Court Opinion

ID: 9446975
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-03 22:22:46.062257+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:30:51.532536
License: Public Domain

McALLISTER, Circuit Judge
(dissenting).
In my opinion, there was no evidence that appellant, jointly with the Martin brothers, passed and uttered the check in question, with the knowledge that the endorsement of the payee’s name was forged. Accepting all the admissible testimony introduced on behalf of the government, the evidence discloses that appellant brought William Martin (who was guilty of stealing the check, and forging the payee’s name) to the liquor store where appellant had previously cashed checks. At that time, appellant asked the proprietor of the liquor store to cash the check in question for his “friend,” or “buddy” — referring to William Martin. The check bore the forged endorsement of the payee, Jones. However, the proprietor of the liquor store would not cash the check or accept it in trade unless appellant Anderson also endorsed it. Anderson was known to the proprietor of the liquor store. As above stated, Anderson had previously cashed checks there; and, on the request of the liquor store proprietor, he endorsed the check here in question. From an examination of the record, I consider that there was no evidence that Anderson knew that the payee’s name had been forged. He could as reasonably have assumed that the payee had endorsed the *128check and given it to Martin. If Martin had also endorsed the check prior to appellant’s endorsement, it would not seem that it would be possible to hold appellant for cashing the check, knowing that the payee’s name had been forged. It seems contrary to human experience and reason that a man would bring a check to a storekeeper, knowing that the endorsement of the payee had been forged, when he himself was known to the storekeeper and had previously cashed checks there, and would add his own endorsement to the check on the request of the storekeeper. In my opinion, appellant’s conviction should be reversed.