People v. Mason

A jury found defendant guilty of the first degree murder of Suzan Jamerson and fixed the penalty at death. It also found him guilty of an assault with a deadly weapon with intent to murder Rona Porrazzo, Suzan’s daughter. (Pen. Code, § 217.) The trial court denied defendant’s motion for a new trial and entered judgment on the verdicts. This appeal is automatic. (Pen. Code, § 1239, subd. (b).)

Defendant met Rona and her husband several years before the homicide and was a frequent visitor at their home. On a Sunday afternoon in the summer of 1957, Rona came home after visiting her mother and found defendant alone in the house. An argument developed over a loan of $20 defendant claimed he made to Rona’s mother, and Rona picked up the telephone to call her mother to ask about the loan. Defendant grabbed Rona and wrested the phone from her. Rona then said that she had to get ready to go to work, and defendant asked her to drop him off on her way, which she did. Rona complained about the incident to her husband, and he asked defendant not to come to the house when he was not there.

Rona testified that on February 27, 1958 defendant came to the house in the evening after she had…