United States v. Lawson

Two men entered a Fort Wayne, Indiana Post Office, put masks over their faces, and walked through the second set of glass doors. Postal worker Weigold spotted them, ran into the office, and called the police. One man approached patron Hunter, pointed an object at her stomach, and said, “I have a gun.” The other rummaged through Hunter's purse, taking nothing. Nothing was taken from the unattended counter. The men left. Video surveillance captured the entire incident. Police arrived. Hunter reported that there was a cell phone on the counter that was not there before the robbery attempt. Video footage confirmed that it fell from the first man when he hopped over the counter. It was registered to Lawson; it received calls from the mother of Lawson’s son. Seven latent prints and a palm print found on the counter belonged to Lawson. Weigold identified Lawson's photograph. The other man was not identified. The Seventh Circuit affirmed Lawson’s convictions for aiding and abetting the use of a firearm during the attempted robbery, 18 U.S.C. 2114(a), 18 U.S.C. 924(c), and 18 U.S.C. 111, rejecting arguments that there was insufficient evidence to find that a “firearm” was used; that the jury was improperly instructed on aiding and abetting firearm use; and that the government withheld evidence of an investigator offering a “bribe” to a witness and a police officer’s disciplinary record. View "United States v. Lawson" on Justia Law