People v. Coleman

Defendant and one Haynes were tried by the court without a jury for violation of section 11500 of the Health and Safety Code (transportation of heroin). Haynes was acquitted and defendant convicted. Defendant appealed from the judgment of conviction and from the order denying a new trial.

Facts

Defendant and Haynes were seamen aboard the transport “Hugh J. Gaffney,” which on October 10, 1949, arrived at Oakland after a 28-day voyage from Yokohama. In the afternoon it shifted berth to Fort Mason, San Francisco. Haynes left the ship at Oakland, came to San Francisco and borrowed a sedan from his…