Court Opinion

ID: 9461222
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-04 22:08:57.246853+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:36:57.136490
License: Public Domain

ON PETITION FOR REHEARING EN BANC
Before GIBSON, Chief Judge, and LAY, HEANEY, BRIGHT, ROSS, STEPHENSON and WEBSTER, Circuit Judges, en banc.
PER CURIAM.
On March 28, 1974, a panel of this Court held that James Stidham’s confession was coerced and, therefore, improperly received in evidence. Stidham v. Swenson, Slip Opinion No. 20,685. The panel directed that his state court conviction for murder be set aside and that he be released from confinement in the Missouri State Penitentiary unless he was ’"retried within a reasonable period of time. Thereafter, the State of Missouri petitioned for a rehearing en banc. That petition was granted and the matter was reargued before the full Court.
A majority of the Court now decides that not all of the material facts were adequately developed at the state court hearing and that an evidentiary hearing should be held by the United States District Court to adequately develop all material facts. See, 28 U.S.C. § 2254(d)(3). The matter is, therefore, remanded to the United States District Court for the purpose of taking evidence and making specific findings with respect to:
(1) The size of the cells in which Stidham was held in solitary confinement from January, 1953, until September of 1954;
(2) The facilities available in said cells;
(3) The extent, if any, to which the cells were infested with cockroaches, rodents and pigeons;
(4) Whether the cells were or were not poorly ventilated;
(5) Whether Stidham was permitted to visit with family or friends during the time that he was held in solitary confinement;
(6) The extent, if any, to which Stidham was given food and water in the period between the prison riot and his confession;
(7) Whether Stidham was given an opportunity to rest during the period from the prison riot to his confession;
(8) Whether officials of the prison refused or neglected to mail a letter from Stidham to his family in which he requested that counsel be appointed for him in the period between the riot and his confession; and
(9) Such other matters as it may feel appropriate.
After evidence has been taken and specific findings made with respect to the above matters, the District Court *489shall, on the basis of the entire record, redetermine whether the confession was voluntary or involuntary. Thereafter, the matter shall be resubmitted to this Court without further action of the parties.