Clifford Northern v. United States

Clifford Northern appeals from a judgment convicting him of bank robbery with the use of a dangerous weapon [ 18 U.S.C. § 2113 (a), (d)]. We affirm.

The crime was committed on June 20, 1969, when three men, armed with guns and wearing motorcycle helmets, entered and robbed the Security Pacific National Bank in Los Angeles, California. During the robbery, a fourth man, later identified as appellant, waited outside at the wheel of the getaway automobile.

On October 17, 1969, F.B.I. agents, investigating another bank robbery which had occurred in New Jersey, went to an apartment on Nicolet Avenue in Los Angeles to arrest one Barry Ship-ley, a suspect in the New Jersey robbery. When they arrived, appellant was the only person there. The agents, after identifying themselves and advising appellant of their purpose, proceeded to question him.

Appellant stated that he shared the apartment with one Maas, and that one of the two bedrooms belonged to him and the other to Maas. He gave the officers permission to search his own bedroom. They found nothing incriminating. They then showed appellant a police photo of Shipley. Appellant identified the subject as the man he knew as Maas; he also…