People v. Vaughn

On December 29, 1967, the grand jury of Sacramento County indicted the defendant Edward Vaughn and one Ronald Lancaster for assaulting L. A. Bessette with a deadly weapon while defendant and Lancaster were serving life terms, in violation of section 4500 of the Penal Code.1 Bessette suffered physical injuries. On May 7, 1968, the indictment against Ronald Lancaster was dismissed. At trial defendant requested that he be permitted to represent himself, and the trial court allowed him to do so. On the third day of the trial the defendant withdrew his plea of not guilty and pleaded guilty. The…