Jensen v. Superior Court
Jensen v. Superior Court
Opinion of the Court
Petitioner Mary Jensen was named as one of four defendants joined in an indictment charging the abortion and murder of a 17-year-old girl whom we shall refer to as Miss B. She made a motion under section 995, Penal Code, to quash the indictment and the same having been denied, she has applied for prohibition upon the ground that the indictment is void as to her because of the absence of any evidence before the grand jury to connect her with the charged offenses. The salient facts are stated in the companion case of Bunker v. Superior Court, ante, p. 107 [214 P.2d 825], this day decided, and are referred to as supplementing the facts to be hereinafter stated.
The evidence before the grand jury, insofar as it relates in any manner to petitioner, consists of testimony as to the following facts: Petitioner was a nurse employed by Dr. Frank Bunker at his office at 4230 South Figueroa Street in Los Angeles; Mrs. B, mother of deceased, testified that about 6 or 7 o ’clock in the evening of May 20th, she received r telephone call from someone who did not identify himself, but whom she believed to be Dr. Eisoff, telling her to have her daughter at 4230 South Figueroa at 7:30 the next morning. The caller also stated, “When you get there, say you are Dr. Arons ’ patient. ’ ’ These instructions were followed. Upon arrival at the stated address, they were met by Mary Jensen and Dr. Leonard Arons. Mary told them to get Miss B undressed, which they did, putting a hospital nightgown on her. Dr. Arons came in and felt the girl’s stomach.' At his direction, Mary also felt her stomach. As she did so, Dr. Arons said, “Here, feel here. Oh, nothing to it. That’s just liquid.” The parents were then taken to a separate room where the proposed abortion was discussed, and where the father paid Dr. Arons $500. Mary Jensen was not present when the money was paid, but as they were leaving this room, Dr. Arons asked Mary, “Did you give her a capsule?” The parents went home. About 10 a. m., Mrs. B received a phone call from Mary: ‘ ‘ She said, ‘ Oh, Mrs. [name], I think yon better come down.’ She said, ‘The doctor decided we needed surgery. . . . They’re going to take her to the South Hoover
The law is clear that in this type of proceeding the courts may not inquire into the sufficiency of evidence to support an indictment, provided there is gome evidence to sup
It is perhaps trite to observe that the legal, as well as practical, consequences of otherwise identical facts frequently vary as the accompanying context and environment vary. And where the evidence touching the accused is purely circumstantial, as it is here, the weight to be given to each circumstance must be relative to its influence upon the complete picture. These truisms are peculiarly important here in view of the unusual situation which was thrust upon petitioner. Accordingly, in viewing the evidence, it must be constantly remembered that Mary Jensen was Dr. Bunker’s nurse, and not Dr. Arons’ nurse. There is no evidence whatsoever that she was employed by Dr. Arons, that she was paid by him, nor as to the extent of her services for him. So far as appears, her services, such as they were, might have been included in the arrangement between the two physicians. There was no evidence that she was aware of the nature or details of Dr. Arons' practice, nor evidence as to the nature of the services she was supposed to render him. We have this day held that Dr. Bunker was not shown to have been implicated in the abortion in the slightest degree. There was no evidence that he had any suspicion of illegal practices on the part of Dr. Arons.
With these facts in mind, it becomes exceedingly plain that no evidence was presented to the grand jury from which it might be rationally inferred that Mary Jensen was connected with the offense of which she was charged. As Dr. Bunker’s nurse, who remained in his offices while Dr. Arons was using them, it would naturally be her duty under the circumstances to meet Dr. Arons’ patients, assist them when requested, make telephone calls at the direction of Dr. Arons, and otherwise carry out his instructions. There is no evidence whatsoever that she knew an abortion was to take place, or that she even knew Miss B was pregnant, except insofar as she might have surmised as much from feeling her body. In connection with the latter testimony, however, we think it of the utmost significance that Dr. Arons said, when he directed Mary to place her hands upon the patient’s abdomen, “That’s just liquid. ’ ’ Since the mother, the only other person present, was fully aware that her daughter was pregnant, and had come to Dr. Arons to alleviate that condition, the only rational explanation of his remark is that it was designed to deceive and allay any suspicions of petitioner. This testimony, = together with the evidence that Arons was careful not to discuss the proposed abortion or permit the money to be paid in the presence of petitioner, and the complete lack of any evidence that petitioner assisted Dr. Arons in any manner other than as stated, leads irresistibly to the conclusion that Dr. Arons surreptitiously attempted to procure the abortion without the knowledge or assistance of Mary Jensen. Every circumstance in evidence which bears upon the question of petitioner’s knowledge of Dr. Arons’ unlawful acts tends to prove that he concealed their character from her.
It is only reasonable to assume that Mary’s telephone calls to Dr. Bluechel and the parents were made pursuant to Dr. Arons’ instructions. It is difficult to imagine that petitioner spoke of the patient’s condition otherwise than as specifically directed by Dr. Arons. Since the representations that the patient had acute appendicitis clearly derived from Arons, and were no doubt made to arrange for surgery and hospitalization, their falsity in no way reflects upon petitioner’s innocence. We find no evidence in the record tending to prove that petitioner had knowledge of their falsity. In any event, even if it were permissible (which we
In oral argument, the People placed considerable reliance upon petitioner’s refusal to answer questions put to her by the arresting officer. It is argued that an inference of guilt arises from failure to deny accusatory statements. The obvious answer is that none of the questions was in any manner accusatory. In any event, the evidence is clear that just prior to her arrest, in the presence of the arresting officers, petitioner was advised by her attorney over the telephone not to speak about the case. In People v. Simmons, 28 Cal.2d 699, 715 [172 P.2d 18], it was said that advice of counsel is one out of many forms of restraint which may bar a free, response to accusatory statements. One who has been placed under arrest is under no duty to engage in a general discussion of his conduct with the arresting officer. No legitimate inference of guilt consciousness could possibly be derived from petitioner’s silence under the circumstances of the present case.
Where the evidence is wholly circumstantial and in every aspect is reasonably consistent with innocence, the mere fact that the circumstances may also be reconciled with guilt will not justify an indictment. The grand jury may not resolve all implications in favor of guilt by substituting a presumption of guilt for one of innocence.
Upon thorough consideration of the record before us, we are compelled to conclude that there is a complete lack of any evidence to support the indictment as to petitioner. The most that can be said for the testimony relied upon by the district attorney is that it may create a suspicion of guilt.
Our conclusion has been influenced somewhat by the fact that the grand jury upon the same evidence also returned an indictment against Dr. Bunker. If there had been evidence which justified an indictment of Dr. Bunker we would entertain a different view of the evidence as applied to Mary Jensen who was his employee, and not the employee of Dr.
It is a proper case for the issuance of a writ of prohibition.
Let the peremptory writ issue.
Vallée, J., concurred.
Concurring Opinion
I concur in the judgment. I do not approve the statements that an indictment against Bunker was not justified.
A petition for a rehearing was denied March 6, 1950, and respondent’s petition for a hearing by the Supreme Court was denied April 17, 1950. Shenlc, J., Edmonds, J., and Spence, J., voted for a hearing.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- MARY JENSEN, Petitioner, v. SUPERIOR COURT OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY, Respondent
- Cited By
- 6 cases
- Status
- Published