Court Opinion

ID: 9455784
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-04 19:33:14.312569+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:31:39.634510
License: Public Domain

LAY, Circuit Judge
(dissenting).
I respectfully dissent.
The majority opinion holds that petitioner may not challenge the alleged constitutional invalidity of his draft classification and subsequent induction order in a 28 U.S.C.A. § 2255 proceeding. I disagree.1
*589The majority recites that since the district court failed, at trial, to enter findings as to the basis-in-fact to support petitioner’s I-A classification, its holding cannot be otherwise reviewed in a § 2255 proceeding even if one of the grounds upon which the court might have reached its determination was an unconstitutional one. The majority reasons that since the petitioner cannot now challenge a finding by the trial court as to his lack of sincerity, and such would constitute a basis-in-fact for his classification, he is therefore foreclosed in a § 2255 proceeding from attacking any alleged unconstitutional standard which might be the actual basis for the trial court’s decision. The majority’s opinion thus holds that since there exists a nonconstitutional basis upon which the conviction might be sustained, this court need not explore the record to see if there .exists any unconstitutional basis of conviction. I think, however, that this reasoning misconstrues the function of an appellate court. The majority recognizes that the district court either might have concluded that the petitioner lacked sincerity1a as to his conscientious objector beliefs, or that it may have used an erroneous constitutional standard in concluding that the petitioner’s beliefs did not come within the definition of “religious.”
However one chooses to speculate as to the district court’s reasons to support a basis-in-fact for petitioner’s I-A classification at trial, where there is no way of knowing which of two grounds was relied upon and where one ground is attacked as being unconstitutional, a court should *590not assume that the constitutional ground was employed. In Bachellar v. Maryland, 397 U.S. 564, 90 S.Ct. 1312, 25 L.Ed.2d 570 (1970), the Supreme Court observed that, “When ‘a claim of constitutionally protected right is involved, it “remains our duty * * * to make an independent examination of the whole record.” ’ ” Id. at 1313. The Court then took note that although there were several grounds upon which a jury might have concluded that there was a violation of a criminal statute, since conviction on one ground would violate the Constitution, it was their duty to set aside the convictions. The Supreme Court said:
“Stromberg v. California, 283 U.S. 359, 51 S.Ct. 532, 75 L.Ed. 1117 (1931), is the controlling authority. There the jury returned a general verdict of guilty against an appellant charged under a California statute making it an offense publicly to display a red flag (a) ‘as a sign, symbol or emblem of opposition to organized government,’ (b) ‘as an invitation or stimulus to anarchistic action,’ or (c) ‘as an aid to propaganda that is of a seditious character.’ This Court held that clause (a) was unconstitutional as possibly punishing peaceful and orderly opposition to government by legal means and within constitutional limitations. The Court held that, even though the other two statutory grounds were severable and constitutional, the conviction had to be reversed, because the verdict ‘did not specify the ground upon which it rested. As there were three purposes set forth in the statute, and the jury were instructed that their verdict might be given with respect to any one of them, independently considered, it is impossible to say under which clause of the statute the conviction was obtained. If any one of these clauses, which the state court has held to be severable, was invalid, it cannot be determined upon this record that the appellant was not convicted under that clause. * * * [T]he necessary conclusion from the manner in which the case was sent to the jury is that, if any of the clauses in question is invalid under the Federal Constitution, the conviction cannot be upheld.’ 283 U.S., at 368, 51 S.Ct., at 532. See also Williams v. North Carolina, 317 U.S. 287, 63 S.Ct. 207, 87 L.Ed. 279 (1942); Terminiello v. Chicago, supra [337 U.S. 1, 69 S.Ct. 894, 93 L.Ed. 1131]; Yates v. United States, 354 U.S. 298, 77 S.Ct. 1064, 1 L.Ed.2d 1356 (1957); Street v. New York, supra [394 U.S. 576, 89 S.Ct. 1354, 22 L.Ed.2d 572].
“On this record, if the jury believed the State’s evidence, petitioners’ convictions could constitutionally have rested on a finding that they sat or lay across a public sidewalk with the intent of fully blocking passage along it, or that they refused to obey police commands to stop obstructing the sidewalk in this manner and move on. See, e. g., Cox v. Louisiana (I), 379 U.S., [536] at 554-555, 85 S.Ct. [453] at 464-465 [13 L.Ed.2d 471; Shuttlesworth v. Birmingham, 382 U.S. 87, 90-91, 86 S.Ct. 211, 213-214, 15 L.Ed.2d 176 (1965). It is impossible to say, however, that either of these grounds was the basis for the verdict. On the contrary, so far as we can tell, it is equally likely that the verdict resulted ‘merely because [petitioners’ views about Vietnam were] themselves offensive to some of their hearers.’ Street v. New York, supra, 394 U.S., at 592, 89 S.Ct. at 1366. Thus, since petitioners’ convictions may have rested on an unconstitutional ground, they must be set aside.” (Emphasis mine.) Id. at 1315-1316.2
Not only is there no record of the judge’s basis for acting in this case, as I have heretofore mentioned, there is no evi*591dence in the record upon which he might have concluded that there would be a basis-in-fact for a finding of insincerity. Thus, as in Bachellar v. Maryland, supra, it would seem that there is at least an equal chance that the ground was an erroneous and unconstitutional application of the “religious” qualification.
Petitioner raises a constitutional issue which this court should review, to-wit, was petitioner denied exemption as a conscientious objector even though he demonstrated that his conscientious objection was based upon a religious belief? This is not a contention attacking the sufficiency of evidence. The issue raised here is one of constitutional dimension. The fact that petitioner raised this defense at trial and abandoned his appeal does not foreclose the right to raise issues of constitutional dimension in a § 2255 proceeding. Kaufman v. United States, 394 U.S. 217, 89 S.Ct. 1068, 22 L.Ed.2d 227 (1969). There is no evidence of deliberate bypass by the petitioner. In Sunal v. Large, 332 U.S. 174, 67 S.Ct. 1588, 91 L.Ed. 1982 (1947), relied upon by the majority, the petitioners did not assert any allegation that their freedom of religion had been infringed upon. The Court in Sunal noted that the only constitutional ground the petitioner there endeavored to allege was to magnify the error of law occurring at their trials to constitutional proportions by asserting that the trial court deprived defendants of their only real defense. The Supreme Court then observed: “as much might be said of many rulings during a criminal trial. Defendants received throughout an opportunity to be heard and enjoyed all procedural guaranties granted by the Constitution.” 332 U.S. at 182, 67 S.Ct. at 1593. The Court did, however, specifically say that:
“If defendants who accept the judgment of conviction and do not appeal can later renew their attack on the judgment by habeas corpus, litigation in these criminal cases will be interminable. Wise judicial administration of the federal courts counsels against such course, at least where the error does not trench on any constitutional rights of defendants nor involve the jurisdiction of the trial court.”3 (My emphasis.) 332 U.S. at 182, 67 S.Ct. at 1593.
If the draft board has discriminated against petitioner’s religious beliefs and the district court has found that his beliefs are not within the definition of “religious training and belief” under § 456(j), when in fact they are, then petitioner’s classification is founded on unconstitutional grounds. He has been denied equal protection of the laws and has suffered, as well, an encroachment upon the free exercise of his religious beliefs through the overlapping establishment of preferred religions in violation of the First Amendment.
The majority has not seen fit to discuss the facts. I will likewise abstain. However, suffice it to say, there should be little doubt upon review of the petitioner’s selective service file that petitioner’s beliefs profess conscientious objection on “religious” basis to use of force. United States v. Seeger, supra.4

