United States v. Alan Herbert Abrahams, A/K/A James A. Carr

604 F.2d 386, 1979 U.S. App. LEXIS 11226
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
DecidedOctober 12, 1979
Docket78-5687
StatusPublished
Cited by42 cases

This text of 604 F.2d 386 (United States v. Alan Herbert Abrahams, A/K/A James A. Carr) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Alan Herbert Abrahams, A/K/A James A. Carr, 604 F.2d 386, 1979 U.S. App. LEXIS 11226 (5th Cir. 1979).

Opinion

ALLGOOD, District Judge:

The defendant, Alan Herbert Abrahams, was convicted after a bench trial of the charges contained in a one-count indictment charging the defendant with a violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1001. 1 Following the conviction of the defendant, he was sentenced by the District Court to the custody of the Attorney General for a period of forty months, said sentence to be served concurrently with two other Federal sentences the defendant was serving at the time sentence was imposed.

For reversal, the defendant makes the following contentions: (1) the defendant’s motion to dismiss and for judgment of acquittal should have been granted as 18 U.S.C. § 1001 is inapplicable to a judicial proceeding such as a bail hearing; (2) the defendant’s motion for judgment of acquittal should have been granted because the alleged false statements fell within the “exculpatory no” exception to 18 U.S.C. § 1001; (3) the defendant’s motion for judgment of acquittal should have been granted because the alleged false statements were not material; and (4) the defendant’s motion to suppress statements before the Magistrate should have been granted because said statements were made in violation of defendant’s Fifth Amendment rights.

The issues raised in this case present matters of first impression in this Circuit and with regard to the precise factual and legal issues involved, appear to be issues of first impression in the Federal Judicial System.

For the purposes of this appeal, only two issues need be discussed in detail. These issues are restated in the following language: Is a hearing for the purpose of setting bail before a U.S. Magistrate a judicial proceeding as opposed to an administrative or “housekeeping” proceeding? Can a false statement made by a defendant in a judicial proceeding be a basis for a prosecution brought pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 1001?

If a defendant in response to a question addressed to him by a U.S. Magistrate in a bail proceeding merely answers “No”, does such a response, if false, fall within the “exculpatory no” exception to criminal liability pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 1001?

The answers to the foregoing questions are obscure to say the least. The learned District Judge who tried this case and found the defendant guilty was troubled with respect to these two questions. The proceedings below contain several references by the trial judge indicating his doubt as to how these questions should be answered and suggesting that the final answer would have to come from an appellate court" and possibly the Supreme Court of the United States.

After careful consideration of these two issues, we are convinced that the questions posed above must be answered in the affirmative and therefore the conviction of the defendant reversed.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

In January of 1978, the defendant was residing in Marble Head, Massachusetts. On January 10, 1978, the defendant was arrested at his home by United States Mar *389 shals. The basis for the arrest was an arrest warrant for James Carr for criminal contempt, the aforesaid warrant having been issued by the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan, Following his arrest the defendant was taken to the Office of the United States Marshal in Boston, Massachusetts. On the af-temoon of January 10, 1978, the defendant and two co-defendants were taken before a United States Magistrate. The defendant appeared before the Magistrate represented by counsel. The Magistrate determined that the defendant’s appearance was for two purposes — first, to determine whether the defendant should be removed to the Western District of Michigan to answer the charges of criminal contempt pending in that court pursuant to Rule 40, Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure. 2 Secondly, *390 the Magistrate determined that the defendant should have a hearing with respect to bail. Without delineating the scope of the Rule 40 hearing, the Magistrate scheduled a hearing to be held ten days from the date of arrest and proceeded to consider the matter of bail. The Magistrate’s interrogation of the defendant regarding the bail issue was introduced by the following statement made by the Magistrate: “James Carr, I have to ask you some questions relative to bail.” Prior to addressing questions to defendant regarding the setting of bail, the Magistrate did not give the defendant the advice required by Rule 5(c), Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure. 3 The interrogation of the defendant by the Magistrate was as follows:

THE COURT: What is your middle initial, Mr. Carr?
THE DEFENDANT: A.
THE COURT: And your address, please.
THE DEFENDANT: 201 Ocean Avenue, Marble Head.
THE COURT: Your age, sir.
THE DEFENDANT: 45, Your Honor.
THE COURT: Where were you born?
THE DEFENDANT: Chicago.
THE COURT: Are you married?
THE DEFENDANT: Yes.
THE COURT: Do you have children?
THE DEFENDANT: Yes.
THE COURT: Do you have any type of military service?
THE DEFENDANT: Yes, Your Honor.
THE COURT: Which?
THE DEFENDANT: The Navy.
THE COURT: When were you discharged? Just the year.
THE DEFENDANT: 1952.
THE COURT: Where are you employed?
THE DEFENDANT: Lloyd, Carr & Company
THE COURT: How long have you been employed there?
THE DEFENDANT: About a year and eight or nine months, Your Honor.
THE COURT: And what do you do there?
THE DEFENDANT: I am President.
THE COURT: Do you have any history of alcoholism, drug addiction or mental disorders?
THE DEFENDANT: I do not, Your Honor.
THE COURT: Have you been previously arrested or convicted of a crime?

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604 F.2d 386, 1979 U.S. App. LEXIS 11226, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-alan-herbert-abrahams-aka-james-a-carr-ca5-1979.