State v. Callas

413 P.2d 962, 68 Wash. 2d 542, 1966 Wash. LEXIS 770
CourtWashington Supreme Court
DecidedMay 5, 1966
Docket38318, 38656
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 413 P.2d 962 (State v. Callas) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Washington Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Callas, 413 P.2d 962, 68 Wash. 2d 542, 1966 Wash. LEXIS 770 (Wash. 1966).

Opinion

Langenbach, J.

Harry Callas, the appellant, was convicted of burglary in the second degree and grand larceny. He has challenged his conviction by an appeal and by a writ of habeas corpus.

On February 12, 1965, Harry Fink closed his jewelry store as usual. The outside windows were washed and the most valuable jewelry was removed from the front window showcases. Approximately 5 a.m. the following morning, someone used a rock to shatter the front window of the store. A few minutes later, an unknown bus driver informed two police officers that the window had been broken. They proceeded to the store where certain fingerprints were '‘lifted” from the unbroken part of the glass. The fingerprints were of the left hand, next to the hole in the window, through which one could reach the jewelry with his right hand. These were the only fingerprints on the entire window glass.

The police telephoned the store owner, who came to the scene. He noticed that nine sets of rings and two men’s rings were missing, with a total value of approximately S3,500.

The fingerprints removed from the window were later identified as appellant’s. Acting on this information, the police arrested appellant without a warrant 37% hours after the rings had been taken from the store. He was taken to jail, fingerprinted and questioned.

Prior to being taken to justice court on three separate occasions for hearings, he had been incarcerated for 112 *544 hours. During this period, he was without counsel. However, he did not give any information or make any statement which was used against him at the trial in superior court. At all times he pleaded not guilty.

After he had been bound over to the superior court and arraigned, the information was amended to include the offense of grand larceny. No preliminary hearing was held on the amended information.

A week after the burglary, the police questioned one Douglas. He informed them that appellant had given him a set of rings (which were part of the stolen merchandise) and, in so doing, had stated the rings were a “little warm” but not “hot.” Appellant had also shown him a man’s ring and two other sets of rings, the description of which matched the stolen jewelry.

Having pleaded not guilty, appellant sought to establish an alibi. Throughout the early morning in question, he had traversed from apartment to apartment where he visited named friends who lived in the vicinity of the jewelry store. He admitted going past the store two or three times early that morning. Although his defense witnesses corroborated him, their testimony was confusing and somewhat inconsistent. A state witness testified adversely to his alibi.

Appellant has alleged numerous errors. None of them had been raised during the trial, nor did he assert any prejudice at that time. In State v. Hammond, 64 Wn.2d 591, 392 P.2d 1010 (1964), the court stated that it will not consider on appeal questions not properly submitted to the trial court, since that court must be given a chance to view and correct the claimed error before the matter can be reviewed by the Supreme Court.

Nevertheless his claims of error will be considered, seri-atim:

1. Arrested without benefit of a warrant 37% hours after a burglary. In State v. Miles, 29 Wn.2d 921, 190 P.2d 740 (1948), it was said that in felony cases, a police officer may, without a warrant, arrest any person who he believes, and has good and sufficient reason to believe, has committed, *545 is about to commit or is in the act of committing a felony; however, he may not arrest simply because he has some fleeting idea or suspicion that the individual has committed a felony.

Here, the police officers had the fingerprints from the broken window. They also had his former prints of prior convictions as a means of comparison. There is, no merit in this contention.

2. Detained in jail 112 hours between arrest and arraignment.

3. No counsel from time of arrest until hearing in superior court; in meantime three justice court preliminary hearings. These will be considered together. It was asserted that this was in violation of the so-called “McNabb Rule.” He was without counsel at the critical stage of the proceedings — the three preliminary justice court hearings.

In State v. Hoffman, 64 Wn.2d 445, 392 P.2d 237 (1964), the defendant likewise urged the adoption of a rule akin to the “McNabb,Pule.”., The court stated at 450:

Although we do not and will not abide the .practice of holding persons for unreasonable times without charge and arraignment, we have heretofore refrained from adopting the McNabb rulé of exclusion. . . . [Citing cases.]
It may well be that future' developments, or a conviction that law enforcement- agencies of the state are persistently indulging in undue and extensive delays between arrest and arraignment, may dictate a reconsideration of our position. Until that time, however, we adhere to our present approach.

That is still our position.

No statement or confession was procured from appellant either during confinement or the preliminary hearings. Nothing of prejudice to any of his rights transpired. These assignments are groundless.

4. No justice court hearing on grand larceny charge after the information was amended in superior court. State v. Robinson, 61 Wn.2d 107, 377 P.2d 248 (1962) held that the prosecuting attorney may proceed without a preliminary *546 hearing. Such a hearing is not required or necessary under due process. This assignment has no merit.

5. No court reporter present at sentencing. There is no requirement that this be done.

6. At time of trial appellant’s mental and physical faculties were impaired. He apparently had a blow on his head, requiring four stitches, 3 weeks prior to trial. He stated otherwise he would not have testified and would have known his counsel had not called a witness to support his alibi. The record is devoid of any mental disarrangement affecting the trial in any manner. Nothing appeared concerning an absent witness, nor of any effort having been made to secure her attendance. The right to process to compel the attendance of a witness must be asserted and maintained. State v. Summers, 60 Wn.2d 702, 375 P.2d 143 (1962).

7. Police officer who arrested him was not called although listed as a witness. Appellant did not claim surprise, did not ask for a continuance or call the officer as a witness. State v. Summers, supra.

He further complained that the best evidence rule was violated.

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Related

State v. Wilke
624 P.2d 1176 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 1981)
State v. Moore
560 P.2d 712 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 1977)
State v. Mims
511 P.2d 1383 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 1973)
State v. Green
425 P.2d 913 (Washington Supreme Court, 1967)

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Bluebook (online)
413 P.2d 962, 68 Wash. 2d 542, 1966 Wash. LEXIS 770, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-callas-wash-1966.