Commonwealth v. Downer

Opinion by

Arnold, J.,

The defendant was convicted upon indictments charging impersonation of a public officer; 1 blackmail or extortion 2 (two indictments); blackmail by accusation of a heinous crime ; 3 and conspiracy with others to commit this last offense. 4

On the afternoon of Sunday, July 2,1944) at a bench in Schenley Park, Pittsburgh, John Doe, a stranger, engaged James J. Cosgrove in conversation and later invited him to his hotel room in downtown Pittsburgh. While they were in a toilet room a man (afterwards identified as Robertson) demanded that they come out. He showed them a police…