The following excerpt is from United States v. Whitman, 469 F.2d 1370 (9th Cir. 1972):
The record discloses nothing more than appellant's "mere presence" in the vehicle carrying the contraband. The rule is "firmly established" that such evidence cannot support the verdict. United States v. Thomas, 453 F.2d 141 (9th Cir. 1971), cert. denied, Lucas v. United States, 405 U.S. 1069, 92 S.Ct. 1516, 31 L.Ed.2d 801 (1972).
Reversed, with direction to dismiss the indictment.
The above passage should not be considered legal advice. Reliable answers to complex legal questions require comprehensive research memos. To learn more visit www.alexi.com.