Opinion ID: 303342
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Deprivation of a Preliminary Hearing

Text: 9 The Government presented evidence to the grand jury which in turn returned an indictment. After the indictment was returned the defendants asked for a preliminary hearing. Fed. R.Crim.P. 5(c). This request was rejected. We have held that once an indictment has been returned a preliminary hearing is not required. United States v. Conway, 415 F.2d 158, 160-161 (3d Cir. 1969), cert. denied, 397 U.S. 994, 90 S.Ct. 1131, 25 L.Ed.2d 401 (1970); Rivera v. Government of the Virgin Islands, 375 F.2d 988 (3d Cir. 1967). Compare Ross v. Sirica, 127 U. S.App.D.C. 10, 380 F.2d 557 (1967) with Federal Magistrates Act of 1968, 18 U. S.C. Sec. 3060. The appellants suggest that Coleman v. Alabama, 399 U.S. 1, 90 S.Ct. 1999, 26 L.Ed.2d 387 (1970), compels a reconsideration of our Conway decision. Cf. Adams v. Illinois, 404 U.S. 278, 92 S.Ct. 916, 31 L.Ed.2d 202 (Mar. 6, 1972). But it does not follow that because counsel must be afforded when a preliminary hearing is held the holding of a preliminary hearing is constitutionally required. Indeed the opinion in Coleman v. Alabama suggests the contrary. 399 U.S. at 8, 90 S.Ct. 1999. See Jaben v. United States, 381 U.S. 214, 220, 85 S.Ct. 1365, 14 L.Ed.2d 345 (1965); United States ex rel. Hughes v. Gault, 271 U.S. 142, 149, 46 S.Ct. 459, 70 L.Ed. 875 (1926); Lem Woon v. Oregon, 229 U.S. 586, 590, 33 S.Ct. 783, 57 L.Ed. 1340 (1913). 10