Court Opinion

ID: 9457447
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-04 20:22:20.544323+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:35:21.341139
License: Public Domain

On Rehearing
PER CURIAM:
When the appeal in this case was originally argued we affirmed the conviction on those counts involving the robbery of Burdette’s Liquor Store and vacated the convictions on the other counts because concurrent sentences had been adjudged and we concluded that the Government concurred in the dismissal of appellant’s remaining convictions.1 Subsequently *981we granted the petition by the Government for rehearing with respect to appellant’s convictions on the first seven counts that had been vacated and the matter was fully briefed and argued on rehearing.
At rehearing the Government pointed out that we misconstrued their reliance on Hirabayashi v. United States, 320 U.S. 81, 63 S.Ct. 1375, 87 L.Ed. 1774 (1943), and that they had urged affirmance of the conviction on all fourteen counts because appellant had not met the burden of proving sufficient grounds for reversal. We have accordingly reviewed the vacated counts. They involve two separate robberies, committed at different times, rather than duplicate counts charging essentially the same robbery under separate District of Columbia and federal statutes as in United States v. Hooper, 139 U.S.App.D.C. 171, 432 F.2d 604 (1970). We agree with the Government that since they do involve separate armed robberies there exists a strong public interest in upholding such convictions so we have considered each of those counts on the merits. We now vacate that portion of our prior opinion vacating the convictions on the first seven counts of the indictment and affirm them.
The seven counts relate to the separate robberies of the Colony and Hamilton Liquor Stores. A number of the questions raised by appellant in this court with respect to these counts were disposed of in our decision affirming the convictions on the Burdette counts. In this category were some of the issues relating to the joinder of the offenses which we found to be proper under Fed. R.Crim.P. 8(a).
This Rule permits joinder of “two or more offenses * * * in the same indictment * * * if the offenses * * are of the same or similar character.” Here, as the Government’s brief characterized the similarities in these three offenses, there were:
(1) three robberies (2) of three liquor stores (3) within a ten block area on Georgia Avenue, N. W. (4) within 17 days (5) by an unmasked lone gunman, (6) weilding [sic] a small snub nosed gun; a man who was (7) neatly dressed (8) in dark clothes, (9) 6 foot tall (10) slender build, 170 lbs. (11) Negro, (12) medium dark complected (13) with a moustache; a man who (14) preceded each robbery by requesting a fifth of whiskey (15) which was always good scotch; (16) who only pulled his gun after the scotch was put in a bag and placed on the counter (17) who herded his victims into a back room and (18) who left taking his bottle of scotch. (Emphasis in original.)
These unique similarities satisfy the standards for joinder that we laid down in Drew v. United States, 118 U.S.App.D.C. 11, 16-20, 331 F.2d 85, 90-94 (1964). Evidence of each of the crimes was relevant to establishing a common scheme and plan that tended to establish the perpetrator of the other crimes and went to the issue of identity. The evidence as to each crime was also clearly separable and distinct and not likely to cause confusion or to be misused with respect to the other crimes. There was no showing at the trial or now that any prejudice resulted from the refusal to grant severance as permitted by Fed.R. Crim.P. 14, and so we hold that the joinder of the offenses of the three robberies was proper. The decision on such motion is one that is committed principally to the sound discretion of the trial court. Hill v. United States, 135 U.S.App.D.C. 233, 418 F.2d 449 (1968).
Appellant next contends that it was a denial of his rights, recognized in Mallory 2 and Adams,3 to permit him to be viewed by victims of the Colony and Hamilton robberies for possible identifi*982cation while he was in custody on the Burdette charge and before his presentment for his preliminary hearing on that charge. However, we find there was no unnecessary delay between appellant’s arrest and presentment and that adequate probable cause existed that he had committed the Hamilton and Colony robberies.
Appellant was arrested at about 1:05 P.M. on November 14, 1967 and was presented to the United States Commissioner for his preliminary hearing at 3:40 P. M. on the same day, i.e., within two hours and thirty-five minutes of his arrest. He was then advised of his rights and the hearing was continued for one week to permit him to obtain a Legal Aid attorney. Between his arrest and presentment he was viewed by several victims of the three robberies. This interval of two hours and thirty-five minutes is insufficient to constitute unnecessary delay and is far less than the period involved in Adams * It is comparable to the two hours and twenty minutes which we upheld in the companion cases to Adams.4
5 So those identifications were not made during a period of unnecessary delay in appellant’s presentment and since probable cause existed for appellant’s arrest on the Colony and Hamilton robberies because of the similarities in the three crimes, it was not improper to have the victims of those robberies view him promptly after his arrest.
In this connection, appellant contends with respect to the Colony and Hamilton robberies that the pretrial identification procedure that was followed with respect to Simmons, McGain, Press, Goldberg and Monfried were so unnecessarily suggestive as to constitute a deprivation of due process.
Simmons was one of the victims in the Hamilton robbery which occurred on October 28, 1967. At the trial he made an in-court identification of appellant in response to Government interrogation. On cross-examination counsel for appellant brought out that he had also identified appellant at the precinct police station on November 14th. This identification had occurred when Simmons walked by an open door in the police station and recognized appellant through the open door seated at a desk with his head down. Only one man was visible in the room. When he was back in the police car that brought him to the station the police asked if he had seen anyone in the station house and he said he had recognized appellant.
McGain was one of the victims of the Colony Liquor Store robbery which occurred on November 4, 1967. He made an in-court identification in response to Government questioning and later on cross-examination testified that he had recognized appellant at the precinct station under circumstances similar to Simmons’ viewing. He had walked alone down a hallway and “saw him through the door.” He was about 20 feet away. He testified, “I just happened to see him while I was up there,” thus indicating, as did Simmons, that the police did not suggest the identification.
Press was also a victim of the Colony robbery. As a Government witness he made an in-court identification of appellant. On cross-examination appellant’s counsel also brought out that he had identified appellant from a number of pictures and at the preliminary hearing6 when he recognized him coming out of a door into the room. He had been asked to watch the door and two other Negro *983men came out before he recognized appellant. Appellant was also represented by a Legal Aid attorney at this time.
The viewings by Simmons and McGain at the precinct station were improper but their in-court identification may be used if there is clear and convincing evidence that each witness had a reliable independent source for his testimony. United States v. Wade, 388 U.S. 218, 87 S.Ct. 1926, 18 L.Ed.2d 1149 (1967).7 We find that both Simmons and McGain did have an independent source.
Simmons at the time of the robbery was working in the Hamilton Liquor Store and observed appellant from a distance of about six feet, took the money from the cash drawer and pursuant to appellant's order put it in a bag containing liquor. The lights in the store were on at the time. He observed and later gave an accurate description of appellant’s build and complexion.
McGain was working in the Colony Liquor Store at the time of its robbery. He waited on appellant when he came in and ordered a fifth of Johnny Walker Red (whiskey). Thereafter appellant pointed a gun at him and told him to give him the money. The two men were across the counter from each other at the time, about four feet apart. McGain accurately described appellant and identified a coat admitted into evidence as looking “like the same coat he was wearing that night, the same color and everything.” He also defended his in-court identification on May 24, 1968 (months after the robbery), saying he “could be may be * * * mistaken * * * but I don't think I am.” In response to a question inquiring whether he could have been mistaken at the police station identification on November 14, 1967, he testified, “No, no.”
From the foregoing we conclude that both witnesses had excellent opportunities to observe the robber while the crime was in progress and that there was no attempt at suggestivity during the pretrial viewings. Both witnesses also evidenced a candor and fairness that carried conviction. Accordingly, we find these two witnesses had an independent source for their in-court identification. In addition we also determine that the entire record presents no substantial likelihood of irreparable misidentification.
In the Hamilton robbery in addition to Simmons’ identification, another clerk made an in-court identification without testimony of any other identification having been made by him. This was Malone, the clerk who waited on the robber, viewed him while all the lights were on in the store and gave a good description of him. At trial, his identification was not challenged on cross-examination.
The Colony robbery also had a victim-witness who, without any pretrial viewing of appellant, identified him in court as the robber. This witness was Max Sommer, a co-owner of the Colony Liquor Store. He was in the store when the robbery occurred and the robber pointed the gun at him from a distance of 10 or 12 feet. At one time he was also as close to the gunman as three or four feet. Sommer also gave a description of the robber that coincided generally with other descriptions.
These latter identifications were all made under proper circumstances and preclude any “very'substantial likelihood of irreparable misidentification.” 8 The *984convictions on the first seven counts involving the Colony and Hamilton robberies are accordingly

