State v. Grijalva

445 P.2d 88, 8 Ariz. App. 205, 1968 Ariz. App. LEXIS 504
CourtCourt of Appeals of Arizona
DecidedSeptember 12, 1968
Docket2 CA-CR 114
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 445 P.2d 88 (State v. Grijalva) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Arizona primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State v. Grijalva, 445 P.2d 88, 8 Ariz. App. 205, 1968 Ariz. App. LEXIS 504 (Ark. Ct. App. 1968).

Opinion

HATHAWAY, Chief Judge.

Alex Grijalva was tried to a jury and found guilty of receiving stolen property. He appeals from that conviction and the court’s denial of his motion for a directed verdict.

The facts reveal that an automobile belonging to one Joseph Mendoza was stolen and was found stripped shortly after the theft. A Richard Tully testified that he saw three boys, around noon on the day following the theft, hurriedly carrying some auto parts into an apartment he rented to one Henry Verde. A few days later the auto parts stolen from Mendoza’s automobile were found by the police in the apartment rented by Verde. Tully stated at trial that the defendant looked like one of the boys but that he could not positively identify him.

Maria Martinez, who was living in the apartment with the Verdes and Albert Montenegro, testified that Grijalva had brought “some things” to the apartment. The connection between these “things” and the stolen goods, which are the subject of this; prosecution, is shown by her following-testimony :

“Q. Do you recall telling the policemen who brought the parts into the-apartment?
******
“THE WITNESS: Yes.
******
“Q. And who did you tell the police-brought the parts into the apartment ?
* * * * * *
“THE WITNESS: I don’t remember-his name.
“Q. Do you see the person in court-even though you don’t know his. name?
“A. Yes.
“Q. Would you point him out then,, please? Would you point him out,, please? What does he have on?
“A. Blue.
“Q. What?
“A. Blue.
“Q. He has on blue. Where is he in the-courtroom ?
“A. Sitting down.
“Q. Is that the truth?
“A. Yes.
“THE COURT: For the record, so-there is no question as to who-she intends to point out, would you please go back there, Mr.. Augustine, and point to either the-Defendant or Mr. Garcia so there-is no question. I don’t know if the: record is clear or the Jury is clear.
“Did you point to this man?
“THE WITNESS: No.
“THE COURT: Did you point to this -. man?
“THE WITNESS: Yes. '
“MR. AUGUSTINE: May the record, show she indicated this man when. *207 I was standing behind, holding my hand over the Defendant’s head?
“THE COURT: The record will so reflect.” '

On cross-examination the following testimony appears:

“Q. During these few days that you were in this apartment three other people were living there, isn’t that true ? There was Eileen and Henry Verde and Albert Montenegro, is that right?
“A. Yes,- sir.
“Q. Had you known Alex Grijalva at that time? You know this young man sitting here next to me ?
“A. Yes.
“Q. And did you see him come over to the house one day there when you were living there?
“A. T don’t remember seeing him come over there.
“Q. Well, you just said that he brought some things over.
“A. Oh.
“Q. Did you see him bring them?
“A. Yes.”

The defendant appeals contending:

1. That the court erred in denying the defendant’s motion for a directed verdict to the receiving stolen property count " because

a. The State failed to prove the value of the parts as being in excess of $50 as required by the statute. 1
b. There was insufficient evidence of guilty knowledge.

2. That the trial court erred by instructing the jury as to

a. Value of the stolen goods
b. Possession or claim of ownership constituting evidence, though alone insufficient, upon which the jury could base -a.verdict of. guilty.

The automobile parts, indisputably stolen, were four magnesium rims and tires mounted thereon, an intake manifold and a four-barreled carburetor thereon, a four-speed transmission including linkage,' a center console, four headlights, and a drivé shaft. The prosecutor apparently • thought that the value, was obviously in excess of $50 and made no attempt to introduce outside evidence of value.. The owner of '.the stolen car testified that the vehicle cost about $4,500 new and that he had paid $220 for the “Mag” rims

. The car was about one year old when stolen; therefore, if the rims were purchased new for use on the car, they could not have been more than one year old. If they were purchased used, their -value might well- have remained unchanged at the time the defendant received them. The jury had the opportunity to examine the condition of the rims and the other automobile parts and to determine the condition of these items and what deterioration in value, if any, might have occurred.

While the jurors may not be permitted to. speculate as to value, State v. Hull, 60 Ariz. 124, 132 P.2d,436 (1943), they should be permitted to use common sense. We conclude that the evidence supports their finding that the property exceeded $50 in value. Cf. Murphy v. State, 50 Ariz. 481, 73 P.2d 110 (1937).

A.R.S. § 13-621, subsec. A requires, before a person may be convicted of receiving stolen property, proof of intent to deprive the owner of the possession of his property with knowledge that such property had been stolen. Possession alone of stolen goods is insufficient to support a conviction of the crime of receiving stolen property, since mere possession in and of itself does not establish guilty knowledge of the possessor. State v. Tellez, 6 Ariz.App. 251, 431 P.2d 691 (1967). Possession of stolen goods under suspicious circumstances, however, presents a *208 jury question as to the defendant’s knowledge of the stolen character of the property. State v. Hull, supra. It is the function of the jury to decide what reasonable inferences may be drawn from the evidence, State v. Green, 103 Ariz. 211, 439 P.2d 483

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

Related

State v. Allen
Court of Appeals of Arizona, 2019
State v. Curiel
634 P.2d 988 (Court of Appeals of Arizona, 1981)
State v. Printz
609 P.2d 570 (Arizona Supreme Court, 1980)
State v. Ware
557 P.2d 1077 (Court of Appeals of Arizona, 1976)
State v. Gaines
549 P.2d 574 (Arizona Supreme Court, 1976)
State v. Archer
534 P.2d 1083 (Court of Appeals of Arizona, 1975)
State v. Washington
476 P.2d 1019 (Utah Supreme Court, 1970)
State v. Roderick
448 P.2d 891 (Court of Appeals of Arizona, 1968)
Dykeman v. Ashton
446 P.2d 26 (Court of Appeals of Arizona, 1968)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
445 P.2d 88, 8 Ariz. App. 205, 1968 Ariz. App. LEXIS 504, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/state-v-grijalva-arizctapp-1968.