Court Opinion

ID: 9446447
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-03 21:53:59.492259+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:30:38.664769
License: Public Domain

*826BASTIAN, Circuit Judge,
dissenting.
I am in complete accord with all that is said by my brother Miller in his dissenting opinion. Because of the importance of the questions involved, I am constrained to make my additional comments as I am unable to agree with the conclusion or the reasoning of the majority in this case. A look at the record will disclose that Belton had a fair trial and, in my opinion, the judgment of conviction should be affirmed. While I duplicate some of the facts included in Judge Miller’s dissent, I make this duplication for continuity in reading and to emphasize what I consider to be the error of the majority.

The Nature of the Case Before This Court

Lewis Crowder died as the result of knife wounds inflicted by Belton in August 1949. Further details of the crime appear infra, in the subdivision entitled “The Merits.”
In September 1949 Belton was indicted for second degree murder. He fled the jurisdiction, went to Virginia, changed his name and, although diligent search was made for him (by the police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, among others), he was not apprehended until March 1954. Thereupon, he was quite promptly brought to trial and convicted of the charge for which he was indicted. The verdict of the jury was returned on September 10, 1954, and motion for new trial was denied on October 1, 1954, after which appellant was sentenced. In denying the motion for new trial, the experienced and able trial judge said:
“The Court thinks the matters that have been discussed were inherent in the duty of the jury and the jury has spoken. The Court sees no reason for doubting the correctness of the finding of that jury. The motion will be denied. Let the defendant step up, please.”
On September 14, 1954, after the jury verdict but before sentence, appellant addressed a letter to the clerk of the District Court asking that he be granted the privilege of an appeal and asking to proceed in forma pauperis. Treating that letter as a motion to that end, Judge Letts, on September 18, 1954, entered the following order:
“Treating the above letter as a Motion for Leave to proceed on appeal without prepayment of costs the court finds and certifies that the appeal is not taken in good faith, the Motion is therefore denied.”
At this time Belton was represented by able counsel of his own choosing, who, on September 16,1954, had filed a motion for new trial; who, on October 1,1954 (after denial of the motion for leave to appeal in forma pauperis), argued the motion for new trial; and who was present at the time of sentence and asked leniency for Belton. His retained counsel declined to proceed with the appeal.
On August 8, 1955, nearly a year after he had been sentenced, Belton filed in the District Court “Motion to Vacate Sentence and Release Defendant from Unlawful Custody, Trial; Judgment; Sentence ; and Commitment, Null and Void, and No Effect in Law.” This motion, which contained an argument against his conviction, also contained a statement that he should have been given not less than two competent lawyers to defend him and that the lawyer assigned to him was incompetent. On September 21, 1955, the judge who had tried the case entered the following order:
“The Court finds and certifies that the motion and the files and records of the case conclusively show that the prisoner is entitled to no relief. The motion is therefore denied.”
On October 17,1955, Belton filed in the District Court “Motion to Vacate and Set-Aside Sentence, and Affidavit for Leave to Prosecute in Forma Pauperis to Support Thereof,” as to which motion the court entered the following order:
“The Court finds and certifies that the Motion and the files and records conclusively show that the prisoner *827is entitled to no relief. The Motion is therefore denied.”
On October 29, 1955, a similar motion was filed in the District Court, as to which the court, on November 8,1955, entered the following order: “Motion denied.”
Thereupon, on December 19, 1955, Bel-ton applied to this court for leave to appeal from the order of Judge Letts of November 8, 1955, and for appointment of counsel. This motion was denied on ■January 26, 1956 (Mise. 604 in this court). Obviously, at this time at least, he knew of his right to apply to this court for leave to appeal in forma pauperis after denial of rights by the District Court, and to apply to have counsel appointed. Yet, as will be seen, even then he made no attempt to appeal from Judge Letts’ order of September 18, 1954, or from the conviction and sentence. The record also discloses that appellant desired his retained counsel to appeal the conviction but that counsel advised that, as Belton had no money, he would not represent him on appeal and that Belton would have to retain other counsel.
On February 20, 1956, Belton filed in the District Court “Motion to Vacate and Set Aside Sentence as Provided by Title 28, Section 2255, Affidavit in Support of Application for Leave to Proceed Without Prepayment of Costs,” as to which, on February 23, 1956, the court entered the following order:
“The Court finds and certifies that the motion and the files and records of the case conclusively show that the prisoner is entitled to no relief. The motion is therefore denied.”
Thereupon, on April 5, 1956, appellant filed in this court his petition for leave to appeal in forma pauperis from the order of February 23, 1956. After the Government filed its opposition thereto, appellant filed motion for appointment of counsel. On June 25, 1956, his motions were denied. (Misc. 649 in this court.) On July 10, 1956, a motion for rehearing was filed by appellant in the District Court, as to which, on August 8, 1956, the court entered the following order:
“The Court finds the motion to be without merit. It is therefore denied.”
From this order appellant filed in this court a motion to appeal in forma pau-peris. On November 16, 1956, this court entered the following order:
“ORDERED by the Court that petitioner be, and he is hereby, allowed to proceed on appeal in forma pauperis from the order of the District Court entered herein August 8, 1956, said appeal to be limited to the issues (1) should the District Court have granted a hearing on petitioner’s allegation that there was an intrusion by a government agent into the confidential conversations between petitioner and his counsel? and (2) was petitioner deprived of the right to a speedy trial ?
“It appearing to the Court that this appeal is not frivolous but presents a substantial question it is FURTHER ORDERED by the Court that the stenographic transcript of proceedings at the trial be prepared at the expense of the United States.
“It is FURTHER ORDERED by the Court that the record on appeal shall be prepared by the Clerk of the District Court as promptly as possible and shall be transmitted by him to this Court within 40 days.”
The court, on November 20, 1956, appointed Mr. Arness to represent petitioner on this appeal.
Like the five motions in the District Court, the three petitions to this court— and the addenda thereto — were well documented wdth authorities and arguments.
Each of these motions was accompanied by a complete statement of points and authorities in favor of the motion, citing cases which, it was claimed, supported the several contentions. Never once, after the motion of September 14, 1954, above referred to, was any effort made to appeal from his conviction until May 2, 1957. On that date (two years and six *828months after his sentence) appellant filed a motion to enlarge the scope of appeal.1 Never once did he attempt, either before the District Court or here, a direct appeal to this court after the judgment of sentence. At the time the record on appeal was filed, presumably on the last motion, about three years had elapsed since the time of the notification of appeal.

