United States v. Edward Brown

This could be called the case of the loyal mailman. On January 20, 1970, Charles Bartlett, a postal employee engaged in delivering parcel post packages, returned to his truck after delivering a package and saw two men approaching. One put one hand on Bartlett’s shoulder and Bartlett testified that he saw a shiny object in this person’s other hand. On cross-examination he said he thought it was a knife. Bartlett’s reaction was to sprajf some dog repellant on the man who touched him. Meanwhile, appellant was taking packages out of the mail truck.

Upon Bartlett’s resistance, both men fled.…