Court Opinion

ID: 9563274
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 18:38:14.536177+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:17:47.438479
License: Public Domain

WHITE, J.—
I dissent. Concededly, this is a case wherein circumstantial evidence alone is relied upon to sustain the conviction. It is also conceded that no motive whatsoever was shown for the commission of the homicide by the defendant. In connection with the absence of motive, our Supreme Court, in the ease of People v. Albertson, 23 Cal.2d 550, 567 [145 P.2d 7], uses this language:
“In considering the sufficiency of this evidence to prove the guilt of Albertson, it is pertinent to note the startling fact that no motive whatsoever is shown. . . .
“The absence of motive, it may be conceded, furnishes but one element for consideration by the jury in connection with the other circumstances in the case, and if proof of guilt is otherwise sufficient to overcome the presumption of innocence the defendant must stand convicted notwithstanding no motive has been shown. But, nevertheless, ‘absence of motive tends to support the presumption of innocence’ (People v. Tom Woo, 181 Cal. 315, 328 [184 P. 389], or as stated in People v. Kelley, 208 Cal. 387, 390-391 [281 P. 609], a case relied upon by the prosecution, ‘The absence of proof of motive is a fact to be reckoned on the side of innocence. ’ ’ ’
In this state of the record, I am impressed that any errors of law committed during the trial might well assume proportions which could have turned the scales in favor of the prosecution and militated prejudicially against the defendant’s substantial rights. While the law makes no distinction between direct and circumstantial evidence in the degree of proof required for conviction and only demands that proof of guilt be established beyond a reasonable doubt by evidence of the one character or the other, or both, it is nevertheless, elementary law that the circumstances relied upon to establish the guilt of the accused must be consistent with that hypothesis and inconsistent with any other rational conclusion.
*420In his opening statement to the jury, the district attorney referred to an incident which had occurred some six years prior to the homicide and in connection with which the district attorney said, “There is evidence in this case that the little girl came screaming to her mother from the upper floor of the garage on these premises where the defendant was, a short distance back of her, and cast herself into her mother’s arms and told her mother certain things.” This matter is referred to at some length in the main opinion.
When during the trial, the district attorney sought to introduce evidence of the incident just mentioned, vigorous objection was made by the defendant. After discussion outside the presence of the jury, the court ruled that the prosecution could not introduce evidence of the incident in question other than as to what the mother of the deceased said to the defendant, admonishing him to remain away from the Courtemanche premises. In order to overcome any inferences the jury might draw from what the district attorney said in his opening statement, the defendant offered the following instruction, which was refused:
“The District Attorney in his opening statement said that there would be evidence presented in this case that ‘the little girl had come screaming to her mother from the upper floor of the garage on those premises where the defendant was, a short distance back of her, and cast herself into her mother’s arms and told her mother certain things. Her mother walked up to Flanagan and took him by the arm and told him, Flanagan, “Don’t you ever come on these premises again. Don’t you ever put your hand on any of my children” and then reached up and twitched his ear. She said “Do you feel that? I don’t know what I should do to you to make you understand, but if you ever come back here and touch one of my babies again I will cut that ear off. Now, you get out and stay out.” From that moment on Flanagan was unwanted on the place and knew it. ’
“You are instructed that no evidence or testimony has been adduced to establish these facts which the District Attorney stated he would prove, and that there has been a failure of proof in this respect. For this reason you are instructed to entirely and absolutely disregard the statement of the District Attorney as to these facts, nor are you to draw any inference that these facts may be true.”
*421This instruction should have been given. The prejudicial effect of what the district attorney said in his opening statement with reference to “The little girl had come screaming to her mother from the upper floor of the garage on those premises where the defendant was, a short distance back of her, and cast herself into her mother’s arms and told her mother certain things” was intensified by the discussion attending the objection made by the defendant when it was sought, during the trial, to introduce testimony of the incident into evidence. While it is true the judge did give a certain instruction as set forth in the majority opinion and which is read to juries in practically all cases, it is my opinion it did not cover the prominent and necessary features of the instruction which was offered and refused.
The defendant also requested the trial court to instruct the jury that the defendant was of the age of fifteen years; that a boy of that age is not presumed or required by law to exercise the same “judgment, discretion, consideration or acumen” in his actions or reactions, conduct or statements, that would be exercised by a person of more mature age under the same circumstances but is only required to exercise that degree of judgment and discretion which would ordinarily or usually be exercised by a youth of the age of fifteen years acting under the same circumstances. The court refused to give this or any similar instruction.
I am impressed that the proffered instruction contains a correct statement of the law and that the jury should have been so advised. The refused instruction assumed much importance because the jury was required to consider, as a link in the chain of circumstantial evidence, the reactions, conduct and behavior of the minor defendant, when, according to his testimony, he discovered the lifeless body of the deceased. I am convinced that, in giving consideration to such evidence, the jury should have been admonished as to the law applicable thereto when the actor therein was of the more or less immature age of fifteen years.
