Court Opinion

ID: 9533090
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 04:28:16.566884+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:28:54.651847
License: Public Domain

HENRIOD, Chief Justice
(Concurring in the result).
I concur in the result. In doing so, I refer to the State’s suggestion that defendant could not be found guilty only 1) if the money given him by his employer was not the latter’s or 2) that he disposed of the money in accordance with the terms of his agency.
The first of these suggestions, in my opinion, was met and satisfied, since there seems to be no doubt that it was company money that he obtained.
The second was not met or satisfied, in my opinion, with proof showing guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, or for that matter, possibly not by a preponderance.
It is true that defendant confessed to a series of peculations from third persons. Specifically from whom certainly was not reflected therein. Such a confession, standing alone, could not prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, under established principles of evidence and the quantum and quality of proof requireable.
A reading of the record shows a highly speculative and loose agency relationship as to purchases for, delivery of products collected from vendors of the bones, and payment therefor. One is impressed with the fact that in carrying out the modus operandi, the defendant’s employer primarily was interested in obtaining the animal products from any source at an established price. In doing so, it appears that defendant had wide latitude and freedom in gathering up and delivering the scraps, and that the method of payment was of interest only to the vendors and not the employer. The fact that defendant obtained the scraps from third parties by means of a short-weight theft device unbeknownst to his employer, may have constituted a series of thefts from others, but would not tighten up the above mentioned looseness of the fiduciary relationship, so as to establish, beyond a reasonable doubt, a violation of the trust where any duty as to pickup, payment and delivery to his employer was left almost entirely to the discretion of the employee.
The statutory interdictions pointed out by Mr. Justice CALLISTER are pertinent in those cases where facts are presented showing applicability thereof. I differ only with him as to the weight, sufficiency, quantum and quality of proof in establishing a fiduciary relationship without any discretion in an employee, the violation of which proved guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
*111I cannot subscribe to the inference in the main opinion, if there is one, that no offense is committed by an employee, if the employer receives a quid pro quo. Such conclusion would exonerate the bank teller who “borrowed” money from the bank, without authority, but who later returned it.
As to State v. Dubois, 98 Utah 234, 98 P.2d 3S4 (1940), I think the factual situation, the quantity, quality and weight of the proof there, were not on all fours with the instant case, but were miles apart, and are inapropos here in assessing guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.