State v. Christensen
State v. Christensen
Opinion of the Court
Defendant was found guilty of the crime of grand larceny and he was thereafter sentenced to be confined in the Utah State Prison for the term prescribed by law. From the conviction and sentence, the defendant has appealed to this court.
The defendant admits taking the house trailer which he is charged with stealing but it is his contention that the evidence in the court below failed to show that the taking was with a felonious intent. The trial was had to the court without a jury and the facts developed by the evidence showed that on the afternoon of November 4, 1970, a house trailer was taken from the premises of George Crabtree between the hours of 1:45 P.M. and 4:15 P.M. during which time no one was at home. The house trailer was transported by the defendant to the state of Montana.
Upon the defendant’s return home he was informed that a deputy of the Salt Lake County Sheriff was looking for him. Upon learning that he was under investigation the defendant left the area for a few days and then returned.
In the case at bar, the circumstances shown in evidence such as the defendant being employed by strangers to move the trailer in question to the state of Montana and at a designated place in that state to turn the trailer over to a third person who was also unknown to the defendant and the further fact that the defendant was not shown any documents of title or ownership by the man who employed him nor did he make any inquiries as to the ownership of the trailer are sufficient to justify the trial judge in finding a felonious intent.
The decision of the court below is affirmed.
. State v. Dubois, 64 Utah 433, 231 P. 625.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- The STATE of Utah, and v. Richard A. CHRISTENSEN, and
- Status
- Published