United States v. Davis

279 F. Supp. 920, 1967 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8073
CourtDistrict Court, D. Connecticut
DecidedApril 4, 1967
DocketCrim. No. 11769
StatusPublished
Cited by10 cases

This text of 279 F. Supp. 920 (United States v. Davis) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Connecticut primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
United States v. Davis, 279 F. Supp. 920, 1967 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8073 (D. Conn. 1967).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OF DECISION

ZAMPANO, District Judge.

In this case, tried to the Court1 without a jury, the defendant was charged [921]*921with failure to comply with an order to report for and submit to an Armed Forces physical and mental examination, in violation of Title 50 U.S.C.(App.) § 462 (a).

On March 4, 1963, the defendant registered with the Selective Service System, Local Board No. 8 in New Haven, Connecticut. In his Classification Questionnaire (SSS Form 100), filed August 12, 1963, he indicated he was a conscientious objector who was opposed to participation in war in any form and requested the board to furnish him with the Special Form for Conscientious Objector (Form 150). This form contains a series of questions to be answered concerning a registrant’s religious training and beliefs. On September 9, 1963, the board classified him I-A without having sent him Special Form 150. On April 12, 1965, the defendant was ordered to report for a preinduction physical on May 11, 1965. He failed to appear. Another order to report for a pre-induction physical on October 4, 1965 was sent to the defendant on September 24, 1965. Between these dates, on September 30, 1965, during the course of a visit to the local board office, the defendant was handed Form 150 to be filled out and returned. He neglected to return it.

On October 4,1965, the defendant, having become a Black Muslim in April, 1965, refused to submit to a physical examination claiming exemption on religious grounds. The matter was referred to the State Director for an opinion regarding prosecution. On October 12, 1965, the State Director, noting the lack of a completed Form 150 in the file, ordered another form sent to Davis and ordered his classification reopened and considered anew.

After Davis returned a completed Form 150 on October 29, 1965, the board reviewed his case and reclassified him I — A on November 17, 1965. A Classification Card, indicating his reclassification and the administrative remedies available to him to contest the board’s decision, was mailed to the defendant that day. Davis claims he never received this notification.

In December, 1965, the defendant was ordered to appear for a pre-induction physical on January 24, 1966. He failed to respond. On February 2, 1966, Davis was notified the board had declared him a delinquent and he was ordered to appear immediately. He again failed to respond. On February 24, 1966 he was ordered to report for induction on March 9, 1966. On March 4, 1966, he advised the board he thought his wife was pregnant. He was requested to obtain a doctor’s verification and on March 7, 1966, the board granted him a postponement of induction until April 7, 1966. When the defendant failed to substantiate the claimed pregnancy, he was ordered on April 1, 1966 to report for induction on April 18, 1966. The defendant reported as directed but refused to submit to a medical examination.

The matter was referred to the State Director on April 19, 1966 for approval to prosecute. In response, Major Russell advised the board by telephone and mail on April 28, 1966 to obtain further information from the defendant by the use of a more detailed questionnaire and by a personal appearance. On May 18, 1966, the board requested the defendant to appear within a week and to fill out the questionnaire. Davis ignored the request. On June 1, 1966, the clerk of the board notified the State Director of the defendant’s continued lack of cooperation and, on June 22, 1966, the State Director authorized referral of the case to the United States Attorney’s office for prosecution. The defendant was indicted on July 6, 1966.

It is not disputed the defendant knowingly failed to comply with an order of his local board to submit to an Armed Forces physical and mental examination on April 18,1966. The defendant claims, however, that his I-A classification was arbitrary and capricious, that he was deprived of the opportunity to seek his administrative remedies because he was not given an adequate notification of his classification status and appeal time, and [922]*922that the State Director’s letter of April 28, 1966 was, in effect, an order to cancel his induction and to reopen and reconsider his classification.

I

The defendant’s failure to assert his administrative remedies now precludes him, absent unusual circumstances, from raising as a defense in this action the correctness of his classification. Falbo v. United States, 320 U.S. 549, 64 S.Ct. 346, 88 L.Ed. 305 (1944); Estep v. United States, 327 U.S. 114, 66 S.Ct. 423, 90 L.Ed. 567 (1946). No unusual circumstances exist here which would warrant a relaxation of this rule. The defendant not only failed to exhaust his available administrative procedures; he ignored the entire remedial process altogether. United States v. Palmer, 223 F.2d 893, 896 (3 Cir. 1955), cert. denied, 350 U.S. 873, 76 S.Ct. 116, 100 L.Ed. 772 (1955); United States v. Hogans, 253 F. Supp. 409, 411 (E.D.N.Y.1966), aff’d., 369 F.2d 359 (2 Cir. 1966). Cf. Glover v. United States, 286 F.2d 84 (8 Cir. 1961).

The Court gives no credence to the defendant’s contention he did not receive notice of his classification and his administrative remedies. The defendant’s history of inordinate indifference to many of the board’s orders and communications, alone, is adequate justification for this finding. See also, 32 C.F.R. § 1641.3 (1962), Selective Service Regulations.2 In addition, the board’s communications to him in late 1965 and early 1966, which he does not deny receiving, were sufficient to alert him to his I-A

classification. See 32 C.F.R. § 1641.5 (1962), Selective Service Regulations.3 By his own admission, he knew of his I-A classification in March, 1966. At no time did he attempt to avail himself of the opportunity to have the board’s rejection of his conscientious objector status reviewed by an appeal.4 It seems apparent to the Court that the defendant, during this period of time, decided to abandon any attempt to convince either the local board or appeal board of the alleged improper classification; instead, he set out on a new course of avoidance of military service by claiming exemption on the basis of his wife’s alleged pregnancy. Under these circumstances, he may not now challenge the validity of the board’s order.

It may be noted, however, that even were it appropriate for this Court to review the action of the board, there is sufficient affirmative evidence in the record to support the defendant’s classification. Cox v. United States, 332 U.S. 442, 68 S.Ct. 115, 92 L.Ed. 59 (1947); Dickinson v. United States, 346 U.S. 389, 74 S.Ct. 152, 98 L.Ed. 132 (1953); United States v.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

United States v. George Anderson Bowen, Jr.
414 F.2d 1268 (Third Circuit, 1969)
United States v. McDonald
301 F. Supp. 79 (N.D. Illinois, 1969)
United States v. Bornemann
298 F. Supp. 1253 (D. Connecticut, 1969)
United States v. Paul Luther Blegen
407 F.2d 767 (Seventh Circuit, 1969)
United States v. Comstock
296 F. Supp. 480 (D. Connecticut, 1969)
United States v. Ciastko
295 F. Supp. 996 (D. Connecticut, 1968)
United States v. Davis
390 F.2d 879 (Second Circuit, 1968)
United States v. Robert Lee Davis
390 F.2d 879 (Second Circuit, 1968)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
279 F. Supp. 920, 1967 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8073, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/united-states-v-davis-ctd-1967.