People v. Williams

265 Cal. App. 2d 888, 71 Cal. Rptr. 773, 1968 Cal. App. LEXIS 1696
California Court of Appeal·Decided September 23, 1968·No. Crim. 6620·Published·Cited by 19 cases

Opinion

AGEE, J.

Defendant appeals following jury conviction of first degree murder. (Pen. Code, §§ 187, 189.) In an unpublished opinion (1 Crim. No. 4705) a prior first degree murder conviction was reversed on Dorado grounds. (People v. Dorado, 62 Cal.2d 338 [42 Cal.Rptr. 169, 398 P.2d 361].) Appellant was 17 years of age at the time of the murder and therefore the death penalty could not be imposed. (Pen. Code, § 190.1.) No contention is made that the evidence is not sufficient to support the judgment.

Pacts

Clyde Sherman testified that on September 13, 1963, about 1:30 a.m., he looked out from the window of his third floor room in a hotel located on the southeast corner of 16th and Grove Streets, Oakland, to the northeast corner of the intersection. There he saw a man lying prostrate on the sidewalk. One male Negro was standing beside his body and another male Negro was crouched down over him, rifling his pockets. Once, when the victim raised his head a few inches, the standing Negro viciously kicked him in the head.

A male voice coming from the hotel yelled “ ‘Hold it’ ” and the two assailants ran down 16th Street. A few minutes later Sherman saw an automobile containing four persons drive up. Two “colored” persons, not the assailants, got out and went over to where the victim was lying on the sidewalk. *891 In what Sherman described as a “female voice,” one of them said, “ ‘Yes, he is conscious. ’ ” The two then got back in the car, which was driven off rapidly.

Police Officer Smith arrived immediately after. The victim was lying in a pool of blood, one eye was dislodged from its socket, and he was bleeding profusely from the head. He died at 2 a.m. The officer noted that the victim had no money on his person, his pockets had been turned out, and his shoes had been removed.

The autopsy surgeon attributed the death to shock and hemorrhage resulting from head injuries. There were twelve external wounds which, except one, could have been caused by blows from fists and feet. The exception was a 1% inch cheek wound, which could have been inflicted with a crowbar.

At 2:20 a.m., Police Officer Beltramini stopped a car two miles from Grove and 16th Streets. It was driven by one Tyler. Appellant and one Keith Williams (hereafter “Keith”) were occupants.

The prosecution called Sylvia Grogans. The trial judge upheld her invocation of the self-incrimination privilege. On motion of the prosecutor, her testimony at the first trial was read into the record by the official court reporter who had reported it.

Sylvia had testified that on September 13, 1963, about 12:30a.m., she was riding in Tyler’s car with him, appellant, Keith and one Sandra London. Appellant and Keith got out of the car near 16th Street in Oakland, stating that they needed money and were going to the nearby laundromat. Appellant took a crowbar with him. The two returned in about 45 minutes. Appellant said, “ ‘I think we killed that man.’ ” Appellant asked Keith why he had removed the victim’s shoes and Keith replied, " ‘ Sometime they keep money in their shoes. ’ ” The crowbar had been left behind and Sylvia and Sandra got out of the car to look for it. When they came upon the victim and saw his condition they abandoned the search and ran back to the ear, which was then driven away rapidly.

Sandra corroborated Sylvia’s testimony in all material respects and a detailed statement thereof is unnecessary.

In addition, Mrs. Ida Mae Johnson testified that she saw Keith and appellant, the latter carrying a long object up his sleeve, at the Grove Street laundromat on the murder date at approximately 1 a.m. An old man walked by the laundromat at about 1:15 a.m. Appellant and Keith followed him around the corner. Mrs. Johnson then heard several cries for help, and next saw appellant and Keith running.

*892 The only evidence offered by the defense was appellant’s own testimony. He testified that on the day in question he had been drinking heavily. He admitted accompanying Keith to the laundromat, but denied taking any part in the attack upon the victim. Instead, he claimed to have unsuccessfully attempted to stop Keith’s attack upon the victim.

Did the Admission in Evidence op Sylvia’s Prior Testimony Deny Appellant His Constitutional Right OP CONPRONTATION ?

Penal Code section 686, subdivision 3, provides in pertinent part that in a criminal action, the defendant is entitled “to be confronted with the witnesses against him, in the presence of the court, except that: (a) Hearsay evidence may be admitted to the extent that it is otherwise admissible in a criminal action under the law of this state.” (As amended Stats. 1965, ch. 299, p. 1368, § 139, operative Jan. 1,1967.)

The Evidence Code became operative on January 1, 1967 and governs “further proceedings in actions pending on that date.” (Evid. Code, § 12.) “ ‘Action’ includes a civil action and a criminal action.” (Evid. Code, § 105.) The retrial herein was commenced on May 4, 1967, and is therefore governed by the Evidence Code. (People v. Doherty (1967) 67 Cal.2d 9, 21, fn. 9 [59 Cal.Rptr. 857, 429 P.2d 177].)

Evidence Code section 1291 provides in part that “Evidence of former testimony is not made inadmissible by the hearsay rule if the declarant is unavailable as a witness and . . . [t]he party against whom the former testimony is offered was a party to the action or proceeding in which the testimony was given and had the right and opportunity to cross-examine the declarant with an interest and motive similar to that which he has at the hearing. ’ ’ (Italics added.)

Evidence Code section 1290, subdivision (a), defines “former testimony” to include testimony given under oath in a former trial of the same action.

Evidence Code section 240, so far as pertinent herein, provides that a declarant who is “ [e]xempted or precluded on the ground of privilege from testifying concerning the matter to which his statement is relevant” is “unavailable as a witness.” In other words, a witness whose testimony is not available, even though he is present at the trial, is “unavailable as a witness” within the meaning of Evidence Code section 1291. (Cf. Johnson v. People (1963) 152 Colo. 586 [384 P.2d 454].)

It is clear that, under the above provisions of the Evidence *893 Code, the testimony of the witness Sylvia at the prior trial became admissible in evidence at the retrial upon her becoming “unavailable as a witness” by invoking the self-incrimination privilege. Appellant does not argue to the contrary.

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People v. Williams, 265 Cal. App. 2d 888, 71 Cal. Rptr. 773, 1968 Cal. App. LEXIS 1696 (Cal. Ct. App. 1968).

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