Affirmed.

. The Government’s brief had argued that since all of appellant’s sentences are to run concurrently that it was “unnecessary to consider claims arising from the Colony and Hamilton Liquor Stores robberies.”

. Mallory v. United States, 354 U.S. 449, 77 S.Ct. 1356, 1 L.Ed.2d 1479 (1957).

. Adams v. United States, 130 U.S.App.D.C. 203, 399 F.2d 574 (1968).

. Supra note 3. In Adams numerous suspects were arrested for one robbery at 1:40 P.M. and between 2 P.M. and 4 P.M. were placed in a series of lineups for viewing by victims of other crimes. Following such lineups, no presentment was held, and the next morning they were placed in another lineup at which they were identified as the participants in another robbery.

. Stuckey and Roots v. United States, 130 U.S.App.D.C. 203, 399 F.2d 574, (affirmed by order March 11, 1968).

. The preliminary hearing was held on November 21, 1967. The photographic identification was made from six photographs on November 14, 1967 after the Bur-dette robbery. On two prior occasions Press had examined 25 to 30 different pic*983tures and an unspecified number of pictures and had not recognized appellant in any of them. We find the photographic identification to have been made under proper conditions.

. Gilbert v. California, 388 U.S. 263, 87 S.Ct. 1951, 18 L.Ed.2d 1178 (1967) is inapplicable because the Government did not submit the pretrial identification as part of its case in chief. The pretrial identifications were introduced by appellant through cross-examination of Government witnesses.

. Stovall v. Denno, 388 U.S. 293, 87 S.Ct. 1967, 18 L.Ed.2d 1199 (1967) ; United States v. Wade, 388 U.S. 218, 87 S.Ct. 1926, 18 L.Ed.2d 1149 (1967) ; Clemons v. United States, 133 U.S.App.D.C. 27, 408 F.2d 1230 (en banc, 1968).