People v. Sargent

The appellant, Henry C. Sargent, was charged by information filed by the district attorney of Napa County with four separate and distinct violations of section 288 of the Penal Code, committed upon four different boys. The jury acquitted him of the charge contained in the first three counts and convicted him of the charges contained in the fourth count. A motion for a new trial was made and denied by the trial court and judgment of imprisonment in the state prison was pronounced. This appeal is from the judgment and, also, from the order denying a new trial.

Appellant contends that the court erred in admitting evidence that his general reputation for morals in San Francisco prior to his coming to Napa County was bad. This contention is based upon these facts: A number of witnesses called by the appellant testified that the appellant’s general reputation for morals was good, and, at least One witness testified without objection that he had known appellant in San Francisco for about six years before he came to Napa County and that his reputation in that city for morals was good. Appellant had been away from San Francisco for about eighteen months or two years prior to the…