Document: 359 U.S. 394 79 S.Ct. 825 3 L.Ed.2d 900 Leslie IRVIN, Petitioner,v.Alfred F. DOWD, Warden of the Indiana State Prison. No. 63. Argued Jan. 15, 1959. Decided May 4, Messrs. Theodore Lockyear and James D. Lopp, Evansville, Ind., Nafe, South Bend, for petitioner. Mr. Richard M. Givan, Indianapolis, respondent. Justice BRENNAN delivered opinion Court. 1 Petitioner brought this habeas corpus proceeding in District Court Northern under 28 U.S.C. § 2241, U.S.C.A. 2241,1 claiming that his conviction murder Circuit Gibson County, Indiana, was obtained violation Fourteenth Amendment. The dismissed writ, D.C., 153 F.Supp. 531, provision 2254, 'shall not be granted unless it appears applicant has exhausted remedies available courts * *.'2 Appeals Seventh affirmed. 7 Cir., 251 F.2d 548. We certiorari, 356 948, 78 921, 2 842.3 constitutional claim arises way. Six murders were committed vicinity two December 1954, four March 1955. crimes, extensively covered by news media locality, aroused great excitement indignation throughout Vanderburgh where Evansville is located, adjoining a rural county approxiate ly 30,000 inhabitants. petitioner arrested on April 8, Shortly thereafter, Prosecutor County police officials issued press releases, which intensively publicized, stating had confessed to six murders. Grand Jury soon indicted resulted conviction. This Whitney Wesley Kerr allegedly 23, 1954. Counsel appointed defend immediately sought change venue from granted, but County. Alleging widespread inflammatory publicity also highly prejudiced inhabitants against petitioner, counsel, October 29, 1955, another venue, sufficiently removed locality fair trial would prejudiced. motion denied, apparently because pertinent statute allows only single venue.4 voir dire examinations prospective jurors began November 14, averments as prejudice environed find corroboration fact first day considerable difficulty experienced selecting who did have fixed opinions guilty. petitioner's counsel therefore renewed denied. He second time, 7, reciting moving papers: 'in examination 355 called case qualify 233 expressed formed their stated said dire, defendant guilty *.' Again Alternatively, each eight days over weeks required select jury, continuance ground at time possible prevailing atmosphere hostility toward All motions Prosecutor, radio broadcast during week examination, 'the unusual coverage given newspapers radio' caused 'trouble getting jury people are (sic) unbiased unprejudiced case.' 4 all 20 peremptory challenges, when 12 ultimately accepted court unsuccessfully challenged them alleged bias complaining particularly jurors, examinations, they an charged.5 5 Also, trial, State's Prosecuting Attorney took stand part presentation case, objection allowed testify five after arrest, 13, orally him. permitted summation, again objection, vouch own testimony commenting 'I testified myself what told me.' 6 Supreme held without merit. Irvin v. State, 236 Ind. 384, 392—394, 139 N.E.2d 898, 901—902; Dowd, 535—539. On other hand, Chief Judge Duffy Appeals, concurring affirmance dismissal Court, reached contrary conclusion: 'Irvin accorded due process law death sentence. In my judgment, he receive some preconceived defendant's guilt, conduct prosecuting attorney.' 548, 554. returned its verdict 20, assessed penalty. 30 date within file new court. Burns' Ind.Stat.Ann., 1956 Replacement Vol., s 9—1903. January 19, 1956, 30th day, filed such specifying 415 grounds error constituting denial rights. However, escaped custody night before, 18, overruled motion, noting been escapee still large. captured California about three later and, February 17, confined 8 Under appealable, reviewable if assigned event appeal judgment held: 9 'The (providing appeal) does authorize every ruling may make criminal action, authorizes 'from any him,' provides review, upon appeal, decisions rulings made progress case. construed authorizing final action. action overruling reviewed rendered defendant, must error. trial. constitute lie court's motion.' Selke 211 232, 234, 50, 571. 10 imposing sentence entered 9, 1956. entitled matter right, provided, compliance with rule,6 perfected filing Clerk transcript record assignment errors 90 judgment. may, discretion, extend proper 90-day period. questions before those raised appellant errors. 11 22, applied extension well advised oral argument objected 'because (petitioner) escaped,' hearing Petitioner's extended June 1, errors, timely 5,000 pages, one error—that (trial) erred appellant's trial.' brief 700 pages opened advising 'Under error, combined prior short, form short hand way claimed Indeed arguments lengthy related claim. devoted 70 answering these contentions, additional argued denying decided. thus ull procedure; therefore, pass merits That sufficient present contitutional evident acceptance basis considering could affirmed if, reason finding support record, properly overruled. should upheld either grounds: one, decided, two, itself clearly both issues discussed opinion. 