Patricia Ann Lewis v. State Alaska

On October 21, 1968, the grand jury returned an indictment against appellant for uttering a forged check. The import of the charge was that appellant had, on or about July 13, 1968, passed a check she knew to be forged to Rudolphs Corsetry and Lingerie Shop in payment for a hostess gown. Trial proceeded on January 14, 1969, the state presenting a witness who testified that Miss Lewis had been positively identified from mug photos by the saleslady on duty at the dress shop at the time of the alleged uttering. The same salesclerk testified that she had positively observed appellant signing the check in question. The state also produced a witness who testified that the check in question was one of a number of blank checks that had been either lost or stolen from her purse in the summer of 1968. She further testified that she had neither signed nor authorized anyone else to sign these checks. The jury returned a guilty verdict on January 17, 1969.