Parra

Defendant, Kay Parra (hereafter appellant or Parra), appeals from a judgment of conviction for grand theft.

While on vacation, the Livermore home of Attorney Lloyd Haines was burglarized and rare coins, jewelry and cash worth about $16,500 were taken. On arrival home, December 9, 1980, Haines called the police and also contacted Parra who had been his longtime client and who had worked for him in various capacities, including house painting. Haines enlisted Parra’s help because he believed that Parra might be able to trace the stolen property due to her personal background and contacts in the Livermore area.

Parra arrived at Haines’ house the same evening with her son, Jeff. She and her son supplied names of possible suspects to police investigating the crime. At Haines’ request, she then left to make her own inquiries.

An hour or so later Parra returned to Haines’ house alone. She told him that the stolen property might be in Richmond. Haines gave her a list of the property and $1,800 in cash with which to buy it back. Parra took the money and left.

Later the same night Parra returned the $1,800, stating that she had been unable to find the property but had…