Miller v. United States

207 F. Supp. 5, 1962 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3654
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Florida
DecidedJuly 24, 1962
DocketCiv. A. Nos. 1240, 1241
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 207 F. Supp. 5 (Miller v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Miller v. United States, 207 F. Supp. 5, 1962 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3654 (N.D. Fla. 1962).

Opinion

CARSWELL, Chief Judge.

Under 28 U.S.C. § 2255 defendant has filed motion to vacate two concurrent sentences. The motion avers that defendant received three years sentence on each of two counts of one information, whereas, in fact, the records show there were two distinct informations filed and defendant was sentenced three years on [6]*6each of them with the sentences to run concurrently. Defendant’s single motion will be treated as if it accurately stated these occurrences, and will be considered as individual motions directed to each of the two sentences. Each motion is predicated on defendant’s assertion that he was mentally incompetent at the time he entered plea of guilty to each charge and at the time he was sentenced on those charges. He also alleges that he was mentally incompetent at the time of the commission of each act.

The chain of events leading to this defendant’s plea of guilty to both informations can best be summarized chronologically. On February 15, 1962, defendant was arrested in this district on a Commissioner’s Complaint charging violation of the Dyer Act, 18 Ú.S.C. § 2312. At that time a charge was pending against him in the Southern District of Florida charging an offense of impersonation, 18 U.S.C. § 912.

On February 20, 1962, the defendant wrote the Court to the effect that he suffered from chronic alcoholism and that psychiatric assistance might prevent him from losing his mind. This letter suggested to the Court the possibility that the provisions of 18 U.S.C. § 4244 might be brought into play. Accordingly, the Court placed this letter in the hands of the United States Attorney who, upon this letter and upon other information of defendant's alleged suicide attempt in 1949, filed a motion for judicial determination of mental competency as provided for by this statute. The Court entered an order for mental examination under the provisions of this same statute providing that the defendant “be examined as to his mental condition by at least one qualified psychiatrist who shall report to the Court the result of such examination. * * * ” This tracks the precise language of § 4244. Pursuant to this order examination was conducted by the Chief, Department of Psychiatry, at United States Air Force Hospital Eglin, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, and report by that doctor was submitted to the Court. This report was made a part of the record in each of the cases here by specific direction of the Court. It was further provided by the Court that this report be sealed in the court file to be opened only upon order of a Court of competent jurisdiction. The reason this was done was in consideration of the language of 18 U.S.C. § 4244:

“If the report of the psychiatrist indicates a state of present insanity or such mental incompetency in the accused, the court shall hold a hearing, upon due notice, at which evidence as to the mental condition of the accused may be submitted, including that of the reporting psychiatrist, and make a finding with respect thereto. * * * ”

There is no language in this act requiring a hearing if the report shows that the defendant is, in fact, mentally competent at the time. It was held in Formhals v. United States, 278 F.2d 43 (9th Cir. 1960) that, “Under such circumstances, 18 U.S.C. § 4244 does not specifically require a trial court’s hearing or finding of competency.” It was stated on page 48, of 278 F.2d of this opinion as follows

Footnote “ ‘9. Such a hearing is required by the statute only when there has been a psychiatric finding of present incompetency.’ (Emphasis in footnote added.) 215 F.2d at page 496. We see no distinction in the statute between the necessity for a hearing, and a finding. If the court hearing is required only after a psychiatrist’s finding of present incompetency, the court’s finding is likewise dispensed with.”

In this connection see also Krupnick v. United States, 264 F.2d 213, 217 (8th Cir. 1959) wherein the background of this legislation came under discussion and the court stated through Judge Johnsen:

“The fact that a situation may be one imposing the duty upon the court to have a psychiatric examination made does not necessarily mean, however, that the court is likewise compelled to hold a hearing and make [7]*7a finding as to the accused’s mental competency.”

In the subject case this Court did not formally “find” the defendant Miller to be mentally competent but as stated in Formhals v. United States, supra, at page 48 of 278 F.2d:

“ * * * Formhals was not declared incompetent by any court — to the contrary, he was found competent to defend himself — specifically by the court appointed psychiatrist, and inferentially at least, by the trial judge. Under such circumstances, 18 U.S.C. § 4244 does not specifically require a trial court’s hearing or finding of competency.”

This is precisely what happened here as the record shows with respect to each of Miller’s cases.

In consideration of such course of events as has been outlined here with reference to Miller, this Court has directed in all such cases, as was done in his cases, that the psychiatric report be made a formal part of the court record. The Court also provides in such cases — • and it was done here — that after full and careful consideration by the Court, the report be filed with the Clerk, that it be sealed, and that it be opened only upon an order of a court of competent jurisdiction.

This last provision is made because almost invariably the psychiatric report contains extremely personal data about the defendant, sometimes the defendant’s own self-analysis of the inner workings of his psyche, perhaps comments about members of his family and associates, his childhood experiences, sexual liaisons, etc., all of which suggest to this Court the impropriety of broadcasting to the world at large such intimate revelations or speculations. This could serve no possible purpose except to satisfy the curiosity of those who have no real concern or responsibility with the plight of the individual and whose own sensibilities, if those of no one else, could very easily be offended.

Parenthetically, it may be noted that all such reports are made available for inspection by defendant’s attorney before arraignment.

Therefore, without a detailed recitation of the subject report here, it need only be stated that the defendant Miller was found by the psychiatrist to have an intellectual level described as “bright — • normal”, and that “he understands the nature and gravity of the charges against him and is mentally capable of cooperation in his own defense”.

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Bluebook (online)
207 F. Supp. 5, 1962 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3654, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/miller-v-united-states-flnd-1962.