People v. Hobson

FOURT, J.

This is an appeal from a judgment of conviction of conspiracy (§ 182, subd. 1, Pen. Code), and pandering (§ 266i, Pen. Code).

In an information filed in Los Angeles on December 19, 1963, appellant with Melvin Mack Brown, Willie Charles White, Varina Ann Griffin and Venera De Bois, was charged with conspiracy to violate certain numbered sections of the Penal Code in that they did between December 31, 1962, and about April 1, 1963, and within three years prior thereto,

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conspire, combine and agree together to commit the crimes of pandering (§ 266i, Pen. Code), pimping (§ 266h, Pen. Code), soliciting for prostitution (§ 647, subd. (b), Pen. Code), keeping houses of ill-fame (§ 315, Pen. Code), keeping disorderly-houses (§ 316, Pen. Code), prevailing upon persons to visit places of prostitution (§ 318, Pen. Code) and to commit acts injurious to the public health and in furtherance of the conspiracy committed certain overt acts; (1) during the first two weeks of January 1963 Brown and appellant met with Catherine Ann Dudley and discussed with her the prospect of her becoming a prostitute, (2) that on January 13, 1963, Brown, appellant, Varina Ann Griffin, Venora De Bois and Linda Lashay met with Catherine Dudley and discussed with her the prospect of her becoming a prostitute, (3) that on January 13, 1963, appellant provided a Ford car and places to be used for prostitution and transportation for prostitution, (4) that on January 13, 1963, Griffin, De Bois and Lashay accompanied Catherine Dudley and coached her in prostitution, (5) that on January 13, 1963, Brown received the money proceeds of Catherine Dudley’s prostitution, (6) that from January 14, 1963, until about February 15, 1963, De Bois and Lashay solicited men to become customers of Catherine Dudley in acts of prostitution, (7) that from January 14, 1963, to until about April 1, 1963, Brown received the proceeds of prostitution from Catherine Dudley, (8) that from January 14, 1963, until about April 1, 1963, Brown provided for Catherine Dudley and others places to be used for prostitution, (9) that from January 14, 1963, until about April 1, 1963, White provided for Catherine Dudley and others places to be used for prostitution and (10) that on or about March 7, 1963, appellant, Brown, Griffin and De Bois discussed going to San Francisco to engage in prostitution. In count II appellant and his codefendants were charged with pandering in that they did on or about January 7, 1963, procure for Catherine Dudley a place as an inmate of a house of prostitution. Counts III, IV, V and VI were related charges. Appellant pleaded not guilty to all counts. The information was dismissed as to Varina Griffin in order that she could be called as a witness for the prosecution. After several mistrials the cause went to trial before a jury on June 2, 1966. Prior to the final trial date, Mack Melvin Brown pleaded guilty to count I of the information. Appellant was found guilty as charged in counts I and III of the information and not guilty as to the remaining