Court Opinion

ID: 9734966
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-26 17:54:30.813292+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:24:27.317953
License: Public Domain

CONLEY, P. J.
I dissent. It seems clear to me that the trial judge gave the instructions which in the main opinion are found to be prejudicially erroneous in accordance with the rule laid down by the Supreme Court in People v. Ford, 65 Cal.2d 41, 57-58 [52 Cal.Rptr. 228, 416 P.2d 132], and earlier cases. There it is pointed out that it is not error to refuse to give a manslaughter instruction, even though there was evidence of diminished capacity of the defendant, if as here the felony-murder doctrine is directly involved. In the opinion it is said: “Defendant maintains that it was error to refuse *300requested manslaughter instructions because evidence of diminished capacity to form the mental states necessary for murder was introduced. This argument was discussed and dismissed by Justice Schauer when this ease was first before us. At that time we held that the homicide was, as a matter of law, at least murder in the second degree. (People v. Ford, supra, 60 Cal.2d 772, at p. 795.) As Justice Schauer pointed out, a homicide that is a direct causal result of the commission of a felony inherently dangerous to human life (other than the six felonies enumerated in Pen. Code, § 189) constitutes second degree murder. (60 Cal.2d at p. 795.) In our decision in People v. Conley, supra, 64 Cal.2d 310, which was rendered after Justice Schauer’s opinion in the earlier appeal, we held that it was prejudicial error to refuse to instruct on manslaughter in a homicide case where evidence of diminished mental capacity and intoxication was introduced by the defense. The rule that was announced in Conley, however, is inapplicable to the facts in the present case. As noted in Conley, manslaughter instructions may not be necessary in a case in which diminished capacity and intoxication are relied on by the defense if the felony-murder rule is involved. (People v. Conley, supra, at p. 324, fn. 4.) Thus, Conley does not alter the rule, articulated by Justice Schauer on the previous appeal, that a homicide found to have been perpetrated during the commission of certain felonies cannot be less than murder of the second degree. (See People v. Dorman, 28 Cal.2d 846, 853 [172 P.2d 686].) In the words of Justice Schauer, ‘The evidence other than that related to the murder count amply supports the judgments of conviction of the felonies of kidnaping Roope and Mrs. Ford (Pen. Code, § 207) and of possession of a concealable weapon by an ex-felon (Pen. Code, § 12021, here determined to be a felony as defendant was sentenced therefor to state prison for the term provided by law). These latter crimes are by their nature continuing ones, and were still in the process of being committed when the killing of Officer Stahl took place. They are inherently dangerous to human life, and “the killing had a direct causal relationship to the crime[s] being committed” (People v. Robillard (1960) 55 Cal.2d 88, 98 [9] [10 Cal.Rptr. 167, 358 P.2d 295, 83 A.L.R.2d 1086]). It follows that under the rule just stated the homicide in the case at bench was, as a matter of law, at least murder in the second degree. (People v. Carter (1961) supra, 56 Cal.2d 549 [7b] [15 Cal.Rptr. 645, 364 P.2d 477] [kidnaping]; People v. Robillard (1960) supra, 55 Cal. 2d 88, 98 [9] [violation of Pen. Code, § 12021].) ’ (People v. *301Ford, supra, at p. 795.) It was therefore not error for the trial court to refuse to instruct on manslaughter.” (See also: People v. Ford, 60 Cal.2d 772, 795 [36 Cal.Rptr. 620, 338 P.2d 892] ; People v. Robillard, 55 Cal.2d 88, 98 [10 Cal.Rptr. 167, 358 P.2d 295, 83 A.L.R.2d 1086] ; People v. Schader, 62 Cal.2d 716,732 [44 Cal.Rptr. 193, 401 P.2d 665].)
This case presents a situation in which there was a breach of the concealed weapons law which, unquestionably, contributed to tlie murder.
I should affirm the judgment of the court below.
Respondent’s petition for a hearing by the Supreme Court was denied March 20,1968.