I am further convinced that the court should have instructed the jury as requested by the defendant, that their personal opinions as to facts not proven cannot properly be resorted to as the basis for a verdict; that although, as men and women, they might believe that certain facts exist, nevertheless, as *422jurors, they could only act upon the evidence introduced at the trial, and upon that and that alone, their verdict should be based. While it is true that in a general instruction given in practically every criminal trial the court, in the course of such instruction, counselled the jury “You are to be governed, therefore, solely by the evidence introduced in this trial and the law as given you by the court,” it is my belief that, because of the nature of this case, the circumstantial character of the evidence introduced, and the absence of motive, the court should have specifically warned the jury to beware of acting upon anything except the evidence introduced at the trial and inferences legally dedueible therefrom, in arriving at their verdict. In a case such as the instant one, where the evidence is entirely circumstantial, and the lack of motive tends to support the presumption of innocence, the court should meticulously guard against the possibility of resort being had by the jury to ■ considerations other than the evidence introduced at the trial in arriving at their verdict.
It is also my opinion that prejudicial error resulted from the introduction of People’s Exhibit 21, a spring-bladed knife, under the circumstances set forth in the majority opinion herein.
In his closing argument, the district attorney exhibited the knife to the jury and said “It would take a blade as big as the one that is there in exhibit 21 to do that sort of work. It was the hunting knife of this defendant built to order for that purpose and carried by him, upon him.” The error of admitting this knife as an exhibit lies in the fact that there was no evidence identifying the knife admitted into evidence with the crime under investigation. (People v. Hill, 123 Cal. 571 [56 P. 443].) Consequently, the jury could only conjecture that it, or one like it, was used by the defendant.
With reference to the manner in which the trial was conducted, the majority opinion, while holding that it cannot be said the jury arrived at its verdict as the result of passion or prejudice, nevertheless, in reference to the manner in which the defendant’s black leather jacket was introduced into evidence, my associates have this to say, “... This court condemns the practice followed in this case of placing red cellophane upon the said jacket to mark the blood stains thereon which *423were not visible to the naked eye. It would appear that these stains or splatters might have been marked in some less conspicuous manner in order to obviate the gruesome appearance which the jacket presented to the eyes of the jury, covered, as it was, with these red markers which simulated the appearance of blood. ’ ’ Conduct of a trial which merits such vigorous condemnation does not impress me as being of that type of judicial investigation which the law contemplates and which seeks to arrive at the truth.
Guilty or innocent, appellant was entitled to have his case fairly tried according to the established rules of law. That unfair means may have resulted in doing justice to a defendant in a particular case, furnishes no valid argument for resorting to such means, because justice so attained is unjust and dangerous to the whole community. That respect for the law cannot be inspired by withholding the protection of the law, recognizes no exceptions. True, the acquittal of a guilty person is a miscarriage of justice, but we should not forget that the conviction of an innocent person through relaxation of those fundamental legal principles, with which we are here concerned, would be a tragedy.
With reference to section 4% of article VI of the Constitution, it is not my understanding that the same is intended to mean that merely because the evidence may legally be able to stand up under the weight of the judgment, that is sufficient reason in all cases for refusing to set aside the judgment. (People v. Davis, 210 Cal. 540, 556 [293 P. 32].) As was said in People v. Wilson, 23 Cal.App. 513, 524 [138 P. 971], “The phrase, ‘miscarriage of justice,’ does not simply mean that a guilty man has escaped, or that an innocent man has been convicted. It is equally applicable to cases where the acquittal or the conviction has resulted from, some form of trial in which the essential rights of the people or of the defendant were disregarded or denied. The right of the accused in a given case to a fair trial, conducted substantially according to law, is at the same time the right of all inhabitants of the country to protection against procedure which might at some time illegally deprive them of life or liberty. ‘It is an essential part of justice that the question of guilt or innnocence shall be determined by an orderly legal procedure, in which the substantial rights belonging to defendants shall be *424respected.’ (Opinion written by Mr. Justice Sloss in People v. O’Bryan, 165 Cal. 55 [130 P. 1042].) ” (Italics ours.)
When a defendant is denied that fair and impartial trial guaranteed by law, such procedure amounts to a denial of due process of law. (Powell v. Alabama, 287 U.S. 45 [53 S.Ct. 55, 77 L.Ed. 158, 84 A.L.R. 527].)
I am persuaded that it is not for this court to say whether we think that the defendant is guilty, and nothing herein said by me is to be taken as indicating any opinion one way or the other on the question of his actual guilt. It is, however, my judgment that, had the jury been instructed as heretofore set forth, and had the errors'of law upon the admission into evidence of the knife not been committed, such instructions and the absence of such errors would have added a substantial item to the balance in defendant’s favor, and who can say but what a different verdict might have been rendered. This I assert because of the fiendish, brutal, and depraved character of the murder with which we are here concerned. Appellant was charged with that murder. If guilty at all of this cruel and inhuman crime, he was guilty of first degree murder. Strictly speaking, there was no middle ground. However, the jury found appellant guilty of only second degree murder. Here, indeed, was a remarkable verdict. To me, the verdict rendered showed nothing if it did not indicate a doubt in the minds of the jurors as to the correctness of their solution of the problem submitted to them. Was such doubt engendered by the errors to which I have alluded? Who can say?
In my opinion, the judgment and the order denying a new7 trial should be reversed and the cause remanded for a retrial devoid of such errors and consequent prejudice.
Appellant’s petition for a hearing by the Supreme Court was denied September 1, 1944. Carter, J., and Traynor, J.. voted for a hearing.