People v. De Angelo

Appellant was accused by an information, filed by the district attorney of San Bernardino County, of the crime of arson alleged to have been committed on or about the fifteenth day of July, 1931. He was convicted before a jury and his motion for new trial denied. He has appealed from the judgment and the order denying this motion.

On July 15, 1931, appellant was living with his wife and child in a small four-room house which he had built on property leased from Fred L. Hunt, and situated about six miles southeasterly from the city of Ontario. He had insured the house and its furnishings in a sum greatly in excess of their value. On the above date a payment became due from appellant to his landlord which he did not have the money to make, and the two went to the city of Pasadena to interview the agent of a finance company which had already loaned appellant money on his contract with Hunt, their purpose being to request a further loan to appellant of a sufficient amount to pay his indebtedness then due to Mr. Hunt. No more money could be obtained from this source and they returned to appellant’s house in the afternoon of the same day, Mr. Hunt continuing on a business errand which…