Court Opinion

ID: 9455934
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-04 19:37:38.122236+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:34:47.671410
License: Public Domain

HOLLOWAY, Circuit Judge
(concurring specially):
I agree with the Court’s disposition of the appeal but feel it proper to add a brief comment on the speedy trial issue.
As the opinion points out, our review in military habeas corpus proceedings is limited and where the military tribunals have dealt fully and fairly with an allegation, a federal civil court may not exercise habeas jurisdiction simply to reevaluate the evidence. Burns v. Wilson, 346 U.S. 137, 142, 73 S.Ct. 1045, 97 L.Ed. 1508. The opinion in the Burns case stressed the fact that the, military reviewing courts had scrutinized trial records and discussed the petitioner’s contentions before rejecting them. Id. at 144-145, 73 S.Ct. 1045.
In the instant case the Court’s opinion refers to the briefing of the speedy trial issue as appellant’s proposition I and to the statement in the opinion of the Board of Review that proposition I was not considered meritorious and did not require discussion. United States v. King, 37 C.M.R. 475, 481.1 Our record also shows argument on the issue and denial of a motion to dismiss based on it by the Law Officer of the General Court Martial, but no findings or discussion of the issue. We are referred to no other treatment of the claim by the military courts. Without saying that in fact the military tribunals did not fully consider the claim, to me the record before us cannot be said to show such full and fair consideration of the allegations as to foreclose the courts from hearing appellant on the issue. Therefore, I turn to the allegations on appellant’s claim before us.2
*736The time from the offense on April 7, 1962, until trial on June 22, 1964, and the intervals in communications among the various military headquarters and the Department of Justice, cause concern. Moreover, from August, 1962, until January, 1964, appellant sent some 17 communications to military or other federal authorities, most of them demanding a speedy trial and some seeking information on the status of the case. However, practical problems faced the prosecuting authorities in the investigation ; in obtaining appellant’s release from the Oklahoma authorities to help locate the body of the deceased; in determining which federal or military authority should conduct the prosecution; and in obtaining appellant's release again from the Oklahoma authorities— which by then held him under a State conviction — for trial preparation and trial on the military charge. The circumstances alleged fail to show oppression, harassment or discrimination in violation of appellant’s right to a speedy trial. Whitlock v. United States, 429 F.2d 942 (10th Cir.). Passage of time alone does not amount to impingement on the Sixth Amendment right. Basker v. Crouse, 426 F.2d 531 (10th Cir.); Whitlock v. United States, supra.
We are also called on to consider whether there is present in the record evidence of actual prejudice to appellant’s defense, resulting from delay. See Dickey v. Florida, 398 U.S. 30, 90 S.Ct. 1564, 26 L.Ed.2d 26. Appellant argues that witnesses became unavailable and that memories faded, but no averment as to proof lost is made and the circumstances do not support such a claim. One 1966 psychiatric report did say that no one could know appellant’s mental condition in April, 1962, but concluded that he had a paranoid personality and that from the data available there was reasonable doubt of his competence in April, 1962.3 Nevertheless, earlier psychiatric reports were available from 1964 sanity board hearings. Also there was an extended mental examination of appellant from late May until August, 1962, in an Oklahoma State institution whose reports were available — one being cited by appellant. In sum, the facts alleged fail to show actual prejudice to appellant, despite the considerable delay involved in bringing him to trial.
Therefore, although it is not free from doubt, I conclude that the speedy trial claim is untenable on the basis of the allegations made and agree with the disposition of this and the other constitutional claims asserted.

. The decision of the Board of Review was affirmed by the Court of Military Appeals which granted review on other issues, but did not review the speedy trial claim. United States v. King, 37 C.M.R. 281.

. We have before us the allegations of appellant’s petition and traverse in the District Court, which cover considerable detail about the chronology involved. On the appeal we have also been presented *736with additional allegations and instruments which appellant’s counsel has urged us to consider in support of a motion to remand the case for a hearing by the District Court. At argument appellee’s counsel advised us that these allegations and instruments could be considered admitted for the purpose of the appeal. The allegations and instruments taken together present a detailed chronology from the offense until disposition of the military appeals.

. This report also said that there was reasonable doubt appellant can cooperate in his defense. This 1966 report resulted from a further psychiatric examination ordered by the Board of Review after the 1964 military trial. Prior to that trial, sanity board hearings were held following a motion therefor by appellant. The report from the last of these 1964 examinations concluded that appellant was sane in the military legal sense and able to conduct or cooperate in his defense. It was stated that the testing psychologist’s impression was that the psychological data were compatible with the diagnosis of a psychotic thought disorder. This 1964 sanity board hearing report made a diagnosis of an asocial personality, chronic and severe.