United States v. Donald Paul Hutson

ALDISERT, Senior Circuit Judge:

The major question for decision in this appeal from a jury conviction and sentence for violating the federal extortion law, 18 U.S.C. § 876, is the constitutionality of the statute. Appellant Donald Hutson argues that the statute is overbroad and vague. Because we reject these challenges, we will consider Hutson’s additional contention that the government’s reference during his cross-examination to statements made by him in a magistrate’s pre-trial inquiry regarding eligibility for appointed counsel violated his rights under the fifth and sixth amendments to the…