People v. Lane

Defendant was charged with the murder of John Lyle. He entered a plea of not guilty. A jury found him guilty of murder of the first degree and fixed the penalty at death. The trial court denied defendant’s motion for a new trial and sentenced him to death. This appeal is automatic. (Pen. Code, § 1239, subd. (b).)

About 2:30 p. m. on September 22, 1960, defendant and one Ralph Ruiz picked up defendant’s truck at a Redwood City garage where defendant had left it for repairs. They had driven that day from their homes in Stockton in a car temporarily loaned to defendant by the garage owner. Upon…