Henry Wilson v. United States

EDGERTON, Circuit Judge.

Appellant was convicted of taking indecent liberties with a child. D.C.Code (1951) § 22-3501 (a), 62 Stat. 347. The child was an eleven year old girl. As in Benton v. United States, “testimony upon which the conviction rests came from the child and was denied by the accused.” 88 U.S.App.D.C. 158, 159, 188 F.2d 625, 626.

Appellant was guilty if anyone was, for he alone was with the child at the time of the alleged offense. But there was no evidence of any sort, except the testimony of the child herself, that anyone took indecent liberties with her. In the conventional…