Young v. State

275 P.2d 358
CourtCourt of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma
DecidedOctober 20, 1954
DocketA-11898
StatusPublished
Cited by12 cases

This text of 275 P.2d 358 (Young v. State) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Criminal Appeals of Oklahoma primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Young v. State, 275 P.2d 358 (Okla. Ct. App. 1954).

Opinions

POWELL, Presiding Judge.

The plaintiff in error, John W. Young,, who will hereinafter be referred to as defendant, was adjudged by the district court of Creek County to be guilty of a direct contempt, and was sentenced to pay a fine of $100, or to be confined in the county jail until such fine was paid.

The written order of the court, from which appeal has been perfected to this court, was filed in the district court of Creek County in case No. 28709, styled: “In re: Contempt Proceedings against John W. Young and Heber Finch, Sr.”, on January 12, 1953. The body of the order reads:

“Now on this 22nd day of December, 1952, while the district court of Creek County was regularly in session, John W. Young and Heber Finch, Sr., were engaged in physical combat, to-wit: Fighting in the Court Room, which disturbed the orderly process of the Court.
“Both parties were brought before the Court by the Bailiff and informed that each of them appeared to be in Contempt of Court; and were asked by the Court, individually, if they had any reason to state why they should not be found in Contempt of Court. Neither having stated satisfactory reasons for not being found in Contempt of Court, in answer to such response, the Court assessed a fine against each of the above named parties in the sum of $100.00 and ordered both parties committed to the County Jail until such fine was paid or they had purged themselves of Contempt.
“On objection thereto being made by the parties, the execution of such sentence was stayed until January 8, 1953, and each of the parties were advised that they would have an opportunity to present evidence at that time to show the Court why they should not be found in Contempt for their fighting in the Court Room.
“On January 8, 1953, such evidence was heard on behalf of both parties and the matter was passed for further [363]*363hearing until January 10, 1953, at which time after all the evidence was presented, both parties stated that they had no further evidence to present.
“The Court overruled the Motion of John W. Young to Vacate the Judgment of Contempt and found that both of the parties were guilty of fighting in the Court Room, which disturbed the orderly process of the District Court of Creek County, Oklahoma, and ordered each party fined in the sum of $100.00 and the costs of the proceedings; that each party pay the costs incident to the calling of his own witnesses, and that the other costs incident to the case be divided evenly between the two parties.
“It was further ordered that each of the parties be committed to the County Jail until they purge themselves of such contempt.
“Whereupon, John W. Young gave notice of appeal, the Court allowed 30-10 and 5 in which to make and serve casemade and set the appeal bond at $500.00, and allowed John W. Young 5 days from January 10, 1953, in which to make said Appeal Bond.
“/s/ Kenneth Hughes, District
Judge, Creek County Oklahoma.”

The record reflects that when the above order was made Mr. Blakemore, attorney for Heber Finch, Sr., announced in open court: “Let the record show that Heber Finch, Sr., has paid the Court Clerk $100.00.”

The record further discloses that thereafter on January 16, 1953, the defendant Young filed a motion for new trial, which was on the same day overruled and exceptions noted. The defendant Young has duly perfected an appeal to this court, and there is not involved an appeal by Heber Finch, Sr.

For reversal the defendant sets out and urges in his brief some eight specifications of error based on assignments in his petition in error, the gist of which are:

(1)That the judgment of the court is void upon its face for the reason that it fails to specify any limitation as to the time the defendant is to serve in county jail to purge himself of contempt.

(2) That the judgment is contrary to law in that the evidence disclosed that at the time defendant was cited for contempt that he was defending himself from an assault by Heber Finch, Sr., and that defendant was not in any way disrespectful to the court.

(3) That the order entered by the trial court at the conclusion of defendant’s motion for new trial, fining defendant Young $100.00 and costs, including witness costs, and committing defendant to the county jail “until they purge themselves of contempt” is void for uncertainty and in excess of the court’s jurisdiction, and violates the Constitutional restrictions against imprisonment for debt.

(4) That the judgment is void for the reason that it was rendered without affording defendant Young his constitutional right to be heard before imposition of punishment for contempt.

(5) That the judgment is void for the reason that under said judgment the defendant is sentenced jointly with another and cannot purge himself of contempt.

(6) That the order filed January 12, 1953 violates the double jeopardy provision of the Constitution in that it shows on its face that the defendant Young was placed two times in jeopardy for the same offense.

(7) That the order should be reversed for the reason that the trial judge served as both prosecutor and judge and the prosecution was not carried in the name of the State of Oklahoma.

(8) That no intent on , the part of Young to commit the crime of contempt was shown.

The statutory provision applicable to this case is Tit. 21 O.S.1951 § 565, which, in part reads:

“Contempts of our court shall be divided into direct and indirect con-tempts. Direct contempts shall consist of disorderly or insolent behavior committed during the session of the court and in its immediate view, and [364]*364presence, * * * and any breach of the peace, noise or disturbance, so near to it as to interrupt its proceedings, shall be deemed direct contempt of court, and may be summarily punished as hereinafter provided for. * * *” (Emphasis supplied.)

Section 566 of the above Title also provides :

“Punishment for contempt shall be by fine or imprisonment, or both, at the discretion of the court.”

Considering first the defendant’s contention that he was not afforded a hearing prior to imposition of the punishment, if the record -would sustain this assignment of error, the case would have to he reversed, for in the early case of Ex parte Sullivan, 10 Okl.Cr. 465, 473, 138 P. 815, Ann.Cas.1916A, 719, this court in construing the above statutory provisions, held, syllabus 1:

“Contempt — Constitutional Law— Due Process. Under that clause of section 25 of the Bill of Rights, providing, ‘In no case shall a penalty or punishment be imposed for contempt, until an opportunity to be heard is given,’ an opportunity to be heard before a penalty or punishment is imposed for contempt is an indispensable essential to the administration of due process of law as contemplated by the constitutional inhibition that ‘No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law.’ Section 7, Bill of Rights.”

In the body of the opinion, 10 Okl. Cr. at page 479, 138 P. at page 821, Judge Doyle, speaking for the court, said:

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Bluebook (online)
275 P.2d 358, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/young-v-state-oklacrimapp-1954.