People v. Craig

Defendant, Claude A. Craig, was found guilty by a jury of the first degree murder of Helen Ivy and the punishment was fixed at death. On his plea of not guilty by reason of insanity, the jury found him sane at the time of the commission of the crime. Defendant’s motion for a new trial and for reduction of the degree of the crime was denied. The appeal is automatic. (Pen. Code, § 1239.)

On November 6, 1956, the defendant registered at the Civic Center Hotel and occupied room number 537 to which he was given a key with that number on it. He had come to San Francisco from Fresno to receive…