. In my judgment since petitioner should otherwise be granted relief I do not pass on the additional claims that petitioner was unconstitutionally denied right of counsel before his local draft board or that *589the 456 (j) conscientious objector exemption clause under 50 U.S.C.A. § 456 is unconstitutional. These issues deserve more than cursory examination. The majority’s reasoning that petitioner was not denied due process by reason of denial of counsel before the local board is difficult for me to follow. The majority states that petitioner is not denied due process under the Constitution because the Selective Service regulation does not permit counsel to be present. The essence of petitioner’s claim attacks the regulation. It is difficult to understand how the proscription under the regulation itself can rule out its own alleged constitutional infirmity. Cf. Gutknecht v. United States, 396 U.S. 295, 90 S.Ct. 506, 24 L.Ed.2d 532 (1970). Although I do not pass on this issue, I think we should make passing note of United States v. Weller, 309 F.Supp. 50 (N.D.Cal.1969), where the district court quashed a criminal indictment because a selectee had been refused counsel before his local board. Review was granted by the Supreme Court. 397 U.S. 985, 90 S.Ct. 1118, 25 L.Ed.2d 394 (1970).
Nor do I think the constitutional attack upon the conscientious objector exemption itself is simply answered by United States v. Seeger, 380 U.S. 163, 85 S.Ct. 850, 13 L.Ed.2d 733 (1965), as the majority implies. In Seeger, the Supreme Court specifically observed:
“No party claims to be an atheist or attacks the statute on this ground. The question is not, therefore, one between theistic and atheistic beliefs. We do not deal witli or intimate any decision on that situation in these cases.” Id. at 173-174, 85 S.Ct. at 858.
This constitutional question is also before the Supreme Court. See Welsh v. United States, 404 F.2d 1078 (9 Cir.), cert. granted, 396 U.S. 816, 90 S.Ct. 53, 24 L.Ed.2d 67 (1969); United States v. Sisson, 297 F.Supp. 902 (D.Mass.), appeal granted, 396 U.S. 812, 90 S.Ct. 92, 24 Ii.Ed.2d 65 (1969).

