Coffinbarger

Defendant was charged with unlawfully using a credit card issued by May Company, a retail merchandising corporation, to Dr. Charles Luckey, a violation of Penal Code section 484a, subdivision (b) (6); was tried by a jury; was convicted; and appeals.

May Company issued a credit card to Dr. Luckey and his wife. On January 7, 1966, defendant made eight purchases from May Company, using this credit card; received merchandise on account of these purchases; and, without authorization, signed Dr. Luckey’s name to eight sales slips to effect the purchases. After his arrest he was interrogated by a policewoman ; admitted signing Dr. Luckey’s name to the sales slips; and, upon request, gave an example of his handwriting. At the trial, over objection by defense counsel, the policewoman testified defendant told her the name ‘ ‘ Charles Luckey” appearing on the sales slips had been signed by him. A handwriting expert, using the handwriting exampiar made by defendant as the basis for his opinion, testified the person who wrote the exemplar also wrote the signature 11 Charles Luckey” on the sales slips. Three sales clerks identified defendant as the person who made purchases from them and…