Travis Buford v. United States

This is an appeal from a conviction on three counts of an indictment charging two substantive violations of the narcotics laws, 26 U.S.C. §§ 4704 and 7237, and conspiracy under 18 U.S.C. § 371 . Appellant was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment and a $500 fine on each count — the prison terms to run concurrently.

Twice during July and August of 1958 an informer working for the federal government visited a barber shop operated by appellant and her sister. On both occasions the informer was equipped with a Schmidt radio transmitter enabling another federal agent to listen in on transpiring events. Evidence was introduced to show that appellant was in the shop during both visits and that the informer left the shop both times in possession of bindles of narcotics which she didn’t have when she went in. Agents listening in on the Schmidt device testified to conversations between the informer and another woman occurring while the informer was in the shop and during which many highly incriminating admissions were made by the person with whom the informer was talking. Further evidence identified appellant as that person. The informer did not testify, and appellant offered no evidence in…