Jake Richardson v. United States

217 F.2d 696, 1954 U.S. App. LEXIS 3186
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
DecidedDecember 21, 1954
Docket15110
StatusPublished
Cited by26 cases

This text of 217 F.2d 696 (Jake Richardson v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Jake Richardson v. United States, 217 F.2d 696, 1954 U.S. App. LEXIS 3186 (8th Cir. 1954).

Opinion

PER CURIAM.

This is an appeal from an order denying motion of defendant (appellant), made pursuant to section 2255, Title 28 United States Code, to vacate sentence, motion of defendant to withdraw plea of guilty, motion for habeas corpus ad testificandum and writ of attachment, and supplements thereto, and motion for reconsideration of each of said motions.

The defendant in his brief makes the following points:

“Question One: Whether or not, the arrest of the appellant by Federal narcotic agents on March 16, 1953, was unlawful and violated the protection guaranteed him Amendment Four and Five to the Federal Constitution. Whether or not, in violation of Amendment Five to the Federal Constitution the arresting Federal narcotic agents herein involved failed to comply with the requirements of 18 U.S.C.A.Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, Rule 5(a) after arresting this appellant. And if so, did the trial court herein acquire valid jurisdiction over the instant case herein involved ?
“Question Two: Whether or not, in a trial upon an information set forth in three counts, sales of heroin hydrochloride; this appellant was denied his Constitutional rights conferred under Amendments Five and Six to the Federal Constitution; (1) When the trial court failed to comply with the statutory requirements of 18 U.S.C.A.Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, Rules 7(b), 10 and 11, divested itself of jurisdiction by failing to complete the court: and if so, whether or not, this is grounds for 28 U.S.C.A. § 2255?
“Question Three on appeal herein is, whether or not, in a hearing without a jury upon motions filed in the trial court in conformity with 28 U.S.C.A. § 2255 and 18 U.S.C.A. Foil. 688, Rule 11(a) Criminal Rules 1933, in which events were alleged to infringe the Constitutional rights of this appellant do or do not appear on the face of the record of his conviction, and where this appellants motions raised matters of facts dehors the record, the trial court herein was required to determine the issues, make findings of fact and conclusions of law with respect thereto and produce this appellant in court to be present at the hearing to testify and offer evidence in his own behalf, pursuant to 28 U.S.C.A. § 2255 and 28 U.S.C.A.Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, Rule 52(a) ?”

The defendant was arrested on March 16, 1953, without a warrant by narcotic agents. On March 17, 1953, a complaint was filed, a warrant was issued, and the defendant was arrested thereunder and brought before the United States Commissioner. On March 20, 1953, defendant appeared in open court with Kenneth Simon, a competent attorney, appearing for him. After due explanation by the court, he waived indictment in writing, and an information in three counts was filed charging defendant with three separate sales of heroin, in violation of section 2554(a), Title 26 United States Code. Defendant through his counsel waived reading of the information. The Government attorney made an explanation of the charges. Thereupon, the following discussion took place (Tr. 65-66):

“Mr. Simon: Mr. Richardson, you understand that at this time you enter this plea to the information. You understand what the information is, sir, don’t you?
“The Defendant: Yes, sir.
“Mr. Simon: You do not have to plead guilty, but you have a right to a trial if you desire one.
“The Defendant: All right, sir.
“Mr. Simon: If you desire the Court will entertain a plea of guilty and it will then be up to the Court to assess the punishment.
“The Court: It will be up to the Court, if he is tried and found guil *698 ty. He should understand also that the Court imposes the penalty and not the jury. You understand that?
. “Mr. Simon: You understand
that, Mr. Richardson?
“The Defendant: Yes, I am to plead guilty.
“Mr. Simon: That is up to you, sir.
“The Defendant: I enter a plea of guilty.
“Mr. Simon: You wish to enter a plea of guilty?
“The Defendant: Yes, sir.
“Mr. Simon: Is that to all three counts ?
“The Defendant: Yes, sir.
“Mr. Simon: He wishes to enter a plea of guilty to all three counts, your Honor.”

Before sentence the defendant’s attorney made a statement to the court in mitigation of the offenses. The statement shows his familiarity with the involved offenses and the defendant’s record. The defendant, upon his plea of guilty, was sentenced to two years imprisonment on each count, the sentences on counts 1 and 2 to run consecutively, and the sentence on count 3 to run concurrently with the sentence on count 2.

Complaint is made about the March 16 arrest by the narcotic agents. The arrest was made in Missouri, and under Missouri law a private person may make an arrest on showing of actual commission of a felony and reasonable grounds to suspect the accused. No attack was made on this arrest in the original ease, and consequently no record has been made thereon. In view of the plea of guilty to this offense, it is extremely likely that the arrest was lawful. In any event, the defendant was lawfully arrested the following day under a proper warrant.

Defendant likewise complains of a one-day delay in taking him before a magistrate, and alleged efforts of officers to coerce a confession during such period. No confession was introduced in evidence. B-y his plea of guilty defendant admitted all material allegations of the information. In Hood v. United States, 8 Cir., 152 F.2d 431, 436, this court said:

“Appellants having entered their pleas of guilty, admitted all the facts charged in the indictment necessary to constitute the offense, and no other proof was necessary, nor was any other proof offered. * * * Whether any confession was obtained would seem to be quite immaterial in view of the fact that it was not used, and in view of the pleas of guilty voluntarily entered by appellants.”

See also Friedman v. United States, 8 Cir., 200 F.2d 690.

Defendant’s counsel in open court waived reading of the information. It is highly improbable that counsel would do this if he had not been furnished a copy of the information. Thereafter, the Government attorney read and explained each count of the information. Under such circumstances, the failure, if any, to provide defendant with a copy of the information was not a denial of due process. Merritt v. Hunter, 10 Cir.,

Related

United States v. Corbett
405 F. Supp. 473 (W.D. Missouri, 1975)
State v. Fritz
490 S.W.2d 30 (Supreme Court of Missouri, 1973)
William Carey Edwards v. United States
422 F.2d 788 (Seventh Circuit, 1970)
George Calvin Ford v. United States
418 F.2d 855 (Eighth Circuit, 1969)
Kenneth Byes v. United States
402 F.2d 492 (Eighth Circuit, 1969)
Eric L. Montgomery v. United States
403 F.2d 605 (Eighth Circuit, 1968)
Worthington v. Stevens
294 F. Supp. 349 (W.D. Missouri, 1967)
Brown v. Commonwealth
422 S.W.2d 715 (Court of Appeals of Kentucky, 1967)
Sherman v. United States
261 F. Supp. 522 (D. Hawaii, 1966)
State v. Cooper
403 S.W.2d 619 (Supreme Court of Missouri, 1966)
Nathaniel Vincent v. United States
337 F.2d 891 (Eighth Circuit, 1964)
Rivett v. State
395 P.2d 264 (Alaska Supreme Court, 1964)
James C. Baker v. United States
334 F.2d 444 (Eighth Circuit, 1964)
Burleson v. United States
205 F. Supp. 331 (W.D. Missouri, 1962)
Ezequial Frank Lopez Vasquez v. United States
279 F.2d 34 (Ninth Circuit, 1960)
Richard O. Cain v. United States
271 F.2d 337 (Eighth Circuit, 1959)
Nelson Gene Johnston v. United States
254 F.2d 239 (Eighth Circuit, 1958)

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Bluebook (online)
217 F.2d 696, 1954 U.S. App. LEXIS 3186, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/jake-richardson-v-united-states-ca8-1954.