United States v. Alexander
United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
326 F.2d 736 (1964)
- Written by Angela Patrick, JD
Facts
Ernest Alexander (defendant) was found with a check in his possession that was made payable to someone else. Alexander was charged with possession of a check knowing that it had been stolen from a mailbox. The postal inspector copied the original check via a thermofax machine, but the payee’s name and address did not come through on the copy. The inspector used the information on the original check to type this missing information on the copy. The postal inspector then gave the original check to its intended recipient for cashing. At trial, the contents of the inspector’s check copy and testimony about the original check’s contents were used to link the check to a mail theft and establish evidence of Alexander’s alleged crime. Alexander was convicted and appealed, arguing that the copy of the check and the testimony about the check’s contents should have been excluded under the best-evidence rule.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Boreman, J.)
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