United States v. Russell E. Spitler, United States of America v. Duane Carpenter

DONALD RUSSELL, Circuit Judge:

Russell E. Spitler and Duane Carpenter, defendant-appellants, appeal from judgments of conviction entered upon a guilty verdict of extortion and aiding and abetting extortion in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1951 and 2, 1 conspiracy to commit extortion in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951, and mail fraud and aiding and abetting mail fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1341 and 2. Seeking reversal of their convictions, defendants claim the district court erred in denying their motions for severance and for judgments of acquittal. Additionally, Spit-ler claims error in the…