Robert J. Nelson v. United States

Nelson and Ramsey were jointly indicted on a charge of robbing “a person having lawful charge, control, and custody of mail matter and money of the United States.” Title 18 U.S.C. § 2114 . The case was tried with a jury, and each defendant was represented by a separate lawyer. Both defendants were convicted. Nelson alone appeals in his own person without counsel.

The defendant Nelson was positively identified in court by a postal clerk, who testified this defendant held up the substation and took government money from her. It was proved she had previously picked him out of a police line-up. She further testified that Nelson was armed at the time of the occurrence. Ramsey, who was found to be his confederate, was identified by a different witness as present in another part of the- building, apparently to create a diversion while the hold-up was going on. Neither Ramsey nor Nelson took the stand. The defense consisted of evidence for the purpose of establishing an alibi for each Nelson and Ramsey. This testimony was given by Ann Lopez for Nelson and by Sylvia Ruiz for Ramsey. All four, both defendants and the two women witnesses, were shown by the testimony of one of the latter to…