In re Wong Poy

The above-named Wong Poy and two others were charged with having violated the State Poison Law. At the preliminary examination he was held to answer and his co-defendants were discharged. An application for a writ of habeas corpus is now made in his behalf, it being claimed that the facts disclosed by the evidence are legally insufficient to constitute a crime in that it affirmatively shows that Wong Poy was the victim of an entrapment.

It appears from the transcript of testimony that two state narcotic agents furnished an “informer” with a sum of money for the purpose of having him purchase narcotics from Wong Poy. Part of the money consisted of marked currency. The agents followed the “informer” and saw him pass the money to Wong Poy, and saw the latter accept the same. Wong Poy then went into a store with which his co-defendants were connected, where he remained for a short while and then came out upon the street, whereupon he was arrested by said agents, and narcotics in illegal quantities were found on his person. The agents then went into the store and found the marked currency in the cash register.