Court Opinion

ID: 9455005
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-04 19:06:15.87395+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:34:24.823020
License: Public Domain

BURGER, Circuit Judge
(dissenting):
The reasons for the District Court’s denial of bail are so obvious as to require no explanation. Appellant’s record, standing alone, constitutes abundant “reasons”:
August 12, 1958 — Breaking and entering (Florida), 2 years.
August, 1961 — Fugitive from Justice (Virginia) for Burglary, one year plus parole.
February, 1962 — Burglary (Virginia), 2 years.
January, 1963 — Receiving Stolen Property (Maryland), 1 year.
April, 1963 — Negligent Homicide conviction (auto) carrying 270 day penalty reversed for new trial, which was apparently not held.
November, 1967 — Robbery, dismissed for want of prosecution.
February 1, 1968 — instant offense.
May, 1968 — ADW, nolle prossed.
May, 1968 — Manslaughter, CDW, awaiting trial in the District of Columbia.
June, 1968 — bench warrant executed for failing to appear for manslaughter.
If this record is not adequate for appellate review, I have difficulty seeing how a District Judge could write anything which would be very helpful to me. Indeed, it would be incredible if the District Judge — or any judge — would release Appellant pending his appeal against the background of his record. On its face, Appellant’s record shows abundant evidence of pressures to flee the jurisdiction to avoid being.confronted with yet another serious criminal charge; moreover, one year ago he failed to appear on a pending homicide charge and a bench warrant was issued to apprehend and produce him. Independent of all other factors, one who exhibits chronic tendencies toward criminal conduct is an obvious danger to the community and these factors are not divisible from those which make him a likely prospective fugitive.
We have expressed deep concern over crowded criminal dockets which led the District Court to assign 13 of its 14 Active Judges to criminal cases and in these circumstances I should think it sound to conclude that those judges have more important things to do than writing ritualistic memoranda for our edification on a record as plain as this one. Certainly even Rule 9(b) of F.R.A.P. would be satisfied if the District Judge endorsed on the release motion “Denied —Defendant’s criminal record.” and on this record I have no difficulty in reading that into the action of that court.