13 think concluding decision rested contrary, us more reasonably read resting holding As we shown, state procedure, solely federal claim.7 This, think, high did. discusses issues. discussion escape issue concludes statement, 'No circumstances.' page 392, 902. But proceeds: 'Our point makes unnecessary consider contentions appellant; however, finality evidence satisfy ourselves there no miscarriage justice 392—393, conclusion is: 'It appear had, denied Amendment 394, statement 'unnecessary' ground. Rather proceeded determine sentence' 'to justice.' way, our view, discharged obligation rests courts, equally Union, guard, enforce, protect right or secured constitution United States Robb Connolly, 111 624, 637, 544, 551, L.Ed. 542. believe Court's considered resulting disregard protections Constitution States. 14 posture, 2254 bar resort corpus. doctrine exhaustion judicially fashioned Congress, Act 5, 1867, greatly expanded jurisdiction embrace 'all cases person restrained liberty constitution, treaty Stat. 385. Although re-enactd w ith minor changes various times sweep broad phrasing remained unchanged.8 15 Since inhered grant power, beside added burden potentiality conflict between starting Ex parte Royall, 117 241, 734, 29 868, developed remedies, 'rule States, while power writs purpose inquiring into cause restraint authority Constitution, yet, except peculiar urgency, ought exercise discharge advance determination *' Tinsley Anderson, 171 101, 104 105, 18 805, 807, 43 91. principles now clear. 'Ordinarily application detained crime will entertained available, including appellate writ exhausted.' Hawk, 321 114, 116—117, 64 448, 450, 88 572. embodied enacted Congress codify existing practice. See Darr Burford, 339 200, 210—214, 587, 593, 594 595, 94 761; Young Ragen, 337 235, 238, note 69 1073, 1074, 93 1333; Brown Allen, 344 443, 447 73 397, 403, 97 469. Reviser's Note: 'This section declaratory Court.'9 16 plainly invoked available' 'a determination' Certainly 469, relied bear situation. petitioners Daniels Allen 60 serve failed until 61 expired, judge struck out time. North Carolina rule provided limitation 'mandatory,' precluded petitioners' attempted filed. since too late invoke Carolina's 'adequate easily complied-with method appeal.' U.S., 485, 421. contrast, raising fully complying procedural requirements. Furthermore, reach decide 17 hold governed principle constituion al claims highest even though, here, based Wade Mayo, 334 672, 68 1270, 92 1647. do question whether reversed remanded claim, remand further consideration determine. It so ordered. 19 directions. STEWART concurs understanding here depart announced 21 FRANKFURTER, dissenting. 22 problem represented old Union persist long society remains federalism. concerns relation judiciary sit found rest disposition law.* adjudication comes directly review reaches limited scope originating (Judicial restrictively distributed federalisms comparable ours. Neither Canadian nor Australian High restricted reviewing Dominion Commonwealth respectively. former reviews provincial turning exclusively latter law.) To extent beyond adjudications tide nationalism following Civil War, felt compelled restrict questions, coming limiting broadly phrased legislation seemingly gave federal, jurisdictionally it. refused impute 'radical hazardous policy vital essential nature independence Murdock City Memphis, Wall. 590, 630, 429. unjustifiably twin pillars' (the Martin Hunter's Lessee, Wheat. 304, 97) built main lines demarcation legal systems system.' Hart, Relations Between Federal Law, 54 Col.L.Rev. 489, 503—504. 23 Something goes very structure system distribution mere bit red tape cut, assumption general discretion see done. Nor 'technical' matters laymen, confidence than system, often disdain. 24 view jurisdiction, has, relatively recently, strict insisting affirmative showing sought, complained construction supportable local question. Particularly life stake, relaxed insistence giving opportunity clarify fairly obscure ambiguous establishing interpretation law. No doubt procedure delay ultimate decision. ensures vindication leaves controlled issue. Experience shows clarification establishes was, fact, rested, instances supported decision, end matter. Compare People California, 274 357, 47 641, 71 1095, Herb Pitcairn, 324 117, 65 459, 89 789, 325 77, 954, 1483, Tax Commission Utah Van Cott, 306 511, 59 605, 83 950, Cott Commission, 98 264, 96 P.2d 740; Minnesota National Tea Co., 309 676, 84 920, Co. 208 Minn. 607, 294 N.W. 230; Williams Georgia, 349 375, 75 814, 99 1161, Ga. 763, S.E.2d 376. 25 Even most benign latitudinarian attitude reading precludes today's questioned issues, indisputably rather summarily, dealt If stopped gone issue, prefacing introductory '(o)ur (Irvin 392 393, 902), inconceivable that, us, entertain jurisdiction. What saying, effect, interprets follows elaborate potentially conclusive grounds, total abandonment ground, erasing seven-page Concededly, adequate superfluous For subject Supremacy Clause Consitu tion (Art. VI, cl. 2), becomes operative, need relevant can dispose litigation. 