People v. Pyle
People v. Pyle
Opinion of the Court
The information in this action is in two counts—one alleging embezzlement and the other grand larceny. The defendant was convicted of the former and acquitted as to the latter charge. There was a motion for new trial, which was denied; and thereupon the defendant was sentenced to imprisonment in the state’s prison. This appeal is from the judgment and said order denying defendant’s motion for a new trial.
Appellant urges four reasons for reversal of the judgment and order, viz.: (1) Error of the court in giving instruction “on the question of corroboration”; (2) error of the court “on the question of receiving and converting property while assuming to act for another”; (3) that there is in the record “no evidence of embezzlement, but that there is some evidence tending to prove that defendant obtained the signature of the prosecuting witness to the draft with intent to cheat and defraud him, of which defendant is not charged”; and (4) abuse of discretion by the court in refusing to grant defendant’s motion for a new trial, “for the reason that, at least, a part of the jury received extrajudicial evidence, from a source and of a nature and under circumstances which naturally would bias them, and prevent the defendant from having a fair trial.” Briefly stated, then, defendant’s complaint here is: (1) That the court erred in giving certain *132 instructions; (2) insufficiency of the evidence to support the judgment; and (3) abuse of discretion by the trial judge.
Only two of the instructions given are objected to and criticised by defendant here. They are as follows (1) “The court further instructs the jury that if any person assumes to act as the agent or servant of another, and in such assumed capacity he is entrusted with and receives into his care and custody property, for the use of another person, and fraudulently appropriates such property to his own use or to any use or purpose not in the due and lawful execution of his trust, is guilty of embezzlement”; and (2) “You are further instructed that it is not essential to a conviction in this case that the prosecuting witness, L. C. Stuckey, should be corroborated by the testimony of other witnesses as to the particular acts constituting an offense; it is sufficient if you believe from his evidence and all other testimony and circumstances in proof in the case beyond a reasonable doubt that the crime charged has been committed by the defendant.”
£1] It is contended by defendant, in referring to the instruction last quoted, that “the jury were left by this instruction free to convict, whether all the other testimony and circumstances in proof in the case corroborated Stuckey or not, and for that reason is clearly erroneous”; and our attention is called to the case of (People v. Neetens, 42 Cal. App. 596, [184 Pac. 27], as supporting this contention. With such contention, however, we cannot agree; nor does the case last cited support such a conclusion. In that case—a prosecution and conviction for obtaining money by false pretenses—the so-called false representations being entirely oral, there was no corroboration of the testimony as required by section 1110 of the Penal Code. In the ease at bar, the very “customer’s draft” which defendant himself admits he drew and secured the “acceptance” of by said Stuckey is in evidence ; to say nothing about other corroborating circumstances which answer conclusively defendant’s contention here.
*133 We have studied carefully, not only the instructions objected to, but all the instructions given, and they are, in our opinion, ample, and as favorable to defendant as they properly could be on the questions presented; and this is especially true when considered in the light of all the instructions given.
■As to the second point—that of the insufficiency of the evidence—no discussion is necessary. Suffice it to say that the record groans under the weight of damning evidence amply sufficient to support the verdict and judgment.
After reading the entire record we are satisfied, particularly as we are fortified by section 4% of article VI of our constitu *134 tion, that, so far as this case is concerned, there has been no miscarriage of justice.
Judgment and order affirmed.
Finlayson, P. J., and Sloane, J., concurred.
A rehearing of this cause was denied by the district court of appeal on December 2, 1919, and a petition to have the cause heard in the supreme court, after judgment in the district court of appeal, was denied by the sunreme court on January 2, 1920.
All the Justices concurred.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- The PEOPLE, Respondent, v. I. L. PYLE, Appellant
- Cited By
- 9 cases
- Status
- Published