Opinion ID: 1969314
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: strict construction of penal statutes

Text: Noble further argues that Section 24-431(a) is a statute governing criminal penalties, and that if we find its language and executive construction inconclusive, then we should resolve any ambiguity in his favor. We have described the principle that criminal statutes are to be strictly construed as a secondary rule of construction, which can tip the balance in favor of criminal defendants only where, exclusive of the rule, a penal statute's language, structure, purpose and legislative history leave its meaning genuinely in doubt. Lemon v. United States, 564 A.2d 1368, 1381 (D.C.1989) (citation omitted); Luck I, supra, 617 A.2d at 515. The rule of strict construction only serves as an aid to resolving an ambiguity; it is not to be used to beget one. Callanan v. United States, 364 U.S. 587, 596, 81 S.Ct. 321, 326, 5 L.Ed.2d 312 (1961). If we assume, however, that the language and executive construction of the GTCA leave any room for doubt as to the Act's meaning, then this is the kind of case in which Noble and others similarly situated are entitled to the benefit of that doubt. The rule that penal laws are to be construed strictly is perhaps not much less old than construction itself. United States v. Wiltberger, 18 U.S. (5 Wheat.) 76, 95, 5 L.Ed. 37 (1820) (Marshall, C.J.). It applies not only to interpretations of the substantive ambit of criminal proscriptions, but also to the penalties they impose. Lemon, supra, 564 A.2d at 1381 (citing Bifulco v. United States, 447 U.S. 381, 387, 100 S.Ct. 2247, 2252, 65 L.Ed.2d 205 (1980)); see also Luck I, supra, 617 A.2d at 515. The rule embodies the instinctive distaste against men [and women] languishing in prison unless the lawmaker has clearly said they should. United States v. Bass, 404 U.S. 336, 348, 92 S.Ct. 515, 523, 30 L.Ed.2d 488 (1971) (citation omitted); Luck I, supra, 617 A.2d at 515. In the present case, the USPC essentially contends, and the majority holds, that Section 24-431(a) should be read as meaning something quite different from what its words seem so plainly to say. As we explained in District of Columbia v. Riggs Nat'l Bank, 581 A.2d 1229 (D.C.1990), however, [s]tatutes imposing penalties will not be construed to include anything beyond their letter, even though it may be within their spirit. Id. at 1262 (emphasis added) (citations omitted). Regardless of what we may think the Councilmembers had in mind, Riggs tells us that we ought not to countenance a restriction upon a defendant's liberty unless we are satisfied that such a restriction is within the letter of what the Council said. The text of a statute is not to be stretched or expanded to put men or women in prison or to keep them there. Here, the legislature decreed that every person in custody or on parole shall be entitled to credit for street time. Even if and it is a very big ifthe majority's assessment of the Council's subjective intent were correct, the authorities I have cited would preclude the construction of this penal statute beyond its language where the effect of that construction would be to impair the liberty of the citizen.