United States v. Robert L. Companion

The appellant was charged in a three count indictment with interstate transportation of counterfeit securities in the form of Bank of America Traveler’s Checks. The three checks described in the indictment were cashed using Companion’s identification. He was traveling with a man named Parizo. His defense was that Parizo had used his identification papers without authority. The F.B.I. handwriting expert testified from three known signatures of Companion that all of the counter signatures on the checks were genuine signatures of Companion. He also testified that the signature on an application for a credit card was that of Companion. The person before whom the application was signed gave a detailed description of Parizo, the man traveling with Companion, thus presenting a conflict in the testimony. No one was able to identify the appellant as the person who passed any of the traveler’s checks charged in the indictment.

In his closing argument government counsel commented that appellant knew about the checks being passed and that he and Parizo were acting in concert. The indictment does not charge appellant with aiding and abetting. Counsel knew from the earlier conference…