Gambrell v. Bridges

96 So. 2d 178, 39 Ala. App. 5
CourtAlabama Court of Appeals
DecidedAugust 14, 1956
Docket1 Div. 707
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 96 So. 2d 178 (Gambrell v. Bridges) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Alabama Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Gambrell v. Bridges, 96 So. 2d 178, 39 Ala. App. 5 (Ala. Ct. App. 1956).

Opinion

PRICE, Judge.

Appellant appeals from a judgment of the Circuit Court of Mobile County denying his petition for discharge on habeas corpus and remanding him to the custody of the Sheriff of Mobile County to be delivered to the authorized agent of the State of Michigan.

Harry Gambrell was arrested by the Sheriff of Mobile County under a warrant issued by the Governor of Alabama upon a requisition of the Governor of the State of Michigan, the said warrant reciting that Harry Gambrell was charged with “the crime of issuing check without sufficient funds with intent to defraud, as shown by certified copy of complaint and warrant, (a duly certified copy of which complaint and warrant accompanies said requisition) and it appears that said Harry Gambrell has fled from justice in said State and taken refuge in the State of Alabama.”

The State offered in evidence, in addition to the rendition warrant, the requisition of the Governor of the State of Michigan and as Exhibit 3, “the accompanying and supporting papers for the Governor of Michigan and, since they are all bound together, I am going to offer them as one exhibit. They include the following: The application for requisition, a certified copy of the complaint, a certified copy of the warrant and various verifications as required by law.”

[7]*7The petitioner objected to the introduction of Exhibit 3 as a whole, because, as is contended in brief, “of its containing the affidavits referred to, because such affidavits were hearsay in nature, that the affidavits contain statements on which the affiants could not be cross examined at the hearing, that the attachment of such affidavits to the Exhibits constituted an effort to take the deposition of the parties without following the proper procedure through the channels of the Circuit Court, that the attached papers were not required to be sent to the State of Alabama for the extradition of the appellant. The objection was overruled and the appellant duly reserved an exception. The appellant then objected separately and specifically to the introduction of each of these affidavits so attached to Exhibit No. 3, relying on the same grounds. * * * There was no objection to the introduction of the application for the requisition, the certified copy of the complaint nor the certified copy of the warrant.”

The particular statements objected to are those contained in the affidavit of William J. Braunlich, Jr., prosecuting attorney of Monroe County, Michigan, to the effect “that he has read the above application by him signed and believed all the statements made therein to be true, and that the crime charged is a violation of the laws of the State of Michigan and that he believes the accused party therein named to be now in the State of Alabama.”

Also the statements included in an affidavit by Carl M. Savage, President of Savage-Storer Motor Company, to the effect that certain automobiles were sold to the appellant, that a check was tendered by appellant as full payment for the automobiles, that when presented at the bank it was returned without payment, bearing the statement insufficient funds; that previous to this time in the year 1954, the company had had similar sales with appellant; that appellant identified himself as a used car dealer in Tennessee; that the Savage-Storer Company had not received payment on the check; that diligent efforts were made to locate appellant in Tennessee, New York and Mobile and that the interests of Savage-Storer Motor Company, Inc., and his own, is solely to serve the ends of justice, and in no way to recover any civil relief for financial losses sustained.

A further affidavit by Carl M. Savage to the effect that he is the complainant in the prosecution instituted against appellant; that he had read the application for requisition and believed all the statements therein made to be true; that he believed the appellant to be in the State of Alabama; that he desired appellant’s return solely for the purpose of public justice, and not to give opportunity for the service of civil process or to compel him to settle or compromise any asserted debt or other private demand.

The affidavit of Howard Williams, Sales Manager of Savage-Storer Motor Company Inc., to the effect that on two occasions in September, 1954, he sold certain automobiles to appellant; that on October 6 1954, he sold to appellant two automobiles for the sum of $1,975 and at said time and place appellant tendered a check in full payment for said automobiles; that certificates of title and bills of sale were executed and delivered to appellant; that appellant represented that sufficient funds to pay said check were on deposit in the bank; that said check was returned bearing the endorsement of the bank that sufficient funds were not on deposit to cover the check.

The affidavit of Charles G. Harrington, Sheriff for the County of Monroe, Michigan to the effect that he has received a communication from the Sheriff’s office in Mobile stating that Harry Gambrell was arraigned, charged with being a fugitive on a warrant issued by the Justice Court for the City of Monroe, Michigan, and has refused to waive extradition.

In Tingley v. State, 34 Ala.App. 379, 41 So.2d 276, 277, cert. den. 252 Ala. 520, 41 [8]*8So.2d 280, there were two supporting affidavits to the application for requisition introduced on the trial. Judge Carr, writing for this court, said: “It is contended that the court should not have allowed these affidavits in evidence. We cannot sustain this position. They were annexed to the application for requisition and became a part of the documents to which the Governor of California certified. In this state of the record, their admissibility was authorized. People ex rel. Gates v. Mulcahy, 392 Ill. 498, 65 N.E.2d 21.”

Further as to counsel’s contention that the affidavits are hearsay testimony; contain statements on which affiants could not be cross examined in court; are attempts to get before the court the testimony of affiants, etc., we call attention to the statements by Mr. Justice Foster in Adams v. State, 253 Ala. 387, 45 So.2d 43, 44, that such affidavits are “not as the testimony of a witness given on the trial but only as justification of the issuance of the warrant”, of the Governor of Michigan.

The court’s action in overruling petitioner’s objections to State’s Exhibit 3 was without error.

The papers introduced in evidence by the State established a prima facie case for the detention of the petitioner. Godwin v. State, 16 Ala.App. 397, 73 So. 313; State of Tennessee v. Hamilton, 28 Ala.App. 587, 190 So. 306; Barriere v. State, 142 Ala. 72, 39 So. 55. The motion to exclude the State’s testimony was properly overruled.

It was appellant’s contention at the hearing that his extradition was sought for the purpose of aiding in the collection of a debt, demand or claim against him, contrary to the provisions of Section 68, Title 15, Code 1940.

In support of his contention appellant testified that he signed a check dated August (October) 6, 1954, payable to Savage-Storer Motor Company, in the sum of One Thousand Nine Hundred Seventy Five Dollars. The check bore the notation that it was given for the purchase of two cars, but appellant stated this notation was incorrect; that it was his understanding he was to receive four automobiles for the sum evidenced by the check. Two automobiles were bought from Savage-Storer, a ’53 Chrysler and a ’49 Chevrolet.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Crawford v. State
356 So. 2d 690 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Alabama, 1978)
Mayola v. State
344 So. 2d 818 (Court of Criminal Appeals of Alabama, 1977)
Sánchez Ayala v. Rodríguez Fortier
104 P.R. Dec. 862 (Supreme Court of Puerto Rico, 1976)
Williams v. State
130 So. 2d 351 (Alabama Court of Appeals, 1960)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
96 So. 2d 178, 39 Ala. App. 5, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/gambrell-v-bridges-alactapp-1956.