Opinion ID: 1237936
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 24

Heading: The Griffen-Stinson Letter

Text: (61) During cross-examination, the prosecution questioned Stinson about a two-page letter. The first page and a half, addressed to Bobby, was signed Blinkey. The bottom half of the second page, also addressed to Bobby, was signed John. The defense conceded that the two portions constituted but one letter. Stinson admitted authoring the second part of the letter. The defense did not object to this portion; on the contrary, it moved that it be received in evidence and shown to the jury. The prosecutor asked Stinson only one question about the content of the first part of the letter, and he withdrew the question when the defense objected. The prosecutor stated he intended to call further witnesses to establish the admissibility of the Blinkey portion of the letter. On rebuttal, Clifford Smith testified that Robert Blinkey Griffen had shown him the letter in Palm Hall in July 1983. He recognized the handwriting and signature on the first part of the letter as Griffen's and the handwriting and signature on the second part of the letter as Stinson's. The purpose of the letter was to explain to Bobby Crane, as the ranking AB member at San Quentin Prison, why it had been necessary to kill Steven Loser Clark and to advise Crane about developments at Folsom Prison affecting the AB. The AB leaders agreed to send the letter with an inmate named Mikey Masterson, who was being transferred from Palm Hall to San Quentin. Smith had discussed the letter with John Stinson and other AB leaders before it was sent. He read and approved the letter and gave it back to Griffen. Over defense objection, the court then admitted the entire letter. Defendant contends the trial court erred because no hearsay exception was ever established for the Blinkey portion of the letter. [19] The letter was not offered for the truth of the matters asserted in it (why Clark was killed and what had occurred at Folsom Prison), but rather to show that the author and the intended recipient were members of an existing organization. The letter was therefore not within the hearsay rule. ( Rogers v. Whitson (1964) 228 Cal. App.2d 662, 675 [39 Cal. Rptr. 849]; People v. Decker (1957) 155 Cal. App.2d 165, 170 [317 P.2d 135].)