United States v. R. C. French

McMILLIAN, Circuit Judge.

The United States appeals from an order of the district court setting aside a jury verdict finding appellee R. C. French, former Marshal of the City of St. Louis, guilty of two counts of affecting interstate commerce by extortion, in violation of the Hobbs Act, 18 U.S.C. § 1951. For the reasons stated below, we reverse and remand to the district court with directions to vacate the judgment of acquittal and hold it for naught, to reinstate judgment of conviction pursuant to the jury verdict and to sentence appellee accordingly.

Appellee, who had been indicted by a grand…