Carl David Metler v. State Alaska

CONNOR, Justice. OPINION. On January 5; 1976, an extortion note was found at the home of Elmer Rasmuson; who is a major stockholder and former chairman of the board of the National Bank of Alaska. The typewritten note purported to be from a guerilla organization which threatened to kill Mr. and Mrs. Rasmuson unless $250,000 was paid to the organization. Payment was to be made specified denominations as indicated on a handwritten card enclosed with the first extortion note. Later that evening, a second extortion note was delivered to the Rasmuson residence. It was accompanied by a throwing knife, presumably meant to give emphasis to the threat. A third extortion note was found crumpled up in the street in front of the Rasmusons' home. The initial police investigation centered on two suspects, one of whom was Carl David Metler, the appellant herein. Metler was a former employee of the National Bank of Alaska who had recently been discharged on suspicion of embezzlement. A local handwriting expert compared the handwritten portions of the first extortion note to Metler's handwritten employment application, which had been furnished to the police by the bank. The expert concluded that both documents had been written by the same person. On the employment application, Metler had stated that he was a recent high school graduate, that he could type, and that he had participated in track and cross-country running in high school.