Turner v. State

Per Curiam. Appellant George Turner, convicted of larceny by Judge Byrnes, sitting without a jury, claims the evidence was insufficient to justify the finding of guilt, that he was denied a speedy trial and the right to produce a witness in his behalf, his confederate in the crime who had already been convicted. The evidence was that a saleslady, who had just finished work at a nearby department store, was waiting in a crowd at Howard and Lexington Streets for a bus when two men came up behind her, one on one side, one on the other. One pushed her and the other opened her pocketbook and took out the wallet within it.

The pickpockets chose a time unfortunate for them to commit the crime. A store detective, also standing on the corner, watched the two men move up towards the bus behind the victim and saw appellant open her purse with two fingers. He ran to a radio police car which was at the curb immediately behind the bus. A policeman got out as the store detective, whom he knew, approached, and watched until the victim, who was the last to do so, entered the bus and the two larceners, who were pretending they were going to get on the bus, turned and walked south on Howard Street.

He identified appellant as one of the men. The policeman stopped the two and put them against the wall with their hands up. The