People v. Williams

Defendant was charged by information with one count of grand theft in violation of Penal Code section 487, subdivision 1, for stealing carpeting worth approximately $30,000 between November of 1977 and June of 1978 from the carpet mill where he was employed as a security guard. His motion to suppress the two confessions he made, one to a private security agent and one to the police, was denied. By stipulation of all parties, the issue of guilt was submitted on the transcripts of the preliminary hearing and the suppression hearing. The court found that both confessions were voluntary and that defendant was guilty; he was placed on probation for five years. This appeal followed.

In June of 1978 an inventory control analysis at the carpet mill where defendant was employed revealed that approximately $30,000 in rolls of carpet was missing from the warehouse. The plant manager called corporate headquarters of his security service to send an agent for the purpose of administering a polygraph test to the security guards employed at the mill. The plant manager testified that on June 15 this security agent gave the test to defendant, the main day shift guards and the main night…