People v. Galíndez Santello
People v. Galíndez Santello
Opinion of the Court
delivered tlie opinion of the Court.
Alfredo Ferrán, Luis Galíndez, and Luis Alvarez were charged with a violation of § 21 of the Puerto Rico Racing-Act (Act No. 11 of 1932, Laws of 1931-32, p. 194), as amended by Act No. 184 of May 14, 1941 (Laws of 1941, p. 1386), in connection with § 22 of said Racing Act.
The first assignment of error refers to the alleged failure of the complaint to state facts sufficient to constitute the crime charged because it was not alleged therein that
A careful examination of the Act convinces us that the error alleged was not committed. Section 21 of the Racing Act, supra, provides that the bancas alemanas may he established only for the days on which horse races are held within the race tracks authorized by the Racing Commission and, furthermore, that said bancas may he operated only by the natural or artificial persons exploiting the race tracks in operation.. Section 22 of the same Eacing Act, supra, strictly prohibits and declares illegal “the bookmaking or bancas alemanas or subscription funds in connection with horse races, . . . except as authorized by this Act. ’ ’ According to the provisions of those two Sections, the operation of bancas alemanas within one of the race tracks authorized by the Eacing Commission, by a natural or artificial person other than the one exploiting said race track, is strictly prohibited and is illegal.
The contention of the appellant that § 27 of the Racing Act
The other two assignments relate to the sufficiency of the evidence. The evidence for the Government tended to show that the defendant-appellant and Ferrán operated and exploited a clandestine banca; the defendant acting as collector and Ferrán as banker; that the appellant was seen while he received money from various persons to bet in said banca and also when he paid to the bettors who had won; that the defendant was arrested at the time he delivered to Ferrán the proceeds of the bets amounting to $200, in bills which were seized; that there was taken from Ferrán a notebook which contained the names of the horses and those of the bettors and the sum bet by each of the latter; and that the files of the Insular Racing Commission failed to disclose that the defendants were authorized to operate bancas ale-manas in the race tracks. The evidence introduced by the defense tended to show that the accused had entered into a partnership with a friend to bet on the legitimate bancas of the race track; and that the defendant was arrested by the police at the time he was carrying his own money and that of his friend in order to bet the same.
‘ ‘ Section 27. — Any natural or artificial person who, in accordance with this Act, establishes, or has duly established, a race track in Porto Eico, and operates, or allows another person to operate, baneas alemanas or pools within the racetrack grounds, shall be liable to bettors for any just claim; Provided, That the decisions of the jury and of the Insular Eacing Commission shall constitute sufficient authority so that the owner of the race track who abides by such decisions shall be relieved of further responsibility.”
People v. Ramírez, 65 P.R.R. 641; People v. Avilés, 54 P.R.R, 257; People v. Giraud, 52 P.R.R.. 30.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.