. Whether an individual lacks “sincerity” for his conscientious objector beliefs is a matter of determination for the draft board and not the district court. The district court may only look for a basis-in-fact to support a classification; the district court does not review a classification to see if sufficient evidence exists. If a basis-in-fact exists for the draft board’s classification, the district court is foreclosed from further review. Dickinson v. United States, 346 U.S. 389, 74 S.Ct. 152, 98 L.Ed. 132 (1953); Estep v. United States, 327 U.S. 114, 66 S.Ct. 423, 90 L.Ed. 567 (1946). Some evidence must appear affirmatively in the selective service file to contradict the petitioner’s sincerity, however, before it can be used as a basis-in-fact to rebut a conscientious objector claim. United States v. Abbott, 425 F.2d 910 (8 Cir. 1970). It does not appear here. Although not conclusive, this would seem to be some indication that insincerity was not the basis of the trial court’s rejection of petitioner’s conscientious objector claim.

. See also United States v. St. Clair, 293 E.Supp. 337, 344 (E.D.N.Y.1968), where Judge Weinstein authoritatively observed: “Where two grounds for decision — one correct and one incorrect — -are asserted and where there is no way of knowing which was relied upon, the courts may not assume that the correct one was used.”

. In Kaufman v. United States, 394 U.S. 217, 223, 89 S.Ct. 1068, 22 L.Ed.2d 227 (1969), this was re-emphasized, the Court noting that in Sunal v. Large, supra, “we there recognized that federal habeas relief for constitutional claims asserted by federal prisoners” were not so limited. In Fay v. Noia, 372 U.S. 391, 409, 83 S.Ct. 822, 9 L.Ed.2d 837 (1963), the Supreme Court again said that “[t]he course of decisions of the Court * * * makes plain that restraints contrary to our fundamental law, the Constitution, may be challenged on federal habeas corpus even though imposed pursuant to the conviction of a federal court of competent jurisdiction.” See also Sanders v. United States, 373 U.S. 1, 83 S.Ct. 1068, 10 L.Ed.2d 148 (1963); Townsend v. Sain, 372 U.S. 293, 311-312, 83 S.Ct. 745, 9 L.Ed.2d 770 (1963).

. We said in United States v. Levy, 419 F.2d 360 (8 Cir. 1969), speaking through Judge Gibson, “[a]ny type of sincerely held belief opposing war generally would be difficult to rule out under Seeger." See also concurring opinions of Judges Lay and Heaney in In re Weitzman, 426 F.2d 439 (8 Cir. 1970).