United States v. Jackson

Citation430 F.2d 1113
Decision Date27 August 1970
Docket Number25273.,No. 25272,25272
PartiesUNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Lewis JACKSON, Defendant-Appellant. UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff-Appellee, v. Willie BRAZIER, Jr., Defendant-Appellant.
CourtUnited States Courts of Appeals. United States Court of Appeals (9th Circuit)

Lewis Guterson (argued), Sullivan, Guterson, Rindal & Rousso, Charles H. W. Talbot, Talbot, Smith & Stone, Seattle, Wash., for defendants-appellants.

Jerald E. Olson (argued), Asst. U. S. Atty., Stan Pitkin, U. S. Atty., Seattle, Wash., for plaintiff-appellee.

Before HAMLEY, HAMLIN and KILKENNY, Circuit Judges.

HAMLIN, Circuit Judge.

Appellants Lewis Jackson and Willie Brazier, Jr., were charged in an indictment in the Western District of Washington with two counts of violations of 18 U.S.C. §§ 2113(a) and 2113(d) (armed bank robbery). After a jury trial they were convicted on both counts and sentenced to terms of imprisonment. A timely appeal was made to this court which has jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. § 1291.

Appellants make only three contentions on appeal: First, that the district court erred in refusing to allow the appellants to be released on bail prior to trial; Second, that the district court erred in refusing to grant appellants' motion for the disqualification of the district court judge; and Third, that the district court erred in not requiring adequate proof of coverage by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation on the date of the robbery, an essential element to establish the crime charged.

As to the first contention, the record shows that appellant Jackson was released on $20,000 surety bond on April 8, 1969, and appellant Brazier was released on bond on May 2, 1969. On May 9, 1969, the trial court, upon receiving information from the United States Attorney that threats had been made by appellants to get a bank employee witness, entered an order revoking the bonds. Appellants' motion to revoke the order of May 9 was denied on May 13, and appellants appealed to this court under the provisions of the Bail Reform Act of 1966, 18 U.S.C. § 3147(b). This court entered an order on May 28, 1969, requesting that the trial court consider possible release of appellants during specified hours into the custody of their attorneys or other proper persons, and staying the trial pending determination of this request. The trial court determined that any release under the circumstances was inappropriate, and on June 24 entered an order to that effect and set a new date for trial. Appellants again appealed to this court under 18 U.S.C. § 3147(b), requesting release on bail and stay of the trial. A temporary stay was granted July 18. On October 2, 1969, this court (Judges Hamley, Hamlin and Wright) entered an order denying appellants' motion to revoke the order of May 9 and to reinstate bail pending trial. This court vacated the earlier granted stays of trial and directed the trial court to calendar the case for early trial. The jury trial commenced October 20, 1969, and on October 23 appellants were found guilty on both counts of the indictment.

As to whether the bail revocation violated the Bail Reform Act of 1966 or the Eighth Amendment, we think the question is closed by the decision and order of this court in the instant case dated October 2, 1969, and we do not consider it. Appellants are nevertheless entitled to attempt to show that their continued incarceration prevented their receiving a fair trial. Cf. Stack v. Boyle, 342 U.S. 1, 72 S.Ct. 1, 96 L.Ed. 3 (1951) and Kinney v. Lenon, 425 F.2d 209 (9th Cir. 1970).

Appellant Brazier's defense was a complete alibi. He produced seven witnesses who testified under oath that they saw him in the area of the University of Washington at the time the robbery took place. Appellant Jackson's defense was an explanation of his presence in the area of his arrest. The record shows that the Seattle police were notified while the robbery in question was in progress, and a police patrol car arrived at the bank just as the robbers were commencing their flight. A chase ensued, and the get-away car was finally pursued up a dead end street. The car piled into a hedge at the end of the street, and the suspects in the car leaped out and fled down an embankment into a ravine or drainage creek. Other Seattle officers stationed at the Leschi Harbor Police Station listened to these events over the radio, and upon hearing that the suspects were on foot, left the station and proceeded to the area where the suspects were last seen. As they approached the area they observed appellant Jackson standing beside the road playing with a dog. His clothing, which generally corresponded with the description of a suspect received over the radio, was covered with fresh wet mud and he was perspiring and breathing heavily. He was arrested and later identified in a line-up and at trial by various bank employees as one of the robbers. Appellant Jackson testified that he drove his car to the area of the bank, but it ran out of gas and he was forced to walk. He met one Larry Tisino on the street and after a brief conversation walked on to a nearby high school looking for one Steve Phillips. Unable to locate Phillips at the high school he set out walking toward the area where Phillips lived. While walking toward this area he saw a small dog, and in the course of chasing the dog slipped and fell and got mud on his clothes. At this point he was observed by the police and arrested. Tisino and Phillips both gave testimony tending to confirm this explanation, and Jackson's roommate, one Lynn Greeley, testified that she recovered his car in the area of the high school and bank later in the afternoon in question and that it was out of gas. Tisino also testified as to his observation of the flight of the robbers from the bank, and stated that neither Jackson nor Brazier was among the men he observed coming out of the bank and getting into the get-away car.

Under the circumstances of this case, where the defendants were able to...

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10 cases
  • U.S. v. Ayewoh
    • United States
    • United States Courts of Appeals. United States Court of Appeals (1st Circuit)
    • December 13, 2010
    ...dated 1969 and statement by branch manager that bank was FDIC-insured in 1974 on day of trial was sufficient); United States v. Jackson, 430 F.2d 1113, 1115-16 (9th Cir.1970) (FDIC certificate identified by bank auditor and testimony insurance continued until cancelled was sufficient); Unit......
  • U.S. v. Phillips
    • United States
    • United States Courts of Appeals. United States Court of Appeals (5th Circuit)
    • December 28, 1981
    ...certain defendants to flee from the country was highly relevant to the court's determination on bond revocation. In United States v. Jackson, 430 F.2d 1113 (9th Cir. 1970), the court held that ex parte communication of information concerning threats to witnesses was not a basis for disquali......
  • McElhanon v. Hing, CV
    • United States
    • Supreme Court of Arizona
    • November 3, 1986
    ...because he conferred with other judges after receiving the letters and then told all counsel involved. Id; see also United States v. Jackson, 430 F.2d 1113 (9th Cir.1970) (revocation of bail bond on information received in ex parte communication did not require Here, as in Perkins, the judg......
  • U.S. v. Maner, 78-5785
    • United States
    • United States Courts of Appeals. United States Court of Appeals (5th Circuit)
    • February 4, 1980
    ...S.Ct. 108, 27 L.Ed.2d 106 (1970) (unchallenged testimony of operations manager of bank that deposits were insured); United States v. Jackson, 430 F.2d 1113 (9th Cir. 1970) (certificate identified by bank auditor and testimony insurance continued until insurance cancelled).We have found one ......
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