Alston v. United States

HARRIS, Associate Judge:

Appellant was convicted by a jury of carrying a pistol without a license. D.C. Code 1973, § 22-3204. He urges several grounds for reversal, most of which are related to his unsuccessful attempts to secure testimony on his behalf from his former codefendant, who would have been the sole defense witness. Although we reject the majority of appellant’s claims, we reverse due to the trial court’s error in excluding the transcribed and relevant testimony of that defense witness, whose direct testimony was rendered unavailable by a proper claim of privilege.

I

Appellant was…