United States v. Richard Thomas Pigford Alias Thedrick Pigford

Appellant, Pigford, was arrested in the Eastern District of North Carolina on September 22, 1971, charged with violating 18 U.S.C. §§ 2113(a) and 2113(d). Arraignment and trial were set for October 26, 1971, at which time appellant entered a plea of not guilty and was granted a continuance until November 29, 1971.

Appearing without counsel on November 30, 1971, when the case was called for trial, appellant informed the court that he desired to change counsel, that two witnesses were not present, that his new counsel, Robert Rivers, an attorney of Westbury, New York, was not able to be present…