Source: http://openjurist.org/417/f2d/384
Timestamp: 2015-10-04 15:53:32
Document Index: 572662550

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 2101', '§ 104', '§ 231', '§ 1002', '§ 2514', '§ 802', '§ 2514', '§ 2516', '§ 2516', '§ 2516', '§ 2101', '§ 2514', '§ 2101']

417 F2d 384 Carter v. United States | OpenJurist
417 F. 2d 384 - Carter v. United States HomeFederal Reporter, Second Series 417 F.2d.
417 F2d 384 Carter v. United States 417 F.2d 384
Larry CARTER, Steve Shead, and Fred Crawford, Appellants,v.UNITED STATES of America, Appellee.
No. 24554.
Allan Brotsky (argued), Charles R. Garry, David E. Pesonen of Garry, Dreyfus, McTernan & Brotsky, San Francisco, Cal., for appellants.
Victor C. Woerheide (argued), Jerome K. Heilbron, Richard L. Darst, Attys., Dept. of Justice, Washington, D. C., Cecil F. Pool, U. S. Atty., Jerrold M. Ladar, Asst. U. S. Atty., San Francisco, Cal., for appellee.
Paul N. Halvonik (argued) and Charles C. Marson, ACLU, San Francisco, Cal., of counsel, Robert Allen Sedler, Lexington, Ky. (ACLU), Melvin L. Wulf, Eleanor Holmes Norton, New York City, (ACLU), for amicus curiae.
In this case, each of the appellants was subpoenaed to appear before a Federal Grand Jury, and did so. On May 14, 1969, each was asked a number of questions and refused to answer each question on the ground that his answer might incriminate him.1 The next day, the government applied for orders granting each witness immunity and ordering him to testify. Each application alleged that the Grand Jury was "inquiring into matters involving interstate travel to organize, promote and encourage riots and teaching and demonstrating the use and making of firearms and explosives." The former activity is covered by the so-called anti-riot act, 18 U. S.C., Part I, ch. 102, §§ 2101, 2102, added by Pub.L. 90-284, April 11, 1968, Title I, § 104(a), 82 Stat. 75. The latter activity is covered by 18 U.S.C. § 231(a) (1), which is part of the "Civil Obedience Act of 1968," added as ch. 12 of Part I of Title 18 U.S.C. by Pub.L. 90-284, supra, Title X § 1002(a). The application was made under 18 U.S.C. § 2514, which was added as part of Title III of the "Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968," Pub.L. 90-351 § 802, June 19, 1968, 82 Stat. 216.
Immunity may be conferred and the witness may be compelled to testify under § 2514 only if the proceeding involves violation of 18 U.S.C. Part I ch. 119 or any offense named in § 2516. Section 2101 is part of chapter 102, named in § 2516(1) (a). Nowhere in § 2516 is section 231(a) (1), or chapter 12, of which it is a part, named.
Appellants responded with a cross motion requesting injunctive and declaratory relief against application of both § 2101 and § 2514. They alleged that the statutes in question are unconstitutional.2 After a hearing, the trial court held that both of the statutes in question are constitutional and granted the government's applications. It entered written orders, granting immunity to each appellant and ordering each to answer each question that he had refused to answer. Later, each appellant appeared in court, was advised of the granting of immunity, and was ordered by the judge to answer the questions that he had previously refused to answer. Each appellant, upon advice of counsel, refused to answer and was adjudged guilty of contempt of court. These appeals followed:
1. Appellants have no standing to contest the constitutionality of 18 U.S.C. § 2101.
Each appellant was before the Grand Jury as a witness, but he was not under indictment, nor accused of any crime. In his capacity as witness, he lacked standing to question the constitutionality of the statute which was the basi