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377 F.2d 539

Docket No. 21452.

Rutterbush v. United States

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals

Decided May 16, 1967.

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals · decided 1967-05-16

Cited by 8 later decisions — most recently July 1968

6 federal appellate ·

2 counsel of record

Applies 18 U.S.C. § 2312

Good law ✅— No negative treatment on recordhow we know

Opinion by (per_curiam) · Decided 1967-05-16

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¶1Franklin Geerdes, Chula Vista, Cal., for appellant.

¶2Edwin L. Miller, U. S. Atty., John L. Augustine, Asst. U. S. Atty., Phoenix, Ariz., and San Diego, Cal., for appellee.

¶3Before CHAMBERS, POPE and JERTBERG, Circuit Judges.

¶4PER CURIAM:

¶5The thrust of Rutterbush’s appeal is that during the jury trial on a Dyer Act (18 U.S.C. § 2312) charge, prejudicial questions were asked by the trial judge.

¶6The judge, with rather natural questions, did get into an area that had been stipulated out of the case. Counsel certainly could have approached the bench with his opponent and held a quiet colloquy with the judge. Also, a special instruction could have been requested. Neither was done.

¶7Appellant suggests the judge became an advocate. The record contradicts this. The trial was eminently fair.

¶8Counsel for appellant has done as best he could with very little to go on. He is not to be censured. Oft-times in criminal appeals counsel is required to attempt to jump over an eight foot high bar from a standing start.

¶9The judgment is affirmed.

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