In the annals of California jurisprudence, something unique occurred in Daly City in November 1911. It began when the State of California brought charges against Mrs. S. Rudy for disturbing the peace.
On or about March 6 of said year, Mrs. Rudy was accused of intentionally hurling a large stone through the window of Mrs. Emma Pinto with malicious intent.
As a result, recently purchased groceries that sat on the table were generally destroyed, along with other items. However, Mrs. Pinto said the stone narrowly missed her 8-year-old son, which enraged her, and she demanded the arrest of Mrs. Rudy. The local judge chose not to issue an arrest warrant, thinking civility would prevail and the matter could easily be settled out of court. However, Mrs. Pinto had no desire to let the matter go and kept hounding the judge, which included public rants claiming it was impossible to get justice in Daly City. When the judge began hearing backlash from the public, he cuffed Mrs. Rudy and placed her behind bars.
Since the accused and accuser were both women, Judge Johnson made an historic decision that an all-female jury should render justice. As a result, the judge went forward with his unprecedented decision to empower the very first all-female jury.
When the case came to trial, the first witness was the accuser- Mrs. Emma Pinto, who forcefully reiterated the charges. Upon cessation, the judge informed Mrs. Rudy she could interrogate the witness. She proceeded to ask Mrs. Pinto where her dog was on the day of the incident. Mrs. Pinto said the dog was locked in the cellar. Mrs. Rudy said that was not true. They exchanged counter statements for a few minutes until the judge stopped it and suggested the search for truth was the objective, and the banter needed to stop post haste!
After another prosecution witness gave testimony, Then Mrs. Rudy took the stand. She stated, in a matter-of-fact manner, that she was quietly walking and passed by Mrs. Pinto’s house when suddenly the dog charged her barking loudly. She said she is quite afraid of dogs, so in a split-second reaction; she grabbed a rock and threw it at the dog in self-defense. Unfortunately, her accuracy was lacking, and the rock went through the window. Her accounting was sincere and credible.
When the case was given to the jury, it took less than five minutes to render a verdict of not guilty. Thus, the historic case was now concluded.
A fair trial was indeed possible in Daly City, though not to the liking of the accuser.
Everything else is just history
Some of the photos used in this blog are courtesy of the Local History Room, Redwood City's best-kept secret. The Local History Collection covers all aspects of Redwood City's development, from the 1850s to the present day, with particular emphasis on businesses, public schools, civic organizations, city agencies, and early family histories. The Local History Room is not affiliated with the Redwood City Public Library, but it is inside it.
