Donald v. Sellers v. United States

Appellant was convicted of violation of statutes relating to marihuana 1 and dangerous drugs. 2 His conviction was based upon the testimony of an undercover police officer who had befriended him.

One of the many allegations of error relates to the voir dire upon which the court alone interrogated the jurors. At the conclusion of its examination, defense counsel requested the court to ask whether “any of the jurors [are] inclined to give more weight to the testimony of a police officer merely because he is a police officer than any other witness in the case ?” (Emphasis supplied.) The court…