United States v. Peter Postma and Joseph P. McConnon and Nicholas Robilotto

HINCKS, Circuit Judge.

A one-count indictment was returned in April 1955, charging that Peter Post-ma, Joseph McConnon and Nicholas Robilotto, conspired from June 1951 to April 1955, when the indictment was returned, to interfere with interstate commerce by extorting money from eleven named truckers under threat of continuing a strike. The trial began in April 1956. Robilotto was acquitted by a directed verdict. The other two were found guilty and both appeal.

The Government’s evidence showed that a union executive, the defendant Peter Postma, obtained $10,000 to his personal gain from a group…