Court Opinion

ID: 9451899
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-04 17:26:51.732979+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:31:30.897397
License: Public Domain

STERLING HUTCHESON, District Judge
(dissenting):
I would affirm the judgment of the District Court.
The majority bases its conclusions upon the statement:
“All we need to determine is that Manges was serving an interest or interests which conflicted with that of Whitaker; we need not delineate any specific prejudice to Whitaker flowing from his representation”.
My view is that issuance of the writ of habeas corpus is proper only when it is shown that the petitioner has been prejudiced by the denial of a legal right. This may be merely a restatement of the principle in simpler language.
In any event, the thought does not appear in conflict with Glasser v. United States, 315 U.S. 60, 62 S.Ct. 457, 86 L.Ed. 680 nor with Sawyer v. Brough, 4 Cir., 358 F.2d 70. Certainly the facts may be distinguished.
My opinion is that Manges has neither served an interest which conflicted with the interest of Whitaker nor has Whitaker been denied any legal right. A brief review of the salient facts leads to this conclusion.
Mrs. Whitaker, understandably enraged by the discovery that her husband had engaged in sexual intercourse with her 11 year old daughter by a former marriage, hastened to the office of the State Attorney, where she filed a complaint. Whitaker was taken into custody and placed in jail. Mrs. Whitaker then turned to her aunt, Mrs. McElfish, for advice. Naturally, the effect upon the young girl was the first consideration of the aunt in this domestic tragedy. The two women then sought the counsel of Mr. Manges, a member of the Maryland Bar, with whom they were acquainted and who had previously represented them in some legal affairs. In addition to his experience as a practitioner, Mr. Manges had theretofore served as official reporter for the same court before which the charges against Whitaker were heard.
To the consternation of Mrs. Whitaker, Mr. Manges informed her that the law provided a possible death penalty upon conviction of such offense. Mrs. Whitaker had supposed the case would be within the jurisdiction of the juvenile court. She thereupon urged Manges to do everything he could for her husband and daughter and to act quickly and with as little publicity as possible.
Upon visiting Whitaker, which he did at once, Manges was informed that he had given the police a written statement admitting his guilt. Upon examining that statement he found that Whitaker had informed the police that he had committed not only the act upon which the charge was based but had said that the illicit relations with his stepdaughter had first taken place about a year earlier. While he did not specify the number of such occasions, in reply to the question “When would these sex acts usually occur?” Whitaker replied “While the other children were out of the house, usually at the playground, or my wife would have them with her visiting her daddy.” He went into further detail concerning the non use of contraceptives and related *842that he gave her a nickel once in a while on these occasions and stated that he was sober when the acts occurred. He also said he told her not to tell anyone.
Clearly this was a case in which the rights of all concerned would be best served by an early hearing with as little publicity as possible and with the least permissible development of circumstantial details. This peculiarly applied to Whitaker. Damage done the reputation of the girl was by publicity of the acts. Information as to the previous acts might have aggravated the damage somewhat but it would have been negligible compared to the damage to Whitaker. An exploration of this past conduct could only have been highly damaging to him. The interrogation by the police, while sufficiently searching, was somewhat restrained and did not relate to details concerning the prior acts except as here outlined.
At least by implication, Manges is criticized for not attacking the confession, for waiving indictment and requesting an early trial upon information. Upon what basis could he have attacked the confession? What would have been gained by a continuance? The record discloses no suggested answers to these questions.
He is criticized for failing to lay greater emphasis upon the medical testimony concerning prior experience of the girl. Whitaker’s statement contains ample explanation of her experience at least in part, beginning when she was 10 years of age. It is said that evidence of promiscuous sexual misbehavior on her part might have mitigated in Whitaker’s favor. I find it highly unlikely that a 10 year old girl was the seducer in this case.
The interests of both parties were similar and called for an early disposition of case with little publicity and the avoidance of disclosure of details concerning the relations of this couple over the past year.
The fact that Manges notarized Whitaker’s statement after being assured by Whitaker that it was true was perhaps a pro forma error in judgment but it signifies nothing. Is it to be said that counsel is derelict in his duty because he failed to suppress a confession based upon truth? I deem it unnecessary to discuss the post conviction efforts of Manges in endeavouring to obtain leniency for Whitaker. As a result of his efforts, the court was informed that Mrs. Whitaker had expressed her willingness to resume the marital relationship if probation were granted; that his employer would continue to hire him; and at Manges’ request others, including a relative of the family who was a minister, interceded with the judge in Whitaker’s behalf. It is sufficient to say that these efforts exceeded those observed in many cases.
Nor should it be necessary to point out that this court is without legal power to reduce a sentence which, as in this case, appears unduly harsh.
While perhaps unrelated to the issue of proper representation at the trial, the staleness of this claim deserves comment. It has been twelve years since the trial. The only suggestion concerning additional facts is that a further probe be conducted to ascertain whether this young woman was, 12 or 13 years ago, guilty of promiscuous sexual misbehavior, she then being 10 or 11 years of age. This impresses me as a case in which her present rights are worthy of consideration.
Of course, it is not improbable that the State of Maryland may elect not to retry the case. However, this is merely more speculation. Certainly it is a determination in which this court has no part.
In view of the foregoing considerations, I find myself unable to join in a reversal of the judges of the State and Federal Courts who have carefully reviewed the case.