United States ex rel. Gilmore v. Steele

98 F. Supp. 563, 1951 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2265
District Court, W.D. Missouri·Decided July 11, 1951·Published·Cited by 1 cases

Opinion

GARDNER, Chief Judge.

Dewey Gilmore has lodged with me his verified application for a writ of habeas corpus. An examination of the application discloses the following alleged facts. On the 2nd day of October 1935 he was indicted in the District Court of the United States, for the Eastern District of Oklahoma. The indictment contained two 'counts based on the provisions of Section 588b of Title 12 United States Code.1 Count one charged that on or about December 22, 1934, the defendants did, by force and violence and by putting in fear certain named officers and employees of the Okemah National Bank of Okemah, Oklahoma, take from such persons and in their presence certain money belonging to the bank; and the second count charged that the defendants did, by putting in jeopardy the lives of such officers and employees, take the money ' from the bank. On November 28, 1935, petitioner was, on trial before a jury, found guilty as charged and on December 9, 1935, the court sentenced him to twenty and twenty-five years imprisonment respectively on counts one and two, the sentences to run concurrently. On December 10, 1935, he was delivered to the federal penitentiary at Leavenworth, Kansas, to begin the service of imprisonment.

On January 29, 1936 he was reindicted in the same court. This subsequent indictment charged 'him with one Cooper in substantially identical language the substance of each and both counts of the earlier indictment and further charged that petitioner and others in freeing and attempting to free themselves from confinement, did on December 3, 1935 feloniously shoot and kill Ben Bolton, a city police officer. That on February 14, 1936 he was tried on said indictment by a jury for the violation of Section 588b Title 12 United States Code and also for the killing as charged in the indictment. The jury returned a verdict of guilty, whereupon the court fixed the sentence of petitioner at 99 years imprisonment to run concurrently with the terms of imprisonment imposed on the former indictment. Gilmore filed a motion to vacate the judgment and sentence, based on the proposition of double jeopardy; the motion was denied and on appeal the order [565] appealed from was affirmed. Gilmore v. United States, 10 Cir., 124 F.2d 537.

Gilmore is now confined in the Medical Center for Federal Prisoners at Springfield, Missouri, and on or about the 15th of April 1951 he filed a petition for writ of habeas corpus in the United States District Court at Kansas City, Missouri, which on May 3, 1951 was denied and his petition dismissed. This petition was based on a claim of double jeopardy in that he was twice tried by jury for the alleged violation of Section 588b Title 12 United States Code. He then filed notice of appeal and motion for leave to proceed on the appeal in forma pauperis. His motion to proceed on appeal in forma pauperis was denied, Judge Reeves before whom the matter was heard expressing the opinion that the appeal was not taken in good faith.

If the facts alleged, and those of which judicial notice may be taken, are sufficient as a matter of law, then the writ should issue forthwith or an order to show cause should issue calling on respondent to show cause why the writ should not be granted. If, however, it appears from the allegations of the petition that the applicant or person detained is not entitled thereto, then the application should be denied without awarding the writ or issuing an order to show cause.

Reilly v. Pescor, 8 Cir., 156 F.2d 632, 634; Ex parte Quirin, 317 U.S. 1, 63 S.Ct. 2, 87 L.Ed. 3.

The practice in this regard is stated in Reilly v. Pescor, supra, as follows: “If, therefore, it appears from the allegations of the application for the writ that the petitioner is not entitled to such writ, the court should deny it without going through the idle ceremony of issuing an order to show cause or calling upon the respondent to ■make return.”

It is therefore of first importance to consider whether or not the facts as alleged are sufficient to entitle petitioner to a release from detention.

It is elementary' that habeas corpus is not a corrective remedy and may not be resorted to to serve the purpose of an appeal.

Eagles v. United States ex rel. Samuels, 329 U.S. 304, 67 S.Ct. 313, 91 L.Ed. 308; Johnson v. Zerbst, 304 U.S. 458, 58 S.Ct. 1019, 82 L.Ed. 1461; Moore v. King, 8 Cir., 130 F.2d 857; Buie v. King, 8 Cir., 137 F.2d 495.

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United States ex rel. Gilmore v. Steele, 98 F. Supp. 563, 1951 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 2265 (W.D. Mo. 1951).

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