Court Opinion

ID: 9738265
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 19:47:15.281496+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:24:04.971669
License: Public Domain

CONLEY, P. J.,
Concurring and Dissenting:
I concur in the judgment of conviction as to all counts except count 1, but would reverse the judgment as to that count. I will not vote to send a man to prison on such a count, essentially because it is not based upon reality, but rests on a fairy story invented by the law enforcement officers. The police and district attorneys of the state have enough real crime to ferret out for punishment without busying themselves with a theoretical offense founded upon pretense.
Furthermore, an essential element of extortion is missing in count 1. Extortion is the felonious exaction of money or property through the application of force, or the inspiration of fear, by accusing the victim of some wrong of which he is guilty, or as to which he might appear to be guilty, in the eyes of friends, or the public. The crime as defined by the Penal Code requires the “wrongful use of force or fear.” (Pen. Code, § 518.) In the instant case, there is no suggestion that force was used so that it is an inescapable deduction that total reliance is placed on fear. But there could not possibly be fear in this ease. The pretended victim not only knew that he had not stolen any money from his employer, but what is more important, he also knew that his play-acting was in response to the suggestion and with the cooperation of law enforcement agents and that he could not possibly be prosecuted or convicted for a theoretical crime which had their blessing but no part in reality. Therefore, an essential element of the offense of extortion was absent in that the fear of the pretended victim not only did not exist but could not exist. The authorities support this view: 21 Cal.Jur.2d, Extortion & Blackmail, section 8, pages 595-596; People v. Williams, 127 Cal. 212 [59 P. 581] ; People v. Beggs, 178 Cal. 79, 88-89 [172 P. 152] ; People v. Turner, 22 Cal.App.2d 186 [70 P.2d 642]; People v. Hopkins, 105 Cal.App.2d 708 [233 P.2d 948]; People v. Goodman, 159 Cal.App.2d 54, 61 [323 P.2d 536].
*91In the absence of a necessary element of a crime there can be no conviction. (People v. Collins, 53 Cal. 185.) This principle is applicable to count 1. The judgment of conviction on that count should be reversed.