Case Name: Santiago RIVERA, Appellant, v. UNITED STATES of America, Appellee
Court: United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
Jurisdiction: United States
Decision Date: 1966-05-10
Citations: 361 F.2d 553
Docket Number: No. 19528
Parties: Santiago RIVERA, Appellant, v. UNITED STATES of America, Appellee.
Judges: 
Reporter: Federal Reporter 2d Series
Volume: 361
Pages: 553–556

Head Matter:
Santiago RIVERA, Appellant, v. UNITED STATES of America, Appellee.
No. 19528.
United States Court of Appeals District of Columbia Circuit.
Argued March 8, 1966.
Decided May 10, 1966.
Petition for Rehearing En Banc and for Rehearing before the Division Denied July 6, 1966.
Bazelon, Chief Judge, dissented.
Mr. Milton Eisenberg, Washington, D. C. (appointed by this Court), for appellant.
Mr. James A. Strazzella, Asst. U. S. Atty., with whom Messrs. David G. Bress, U. S. Atty., and Frank Q. Nebeker, Asst. U. S. Atty., were on the brief, for appellee. Mr. Dean W. Determan, Asst. U. S. Atty., also entered an appearance for appellee.
Before Bazelon, Chief Judge, Edger-TON, Senior Circuit Judge, and Fahy, Circuit Judge.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM:
Appellant was convicted of housebreaking and larceny. His principal contention on appeal, ably presented by counsel we appointed to present the appeal, is that the instructions to the jury did not adequately include appellant's theory of the case, based on his intoxicated condition when arrested with several of the stolen articles in his own pockets. His position is that he did not know what he had in his pockets and that the articles were planted on him by a companion in the car with him at the time.
Trial counsel did not clearly articulate to the trial court the instruction desired. In view of this and the strength of the evidence of appellant's guilt, coupled with the instructions as given, which left to the jury the issue whether the possession of the articles was innocent, we think reversal is not justified.
Affirmed.