LaManna v. Laird

322 F. Supp. 1289, 1971 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14830
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Texas
DecidedJanuary 29, 1971
DocketCiv. A. No. SA-70-CA-441
StatusPublished

This text of 322 F. Supp. 1289 (LaManna v. Laird) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
LaManna v. Laird, 322 F. Supp. 1289, 1971 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14830 (S.D. Tex. 1971).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

JOHN H. WOOD, Jr., District Judge.

In this Petition for Habeas Corpus, the Petitioner alleges that he is presently stationed at Fort Sam Houston in Company “A”, Second Battalion, U. S. Army Medical Training Center, where he is unlawfully restrained and deprived of his liberty by the Respondents because the Department of the Army denied his request to be discharged from the United States Army as a 1-0 Conscientious Objector.

Prior to his induction into the Army, the Petitioner had been classified as 1-Y. He was later classified as 1-A. Petitioner appealed the reclassification which was denied by the State Board Director of Selective Service.

On April 3, 1970, the Petitioner was inducted into the Army and on May 7, 1970 he applied for 1-A-O non-combatant status. After a hearing and review by the Military Board of Review at Fort Bragg, Petitioner’s application for 1-A-0 classification was granted. On July 15, 1970, he applied at the same station for 1-0 classification on the ground that he was opposed to war in any form. On September 8, 1970, the Military Review Board denied this application and on September 27, 1970 the Petitioner was transferred to Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

In denying Petitioner’s application on the grounds that he “is not opposed to participation in war in any form”, the Board stated that he failed to show that “his beliefs have changed from Conscientious Objection to bearing arms (1-A-0) to Conscientious Objection to participation to war in any form (1-0)”.

When the case went to trial on January 27, 1971, the Court ordered that Petitioner’s application for 1-A-O classification be made part of the record in this case, to which action of the Court both Petitioner and Respondents objected, the latter in writing by Motion for Modification of Order.

On January 29, 1971, when the hearing on the Petition was resumed, the Court in overruling the objections ordered the entire record in connection with the Petitioner’s 1-A-O classification made part of the record to be considered by the Court along with the record of the Board on the 1-0 application.

It must be carefully observed that the Military Review Board at Fort Bragg in connection with both applications consisted of the same members except that Colonel William R. Condos, who was one of the 1-A-O interviewers, was replaced by Col. V. W. Lang, who acted in the 1-0 hearing.

The following quoted portions from the Board in the 1-0 record lead one to the inescapable conclusion that the Board was considering and relying heavily on the 1-A-O record as follows:

(1) The following quotations are taken from the opinion of the Board in the 1-0 record:

“He now requests discharge, i. e. 1-0 status. In order to qualify for [1291]*1291such a discharge, he bears the burden of showing that his beliefs have changed from conscientious objection to bearing arms to conscientious objection to participation to war in any form. LaManna fails to show how his beliefs have in fact changed.”
“He fails to show any experience occurring since his entry into military service which has caused him to reevaluate his position and conclude that he cannot serve in the Army as a non-combatant. In the absence of such a showing, it must be assumed that his beliefs are as they were at the time he was granted 1-A-O status by the Department of the Army.”

(2) See also the following quotation from III, Participation in Organizations, See. a, Paragraph 3, of Pvt. LaManna’s Personal History and Statement, as follows:

“I filed for non-combatant status because I was at first convinced that I could discharge my required duties in good conscience. From the first week of training, I was treated as though I had already been assigned the 1-A-O status. But the experiences of the past three and one-half months have provided me with countless instances which challenged the religious beliefs upon which my CO status was based.”

(3) See Summary Sheet for Review of Conscientious Objector Application, #24 Remarks, as follows:

“Applicant now holds classification of 1-A-O. He finds that his military experiences have challenged his beliefs and as a result they have deepened. He is not able to reconcile his beliefs with further participation in the military.”

(4) See the statement of Edward J. Collins, Colonel, Infantry, Commanding, as follows:

“Pvt. LaManna was granted 1-A-O status which I previously supported and still concur in such classification. I do not feel that further reclassification as 1-0 is warranted.”

(5) The statement of Col. V. W. Lang, Colonel, Armor, Commanding, also contained in the 1-0 record, states:

“An interview with Pvt. LaManna (with counsel) revealed no significant information over what is already known concerning his 1-A-O classification to support his current request for discharge as a conscientious objector. The only added intelligence derived from the interview is that Pvt. LaManna now feels that he does not wish to perform any service in the uniform of the United States Army.”

(6) Finally, the statement of Pvt. Jimmy Hill which is contained in a letter made part of the 1-0 record reads as follows:

“His classification as 1-A-O is not satisfactory because his beliefs have expanded and deepened.”

In Aquilino v. Laird et al. (D.C., Western District of Texas, 1970) 316 F. Supp. 1053, which was remanded by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals for reconsideration by the Trial Court in view of the holding in Welsh v. United States, 398 U.S. 333, 90 S.Ct. 1792, 26 L.Ed.2d 308, 1970, the Trial Court received in evidence the Selective Service file, though not formally made part of the record before the Military Review Board under circumstances similar to those existing here. The alleged error of the Trial Court in admitting the Selective Service Board’s record on the 1-A-O application was not disturbed by the Fifth Circuit in this case. 429 F.2d 573 (5th Cir., 1970).

Since the Board relied on the prior 1-A-O record, it will be considered in this case.

In United States ex rel. Healy v. Beatty (D.C., Southern District of Georgia, 1969) 300 F.Supp. 843, the Court, in sustaining the application of Petitioner for 1-0 classification, fully considered the record in the 1-A-O hearing as well [1292]*1292as the record of the Selective Service Board in determining if Petitioner’s beliefs had in fact changed.

Turning to the merits of the Application for Writ of Habeas Corpus, the statements of Petitioner’s training officer, the Chaplain and others who worked with him daily are to the effect that “* * * as a result of basic combat training, LaManna’s beliefs had changed * * That they “had observed LaManna struggling with his conscience as a result of basic combat training * * There is no doubt that La-Manna is sincere or that LaManna has a great depth to his convictions.” In appraising the 1-0 claim, the Chaplain found:

“In my opinion, Pvt. LaManna’s basis of claim for 1-0 is not solely religious training and belief, but largely based upon a personal morale (sic) code against participating in war and violence in any form * * * ”

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Related

Welsh v. United States
398 U.S. 333 (Supreme Court, 1970)
United States v. Beatty
424 F.2d 299 (Fifth Circuit, 1970)
United States v. Carson
282 F. Supp. 261 (E.D. Arkansas, 1968)
Crane v. Hedrick
284 F. Supp. 250 (N.D. California, 1968)
United States Ex Rel. Healy v. Beatty
300 F. Supp. 843 (S.D. Georgia, 1969)
Aquilino v. Laird
316 F. Supp. 1053 (W.D. Texas, 1970)

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Bluebook (online)
322 F. Supp. 1289, 1971 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14830, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lamanna-v-laird-txsd-1971.