People v. Chesser

This appeal was taken automatically under the provisions of section 1239 of the Penal Code from a judgment imposing the death penalty.

Defendant and his wife were charged with the murder of their infant daughter in a complaint filed by the district attorney of Merced County. On the morning of September 30, 1946, defendant appeared before a committing magistrate without counsel. At the request of the district attorney, an attorney practicing in Merced consented to appear for defendant “solely for the purpose of waiving the preliminary examination.” The attorney making the appearance was not…