United States v. Charles Sawyer, Jr.

BAZELON, Chief Judge:

The sole question presented by this appeal is whether defense counsel in a criminal case, in summation to the jury, has the right to relate his factual argument to the governing principles of law.

Appellant was found in possession of a number of items that had recently been taken from a locked car. In accordance with the applicable law, the jury was instructed that it was permissible, but not necessary, to infer from the fact of possession that he had stolen the property. 1 Appellant introduced no evidence, but sought to persuade the jury to reject the inference. He was…