People v. King

Opinion

BURKE, J.

Ronald Walter King pleaded guilty to first degree murder. It was stipulated that the court might read the preliminary hearing transcript for the purpose of approving the plea and determining the degree. After reading the transcript the court approved the plea and stated that it determined the murder to be in the first degree. At the proceeding to determine the penalty a jury fixed the penalty at death. Motions for a new trial and for reduction of the sentence were denied, and defendant’s automatic appeal is now before us (Pen. Code, § 1239, subd. (b)).

Defendant contends that…