Schweinefuss v. Commonwealth

395 S.W.2d 370
CourtCourt of Appeals of Kentucky (pre-1976)
DecidedNovember 26, 1965
StatusPublished
Cited by19 cases

This text of 395 S.W.2d 370 (Schweinefuss v. Commonwealth) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Kentucky (pre-1976) primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Schweinefuss v. Commonwealth, 395 S.W.2d 370 (Ky. 1965).

Opinion

DAVIS, Commissioner.

Clement J. Schweinefuss, Robert Worth-ington, and Janie Worthington were jointly indicted, jointly tried, and all convicted of the offense of “pandering,” denounced by KRS 436.040, and the offense of “aiding and abetting prostitution”, contrary to the provisions of KRS 436.075(2). The charge under KRS 436.040 is a felony; the latter charge of “aiding and abetting prostitution” is a misdemeanor. In an effort to minimize confusion, we shall refer to the appellants as “defendant Schweinefuss,” “defendant Robert,” and “defendant Janie.”

The jury’s verdict, followed by judgment of the court, declared each of the defendants guilty as to each charge, and fixed their respective punishments as follows:

Defendant Robert: Imprisonment for three years for the felony conviction; fine of $200 plus imprisonment for one year as to the misdemeanor.

Defendant Janie: Imprisonment for three years for the felony conviction; fine of $200 plus imprisonment for one year as to the misdemeanor.

Defendant Schweinefuss: Imprisonment for one year for the felony conviction; fine of $200 plus imprisonment for one year as to the misdemeanor.

The appellants present the following grounds upon which they deem themselves entitled to reversal: (1) It was error to permit the joinder of the felony and misdemeanor charges; (2) the court failed to admonish tentatively accepted jurors upon recess of court; (3) the court erred in refusing a continuance because of inflammatory newspaper articles; (4) damaging evidence was admitted which had been obtained by illegal search and seizure; (5) appellants Robert and Janie Worthington should have had directed verdicts of acquittal as to the misdemeanor charges; (6) evidence relating to conviction of a felony by appellant Robert Worthington should have been excluded; (7) the instructions were confusing, misleading and erroneous; (8) appellant Schweinefuss was prejudiced by court’s refusal to grant him a continuance; (9) the court improperly refused an accomplice instruction.

The “star” witness for the prosecution was Dorothy Evans, who admitted practicing prostitution during the period pertinent to this case. According to Dorothy Evans, she was brought to a residence owned by defendants Robert and Janie Worthington at 128 East Eleventh Street, Covington, on September 23, 1963. The residence building was a house of prostitution, and defendant Janie served in a dual capacity in it — sometimes she acted as its “madam,” and on rush occasions she worked as a prostitute. Dorothy Evans related that she was taken to the brothel by her “daddy” (a term she used to identify her pimp). This individual left Dorothy *373 in his automobile outside the house while he negotiated with defendants Robert and Janie. Upon completion of those preliminary details, the “daddy” brought Dorothy into the house and presented her to defendant Janie; at that initial encounter Dorothy saw neither defendant Robert nor defendant Schweinefuss.

Defendant Janie made some inquiry whether Dorothy had “worked” (as a prostitute) before, to which Dorothy made negative response. Shortly thereafter, defendant Robert put in his appearance and the tenor of the conversation continued along that line, after which Dorothy was instructed by defendants Robert and Janie “to get dressed for work.”

Before she had opportunity to do so a “customer” of the bagnio arrived, whereupon Dorothy was directed by defendants Robert and Janie to take her place in the line with other harlots for inspection and selection. Dorothy was chosen.

The customer’s requirements encompassed an area of debauchery which was unfamiliar to Dorothy, so she obtained instructions and demonstrations from defendant Janie prior to entering upon her professional duties. Dorothy was informed, by defendants Janie and Robert, as to the “going rates” for the various types of “parties” available to patrons of the house. It was further explained to her that she was to make memoranda incident to her acts of prostitution, and that she should transcribe thereon the amount of money collected from each customer, the time at which she started and finished each transaction, along with her professional identification as “Pam.” These chits, together with the money collected, were placed by Dorothy in a bag provided for the purpose; the bag, along with similar receptacles available for the other operatives of the establishment, were neatly hung inside a closet door.

