United States v. James R. Lord, Jr., Gerald J. Yagy, and Gerhardt J. Schwartz

MANSFIELD, Circuit Judge:

After a four-day trial in the Western District of New York before Judge John T. Elfvin and a jury, appellants Lord, Yagy and Schwartz were convicted of bank robbery, 18 U.S.C. § 2113(a), and conspiracy to commit bank robbery, 18 U.S.C. § 371. Lord and Schwartz were also convicted of armed bank robbery, 18 U.S.C. § 2113(d). We reverse because of two errors that seriously jeopardized the defendants’ right to a fair trial: (1) the Government’s disclosure to the entire venire during jury selection of highly prejudicial information that was later excluded from evidence,…