People v. Pang Sui Lin

The defendants, who are of the Mongolian race, were convicted of robbing another Chinaman, and they appeal from the judgment and the order denying their motion for a new trial.

Several assignments of error are made, but, save one, we deem them'without substantial merit.

During the cross-examination of one of the defendants the following proceedings, as shown by the transcript, took place:

In reference to the foregoing we deem it proper to make the following observations: The learned trial judge readily perceived that the questions were improper, and promptly sustained objections thereto. He went further, and endeavored to fortify the minds of the jury against any unfavorable impression that might be created by what is assigned as the misconduct of the district attorney. It is, nevertheless, true that this officer is the representative of the people in a very important capacity, is generally of consequence in the community, and it is a reasonable and almost necessary inference that some at least of the jurors would conclude that the district attorney would not ask stich questions unless he could prove what was implied in such questions if he had been allowed to do so. The result…