People v. Williams

Defendant Arthur Williams appeals from a judgment entered after trial by jury finding him guilty of possession of marijuana, in violation of Health and Safety Code section 11530. Defendant contends that various prejudicial errors were committed by the prosecuting attorney during his closing arguments to the jury.

On Sunday, July 31, 1966, at shortly before noon, defendant was found by a Los Angeles City ambulance crew at the intersection of Linden and California Court in Venice. Defendant was sitting on the ground in a very intoxicated state and smelling of liquor. Officer Jerry Jones of the Los Angeles Police Department arrived shortly after the ambulance crew. The officer took defendant into custody and took him to the Venice station for booking. At the station, defendant was having difficulty in removing his personal possessions for safekeeping at the booking counter. Officer Jones assisted defendant in removing the items from his person. Jones testified that he removed defendant’s wallet from his left rear pocket and beneath the wallet he found and removed a plastic bag which contained six hand rolled cigarettes, later found to contain marijuana. According to the officer,…