Williamson

James M. Williamson appeals from a judgment of imprisonment which was rendered after a jury found him guilty of vehicle burglary (Pen. Code, § 459), auto theft (Veh. Code, § 10851) and possession of a concealed dagger. He also appeals from an order revoking probation on a prior conviction of burglary. The new charges arose out of an incident in which appellant was interrupted while in the act of ransacking a motor home which he had broken into. The owner (Kluckhuhn) and two friends (Petik and Passalaqua) tried to capture appellant, but gave up the effort because appellant menaced them with a dagger. Appellant was captured at the scene a few minutes later by a police officer when appellant returned to the vehicle which he had been using. That vehicle had been stolen. In addition to the police officer, four eyewitnesses positively identified appellant.

Appellant contends that it was an abuse of discretion for the trial court to rule that, had appellant taken the stand, a prior burglary conviction could be used for impeachment. (See People v. Rist (1976) 16 Cal.3d 211 [ 127 Cal.Rptr. 457 , 545 P.2d 833 ]; People v. Beagle (1972) 6 Cal.3d 441 [ 99 Cal.Rptr. 313 , 492 P.2d 1…