers ten other matters; these points, chiefly without argument or citation of authority, are wholly unsupported by the record.

Appellant claims he was deprived of effective assistance of counsel because four separate deputy public defenders represented him at various stages of the proceedings, and his last counsel “simply lost interest,” submitted the matter on the grand jury transcript, and offered only a “perfunctory” defense, no evidence, no argument on the merits and no statement in mitigation at time of sentence.

"When a defendant asserts that his constitutional right to adequate representation of counsel has been violated, the burden of sustaining the allegation rests upon him. (People v. Robillard, 55 Cal.2d 88, 97 [8] [10 Cal.Rptr. 167, 358 P.2d 295].)” (People v. Downer, 57 Cal.2d 800, 813 [22 Cal.Rptr. 347, 372 P.2d 107].) While defendant was represented by a series of deputies, that fact “does not in any way indicate lack of proper representation” (People v. *777 Fuller, 188 Cal.App.2d 466, 470 [10 Cal.Rptr. 420]; People v. Martinez, 145 Cal.App.2d 361 [302 P.2d 643]), particularly where, as here, only one deputy tried the case and the same one represented defendant at the time of sentence. Moreover, the last change, to the deputy who tried the case, was made before trial at defendant’s own request—after he had objected to the third deputy the court effectuated defendant’s expressed desire to change lawyers by transferring the ease to another department for trial where a fourth deputy was assigned; and the judge there properly granted his request for a continuance to permit him time in which to prepare a defense. The record shows that beyond this, no request for continuance was made by or on behalf of defendant, and at no time thereafter did defendant ever complain to the trial court that he was not being adequately represented. Indeed, it is unlikely that during or after trial he was really dissatisfied with his counsel for he at no time brought it to the attention of the judge, as he had on previous occasions ; had defendant believed he was not being adequately represented he should have, and in view of the record probably would have, referred the matter to the trial court for its consideration. (People v. Boyd, 203 Cal.App.2d 348 [21 Cal.Rptr. 444]; People v. Youders, 96 Cal.App.2d 562 [215 P.2d 743].)

It does not appear that the trial was reduced to a sham or farce because the matter was submitted on the transcript of the grand jury proceedings (People v. Allen, 195 Cal.App.2d 336 [15 Cal.Rptr. 713]; People v. Comstock, 147 Cal.App.2d 287 [305 P.2d 228]); or that the defense was “perfunctory” because counsel did not impeach the prosecution witness or object to the introduction of evidence. (People v. Baker, 183 Cal.App.2d 615 [7 Cal.Rptr. 22].) As to defendant’s failure to take the stand, it was not only voluntary but obviously the result of a prior considered decision made by him and his counsel; even so, counsel in open court again asked defendant in each case if he desired to testify and both times he answered “no.” That counsel saw fit to submit the case to the judge without argument is no evidence of inadequate representation, particularly where he argued the companion case (No. 259181) and through his diligence and competence won an acquittal for defendant. (People v. Mitman, 184 Cal.App.2d 685 [7 Cal.Rptr. 712].) After reading the transcript we can understand why counsel preferred not to argue the instant ease, for the evidence of guilt is *778 undisputed and overwhelmingly clear, and no legal issue was presented. As to counsel’s failure to present matters in mitigation at the time of sentence, there may well have been nothing to offer—the judge had heard the evidence, which harbored no doubt that defendant was a narcotics peddler, and proof of his two previous felony convictions; and he had before him the full probation report, including his prior record.

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People v. White, 222 Cal. App. 2d 774, 35 Cal. Rptr. 571, 1963 Cal. App. LEXIS 1730 (Cal. Ct. App. 1963).

222 Cal. App. 2d 774 (People v. White) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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