It was also explained that Dorothy’s fiscal arrangements were such that at the close of each day’s activities (which activities began at 10:00 a. m. and concluded at 4:00 a. m., on each week day — but never on Sunday) the gross proceeds emanating from her dealings with the customers should be divided, on the basis of 50% to the “house” and 50% to Dorothy. The “house,” as Dorothy understood it, was comprised of defendants Robert and Janie. From Dorothy’s share of the gross earnings the “house” extracted $2.00 per day as rental. In certain instances, when the customers were fetched to the house by taxi drivers, the share of Dorothy was subjected to a “bite” of 40% as recompense to the enterprising cabbie.

Dorothy testified that at the close of her first day’s work as a prostitute the money in her bag was divided with her by defendant Robert; that on other occasions this division was accomplished by defendant Janie, and on still others by defendant Schweinefuss. She did not say that defendant Schweinefuss was an actual beneficiary of the money, or whether he merely supervised its division according to the foregoing schedule.

Dorothy said that she was under physical restraint which prevented her leaving the house, except at times when she was permitted, under supervision of her “daddy” or defendant Robert, to visit a beauty shop, and on Sundays, when she visited her small son. Dorothy was not able, with particularity, to specify on just what dates the money division was supervised by the respective defendants. She was able to finally leave the house on October 26, 1963, which was on Saturday. On the following Tuesday, October 29, she called upon the Commonwealth’s Attorney and related substantially the sordid account just outlined.

Other witnesses for the prosecution included four “customers”; none of them identified defendant Schweinefuss or defendant Janie in any way; one of these four witnesses said that he saw defendant Robert there on the occasion of his visit to the house.

*374 Four cab drivers testified for the Commonwealth. Two of these asserted that they merely took their fares to the house and did not participate in the 40% “cut.” One of these two did not identify any of the defendants as having been present; the other said that defendant Robert was there on one occasion, but that he did not see the other two defendants.

The other two cab drivers admitted that they were recipients of 40% of the prostitute’s share paid by the customers whom they had brought to the brothel.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Matheney v. Commonwealth
191 S.W.3d 599 (Kentucky Supreme Court, 2006)
St. Clair v. Commonwealth
140 S.W.3d 510 (Kentucky Supreme Court, 2004)
Salinas v. Commonwealth
84 S.W.3d 913 (Kentucky Supreme Court, 2002)
Tamme v. Commonwealth
973 S.W.2d 13 (Kentucky Supreme Court, 1998)
Commonwealth v. Messex
736 S.W.2d 341 (Kentucky Supreme Court, 1987)
Caine v. Commonwealth
491 S.W.2d 824 (Court of Appeals of Kentucky (pre-1976), 1973)
Morris v. State
479 S.W.2d 860 (Supreme Court of Arkansas, 1972)
Brown v. Commonwealth
458 S.W.2d 444 (Court of Appeals of Kentucky (pre-1976), 1970)
Alexander v. Commonwealth
450 S.W.2d 808 (Court of Appeals of Kentucky, 1970)
State v. Chadwick
450 S.W.2d 568 (Tennessee Supreme Court, 1970)
Jaggers v. Commonwealth
439 S.W.2d 580 (Court of Appeals of Kentucky (pre-1976), 1968)
Peek v. Commonwealth
415 S.W.2d 854 (Court of Appeals of Kentucky (pre-1976), 1967)
Daniels v. Commonwealth
404 S.W.2d 446 (Court of Appeals of Kentucky, 1966)
Russell v. Commonwealth
403 S.W.2d 694 (Court of Appeals of Kentucky, 1966)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
395 S.W.2d 370, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/schweinefuss-v-commonwealth-kyctapphigh-1965.