Dolack v. United States

217 F. Supp. 617, 1963 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7607
CourtDistrict Court, D. Hawaii
DecidedMay 21, 1963
DocketCiv. No. 2134
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 217 F. Supp. 617 (Dolack v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Hawaii primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Dolack v. United States, 217 F. Supp. 617, 1963 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7607 (D. Haw. 1963).

Opinion

TAVARES, District Judge.

On January 12, 1962, petitioner, John Dolack, was convicted in this Court, upon his plea of guilty, of a violation of 18 United States Code § 1341.

On February 5, 1962, after a presentence report, this Court sentenced petitioner “to the custody of the Attorney General for imprisonment for the maximum period authorized by law, i. e., FIVE (5) YEARS, and for a study as described in 18 USC Section 4208(c), the results of such study to be furnished this [618]*618Court within three months, whereupon the sentence of imprisonment herein imposed shall be subject to modification in accordance with 18 USC Section 4208 (b).” At the time of such sentencing petitioner was represented by counsel appointed by the Court who, at the request of petitioner, made a lengthy allocution on his behalf just prior to the imposition of said sentence. At the conclusion of said allocution, petitioner informed the Court that he did not desire to make a statement personally.

On May 4, 1962, after having received and considered the report of the study described in 18 United States Code § 4208(c), this Court ordered that “the sentence of imprisonment heretofore imposed be affirmed, but modified in accordance with 18 USC Section 4208(b) to provide that the defendant shall become eligible for parole at such time as the board of parole may determine.” Said Order was made without the presence of either petitioner or his counsel and without any allocution on behalf of petitioner. Petitioner is now incarcerated in the Medical Center for Federal Prisoners at Springfield, Missouri.

Petitioner has presented to this Court, with a request that he be permitted to proceed thereon in forma pauperis and that counsel be appointed to represent him, a motion under 28 United States Code § 2255,1 to vacate his sentence herein on the grounds that he “was coerced, both by promises, and threats, by prosecuting authorities into pleading guilty to the charge placed against him” and that he is illegally imprisoned because he was not present2 and his attorney was not present3 and petitioner was not afforded an allocution4 at the time of the Order of May 4, 1962.

There is doubt as to whether petitioner can raise the question as to a denial of his right to allocution by a motion under 28 United States Code § 2255.5 However, for the purpose of this case, the Court will assume that he can do so. The Court has permitted him to proceed in forma pauperis.

The Court appointed counsel to represent petitioner on this motion and notified the United States Attorney of the motion. On March 14, 1963, proceedings on the motion were had in open Court at which time the Court denied a motion of counsel for petitioner for a continuance to permit petitioner to be present at a hearing on the motion and granted leave to counsel for petitioner and to counsel for the Government to file memoranda on the motion. Such memoranda have been filed.

The motion and the files and records of the case conclusively show that [619]*619petitioner is entitled to no relief. Therefore, no hearing will be had on the motion and his presence is not necessary to the decision of the matter.6

Counsel for the Government has requested that the decision on the motion as to the point of allocution be postponed until a decision by the Supreme Court in the case of Behrens v. United States (1962), 7th Cir., 312 F.2d 223, hereinafter mentioned, there being pending before the Supreme Court a Petition for a Writ of Certiorari in that case and until a decision by the Supreme Court in the case of Corey v. United States (1962), 1st Cir., 307 F.2d 839, as to which the Supreme Court has granted Certiorari. That case holds that the time for appeal starts to run upon the imposition of the maximum sentence under 18 United States Code § 4208(b). Petitioner has objected to such postponement.

The Court is of the view that the decision should not be postponed and said request is therefore denied.

As to the first ground claimed by petitioner, that he pled guilty to the charge against him because of promises and threats by the prosecuting authorities, such allegations are mere conclusions and are insufficient to warrant consideration.7 Furthermore, prior to the Court’s accepting his plea of guilty, in reply to questions by the Court, he stated that such plea was of his own free will and not because of any threats or inducements to him by anyone in the Government service.

As to the grounds claimed by petitioner, that he was not present, his attorney was not present and petitioner was not afforded an allocution at the time of the Order of May 4, 1962, 18 United States Code § 4208(b), provides as follows:

“If the court desires more detailed information as a basis for determining the sentence to be imposed, the court may commit the defendant to the custody of the Attorney General, which commitment shall be deemed to be for the maximum sentence of imprisonment prescribed by law, for a study as described in subsection (c) hereof. The results of such study, together with any recommendations which the Director of the Bureau of Prisons believes would be helpful in determining the disposition of the case, shall be furnished to the court within three months unless the court grants time, not to exceed an additional three months, for further study. After receiving such reports and recommendations, the court may in its discretion: (1) Place the prisoner on probation as authorized by section 3651 of this title, or (2) affirm the sentence of imprisonment originally imposed, or reduce the sentence of imprisonment, and commit the offender under any applicable provision of law. The term of the sentence shall run from date of original commitment under this section.”

This Court is of the opinion that the intent and purpose of Section 4208(b) are to permit the Court to impose the maximum sentence permitted by law and thereafter to reduce it if, after considering the report of the study described in Section 4208(c), it feels that it should be reduced, that the presence of the defendant is not necessary, and that he is not entitled to an allocution, at the affirmance or reduction of the sentence, nor is the presence of his counsel necessary at the affirmance or reduction of the sentence if the defendant is not present.

When Section 4208(b) was being considered by Congress, it was recommended in House Joint Resolution 425 that it read as follows:

“Upon the imposition of sentence the court may sentence in accordance with other existing provisions of law, or at its option, may impose [620]*620a tentative sentence to imprisonment generally, which shall be deemed to be for the maximum term prescribed by law; * * (Emphasis added).8

The Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts stated before subcommittee No. 3 of the House Committee on the Judiciary in behalf of the Judicial Conference of the United States with reference to this section:

“The Judicial Conference feels that the sentencing judge before imposing final sentence,

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Bluebook (online)
217 F. Supp. 617, 1963 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 7607, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/dolack-v-united-states-hid-1963.