26 unwritten practice wipe displace full controlling Maybe so. surely self-evident proposition constitutes frequency indulge superfluity dealing affords abundant proof cannot take judicial notice inference state-ground spells latter. Perhaps documented practice, supplied drawing regarding appropriate opinions, read. extemporize existence Restricted, restricted, text wrote ascertaining meant enlarged then, ex gratia, free pluck air undocumented strength ignore bulk treat though written significance discredited 27 compassionate mood, like this, afford tell whether, abandoned Thus acquire Such remission intention writing double-barreled accord series purpose. assume, does, threw discard elaborately is, I respectfully submit, assume have. help call mind admonition Benjamin R. Curtis, notable members history, 'questions several States.' Cliff. 614 (1st Cir.). With regard limits mode mode, meaning decided this. brother HARLAN explicated, entirely consistent governing considerations tried set forth me join, dissenting HARLAN, whom CLARK, WHITTAKER agree foreclosed matter, contemplates overturning necessity proceedings federally sustained, impermissible (236 898), different course situation kept balance. 31 clear rejected because, irrespective merit, presented easily-complied-with 421, affirming independently 32 At outset keep aspects manner attorneys noted (1) lies order such, kind being connection case; (2) escapee, standing least large period making Id., 386—392, 898—901; (3) perfect assignments record. taking While detailed specification claims, none 33 Had declined forfeited escape, not, said, them. stop juncture, but, pointing went merit claims. 34 infers reads saying although failure assign anything which, seen, 'escapee' rule, themselves supporting defies plain language. 35 devotes less seven nine-page exhaustive requires close says: 36 predicates There claimed. same filed, voluntarily timeto expire filing. His letter reveals aware talked appeal. 37 circumstances. 38 901. 39 then statement: 40 Amendment, Bill Rights, Const. art. 12, convicted penalty.' 41 status meaningless. 'considered States,' apparent squarely sole made, deprivation entitle rested. 42 Nevertheless, circumstances contention lack deal points accepted. conceded empowered defects so, takes on, me, law, namely, court, displaying meticulous concern requirements work 'miscarriage justice,' sentence,' satisfied untenable. give discussion, failures inexorably prevented reaching wholly pointless. deprives Indiana's vitality corpus, inextricably holding. below points. process, province thereupon release. unmistakably prerogative postulates nevertheless barred bein ard comply rules. just courts' responsibility duty finally belongs light commands Hence prevails unavoidable. 44 affairs proceed Appeals. going erroneous postulates, authoritatively pronounced Moreover, already (and conflicting) statements views exhaustively briefed us. And avoid protracted delay. 45 Were conclude correct premise dismissing If, deprived reasonable seek, through avenues open him, rules Cf. Patterson Alabama, 600, 55 575, 1082; 1161. Should enough 46 reasons concur precluded, respects dissent Section 2241 part: '(a) Writs district respective jurisdictions '(c) shall prisoner '(3) laws treaties follows: 'An behalf pursuant absence corrective rendering ineffective rights prisoner. deemed section, raise, presented.' previously Irvin's petition seeking direct certiorari 898. Certiorari 'without exhausting remedies.' 353 77 827, 857. Assistant General, now, obtain 9—1305, provides: 'When affidavits founded punishable death, convenient county. clerk orders having sealed up original papers, deliver sheriff, must, delay, deposit clerk's office county, return accordingly: Provided, granted.' qualified 1504, good causes challenge juror trial: 'Second. guilt innocence defendant. states parties examine oath opinion; newspaper statements, communications, comments reports, rumors hearsay, conversation witnesses transaction, reports testimony, testify, feels able, notwithstanding opinion, render impartial evidence, verdict, admit him competent Rule 2—2 1946 Vol. 2, pt. I, p. 'Time review.—In appeals taken fixes shorter control. transcript, above adverse parties, diligence impossible procure bill exceptions permit allowed, When disability rendered, removal disability.' statutory 9—2301, 'Appeal defendant—Decisions reviewed.—An prescribed herein; intermediate reviewed.' General. substance 1867 supra. legislative H.R.Rep. 2646, 79th Cong., 2d Sess., A172; H.R. 3214, 80th 1st Sess.; 308, A180; S.Rep. 1559, pp. 9—10. formulation Fuller, jurisdictional sine qua non Powder Works Davis, 151 389, 350, 351, 206, represents undeviating today: axiomatic suit affirmatively necessary cause, actually deciding independent involving question, maintain conide ring

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