People v. Brown

Defendant, Edward Wesley Brown, was convicted of robbery in two counts, of rape, and of kidnaping for the purpose of robbery. The jury found that the victim suffered bodily harm and fixed the punishment at death. This is an automatic appeal under section 1239(b) of the Penal Code.

The facts disclosed by the record are as follows: On March 22, 1946, at about 9 p. m., Mrs. Cleda M. Jacobs returned to her automobile after visiting a doctor’s office in the city of Sacramento. As soon as she was seated, a man, identified by her as defendant, entered the automobile and exhibited a gun, saying,…