Opinion ID: 1542243
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 16

Heading: Insufficient and Defective Indictment.

Text: The indictment is attacked upon three grounds: (1) That it does not allege the act committed which is in restraint of interstate commerce; (2) that the indictment splits an alleged conspiracy into separate parts and is duplicitous; (3) that the indictment shows on its face that appellants were members of a bona-fide labor organization and negotiated wage contracts and, therefore, are exempt from prosecution under the terms of the Act. As to the first objection, it is sufficient to say that the indictment sets forth the movement of films in interstate commerce from California to St. Louis; the method of releasing the transported films to exhibitors; the exhibitors here involved using such films, and the wrongful acts alleged to affect such use. We are unable to get the force of the argument that the indictment is duplicitous. The counts in the indictment cover at least two conspiracies: one in connection with extorting money in return for a wage contract, and the other in connection with the employment of the Co-operative Sound Service Supply Company. Also, the indictment involves at least two separate extortion acts: the payment of $6,500.00 and the borrowing of $2,000. The argument under the third contention seems to lead to the result that the Act could never apply if the extortionist was a member of a legitimate labor organization and the extortion occurred in connection with negotiations relating to wages. This cannot be true. The criterion is whether there was extortion for the individual benefit of the extortioner, and that may occur in connection with wage negotiations as is clearly shown by the facts of this case. The indictment is sufficient.