People v. Orndorff
California Court of Appeal, Second District
67 Cal.Rptr. 824 (1968)
Relevant factsFree
Charles Orndorff (defendant) and an accomplice ran a con called the "Jamaica Switch," where a victim withdraws money from a bank and hands it over, only to have it secretly swapped for fake bills. Orndorff targeted Juniper Griffis but abandoned the scheme once Griffis walked toward the bank to make the withdrawal; when Griffis returned, Orndorff and his associate were gone. Orndorff was convicted of attempted grand theft and appealed.
IssueFree
Whether an attempt to commit a crime in California requires proof that the defendant took a significant step or direct movement toward the offense, after preparations had been made, in a way that would end in the crime's consummation.