Opinion ID: 339013
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: sufficiency of the evidence

Text: 24 Because of the reversal for insufficiency of the indictment, no extensive discussion of the evidence is necessary. We nevertheless have examined the evidence in detail and find that it amply supports a conviction as an aider and abettor. There was evidence of a forcible interference with postal inspectors, including Gene W. Graham, by persons other than the defendant, and evidence of the defendant's having wilfully and knowingly associated himself with a criminal venture, of his having participated in it as something he wished to bring about, and by his acts having sought to make it succeed. That is enough. Pigman v. United States, 407 F.2d 237 (8th Cir. 1969). 25 Briefly, the evidence was that the postal inspectors approached Wounded Knee, South Dakota, and were stopped at a roadblock by armed persons, were ordered from their car, were told to raise their hands or they would be shot, and were taken into Wounded Knee, where they were told that they were prisoners of war. This shows that they were forcibly resisted, opposed, impeded, intimidated and interfered with. The defendant, according to the evidence, appeared on the scene at Wounded Knee, directed that the postal inspectors line up in single file, informed them that they were being released because the F.B.I. had told him that if they were not released the F.B.I. would come in and take them, and told the postal inspectors that they should not talk with anyone and that they were in the same status as before. Thereafter, others placed the inspectors in the back of a pickup and transported them to a point south of Wounded Knee where they were ordered to stand with their hands over their heads. The defendant's involvement in the crime by one or more affirmative acts was demonstrated. 26 In summary, we find no error except that the indictment was insufficient. For this reason, the conviction must be reversed.