Carpenter v. United States Parole Commission

475 F. Supp. 120
CourtDistrict Court, C.D. California
DecidedAugust 21, 1979
DocketNo. CV 79-0825-RMT(Kx)
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 475 F. Supp. 120 (Carpenter v. United States Parole Commission) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, C.D. California primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Carpenter v. United States Parole Commission, 475 F. Supp. 120 (C.D. Cal. 1979).

Opinion

OPINION

TAKASUGI, District Judge.

The petitioner was convicted of two counts of assault with a deadly weapon in 1960 and sentenced to 14 years in federal prison. After serving slightly more than eight years, he was granted mandatory parole release in 1969. Less than one year later the petitioner pleaded guilty to a series of crimes committed in California, including two counts of first degree robbery, kidnapping, forcible rape and vehicle theft.

Following the petitioner’s conviction for these state offenses, the United States Board of Parole issued a parole revocation warrant in 1970. Upon his release from state custody in February 1977, the warrant was executed, and the petitioner was immediately returned to federal custody to await his parole revocation hearing. During the state custody period, correctional officers considered the petitioner an excellent worker who was responsible, cooperative, and got along well with others.

On April 15,1977, the Parole Commission (“Commission”) conducted its parole revocation hearing. The Commission recommended the petitioner’s parole be revoked and that the time spent on parole (i. e., the seven years in state custody) not count as credit to the remainder of his 14-year federal sentence. The Commission decided that the petitioner should remain in custody for at least an additional 24 months.

At a statutory review hearing held in March 1979, the Commission recommended that the petitioner be reparoled on September 6, 1979 with maximum parole supervision.

The petitioner contends that his fifth amendment due process rights have been violated and he is entitled to immediate release because: (1) The Commission hearing in April 1977 did not consider his institutional record during the intervening state custody; (2) the Paroling Policy Guidelines used by the Commission to revoke his parole were vague and contradictory; and (3) the Notice of Action he was provided by the Commission after the hearing did not supply adequate reasons for revoking parole.

This court finds the petitioner’s contentions without merit on all points and accordingly holds he is not entitled to immediate release.

1. Consideration of Good Behavior Reports:

The petitioner contends that the Commission violated his due process rights because it failed to consider the various favorable [122]*122reports regarding his conduct while in state custody.1

The Summary of Hearing, prepared for the Commission’s internal use, indicates the petitioner’s conduct during state custody was evaluated:

. He effected an outstanding institutional adjustment while in state custody and participated and apparently • gained considerable benefit from psychotherapy. While this panel recognizes subject has made considerable strides and gained some insight into his basic behavioral problem, it believes the accountability factor is the over-riding [sic] issue in this case.

The petitioner’s contention that the Commission did not consider his conduct during state custody is therefore unfounded. Moreover, the Commission is under no obligation to automatically reduce a prisoner’s sentence because of good behavior. Rifai v. United States Parole Commission, 586 F.2d 695 (9th Cir. 1978). Consequently, this court holds that the petitioner’s due process right to have his good behavior reports considered by the Commission was not violated.

2. Parole Revocation Guidelines:

The more difficult issue to resolve in this case concerns the interpretation and application of 28 C:F.R. §§ 2.21(b)(2) and 2.52(c)(2).2

The petitioner claims the above provisions are contradictory and have been arbitrarily and capriciously applied. The portion of § 2.21(b)(2) at issue states, without qualification, that time served on a new state or federal sentence by a parole violator shall be counted as time in custody. Section 2.52(c)(2) in turn provides that prior to the execution of a parole revocation warrant, time served on a new state or federal sentence shall not be counted as time in custody.

According to the petitioner’s interpretation, § 2.21(b)(2) is controlling, and the seven years in state custody must be applied as credit to the remaining six years of his federal sentence. The petitioner contends the Commission would therefore no longer have jurisdiction over him as he has served more than 14 years.

Although the petitioner contends these provisions are contradictory, there is in fact no actual conflict. Both these provisions must be applied in context with § 2.47. Section 2.47 describes those times at which a parole revocation warrant can be issued and executed.

§ 2.47:

(a) In those instances where a parolee is serving a new sentence in an institution, a parole violation warrant may be placed against him as a detainer .
(b) Following a dispositional review under this section, the Regional Commissioner may:
(1) Let the detainer stand and order further review at an appropriate time; . (3) Order a revocation hearing to be conducted by a hearing examiner or an official designated by the regional Commissioner at the institution in which the parolee is confined. [123]*123Following a revocation hearing conducted pursuant to this section, the Commission may take any action specified at § 2.52, including the ordering of concurrent or consecutive service of all or part of any violator term . (Emphasis added.)

In the instant case, the critical fact to be noted is that the Commission has discretion in deciding whether the parole revocation hearing will be held during the state prison term of the petitioner, § 2.47(bXl). The record indicates the parole revocation warrant was issued in 1970, but the warrant was not executed, and a hearing was not held until after the petitioner completed the entire state prison sentence. The only time § 2.21(b)(2) is applicable and allows time served on a new state or federal sentence to be counted as time in custody are those cases where the parole revocation hearing was held during the new prison sentence. Otherwise, as in the instant case, § 2.52(c)(2) operates, and:

. forfeiture of the time from the date of such release to the date of the execution of the warrant shall be ordered, and such time shall not be credited to service of the sentence.

The 1978 amendment to § 2.21(b)(2) reinforces the above interpretation, as the amendment was apparently an attempt to clarify any confusion in crediting time served.

The limited availability of concurrent service of the parole violator term is also emphasized in § 2.47(c).3 The favored policy is that even when concurrent service is possible, consecutive terms should be imposed absent strong mitigating circumstances.

The option to delay the revocation hearing until after the completion of the intervening prison term provides the Commission with substantial discretion in determining the ultimate length of the petitioner’s sentence. Delay in holding the revocation hearing has been endorsed by the United States Supreme Court in Moody v. Daggett,

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Related

State Ex Rel. Morris v. Mohn
267 S.E.2d 443 (West Virginia Supreme Court, 1980)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
475 F. Supp. 120, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/carpenter-v-united-states-parole-commission-cacd-1979.