Was There Excusable Neglect?

I am unable to tell from the several opinions and concurrences filed whether a majority of this court feels that the direct appeal is properly here by reason of “excusable neglect.” I am not sure that a majority so hold; but, at any rate, I feel impelled to register my emphatic objection to such a contention.
As has been stated, and as will hereafter appear, appellant from some source has been receiving legal advice. The papers filed indicate knowledge of Supreme Court and lower court decisions and, while they are not, to my mind at least, persuasive, they do indicate legal “know how.” But even these arguments (prior at least to the time of the enlargement of the scope of appeal) made by appellant do not go so far as to attempt to justify “excusable neglect.” There was no excusable neglect.
It requires no citation of authority to reach the conclusion that the time limit in which to file notice of appeal and to perfect the appeal is jurisdictional. The rules of court, by which right to appeal is granted, have for their purpose early termination of criminal cases, for the benefit of both the accused and the public. Witnesses,-for defense and prosecution alike, may be lost; memories may be impaired — so that justice to the accused and to the public may be thwarted. This doctrine of the jurisdictional aspect of appeal applies in in forma eases in this court as well as in notices of appeal in the District Court. See Kirksey v. United States, 1954, 94 U.S.App.D.C. 393, 219 F.2d 499. So far as I can see, there has not been presented the slightest excuse for neglect running over a period of two and a half years, when the District Court and this court have been bombarded with all sorts of legal motions and arguments during that time. In his opinion Judge Fahy states:
“[I]t is not permissible for us to hold that uncounseled and imprisoned appellant should have known in the fall of 1954 what we only now decide, and, in addition, should have known that the rules required him to perfect within forty days from September 14, 1954, an appeal which we cannot say he even knew he had.”
I emphasize the fact that, even were there force to this statement, which I think there is not, certainly appellant knew as early as December 19,1955, when he filed in this court motion for leave to appeal from the order of Judge Letts of November 8, 1955, that he could apply to this court; yet no action was taken to obtain a direct appeal until counsel, on May 2, 1957, filed motion for leave to enlarge the scope of appeal (see note 1, supra). Appellant had from September 18, 1954, to October 1, 1954 (when his retained lawyer withdrew) to obtain legal advice; and at least from August 8,1955, when the first of his series of motions under § 2255 was filed, to obtain advice from whoever it was assisting him in his legal papers.

Does Christoffel v. United States Give This Court Jurisdiction Over the Direct Appeal?

A majority of this court has apparently ruled that under the case of Christoffel v. United States, 1950, 88 U.S.App.D.C. 1, 190 F.2d 585, we have the inherent right to examine the case on a direct appeal *829which was attempted to be perfected nearly three years after the sentence was imposed and after the granting of the right to appeal in forma, pauperis in the § 2255 proceeding. In Christoffel the court did hold as proper the dispensatory discretion vested in courts of appeals under Rule 39(a), Fed.R.Crim.P., to consider questions on appeal notwithstanding noncompliance with the usual procedural requirements; but the court added that this discretion should be exercised sparingly. There the delay was not even one month; here it was nearly three years. In Christoffel there were facts justifying the use of this extraordinary relief. Here there is none.
In Christoffel appellant was represented by counsel at all times. After sentence, notice of appeal was filed and counsel obtained two extensions of time to file his record on appeal. Thereafter a third extension was applied for but it was denied because the time for obtaining an extension had expired and the District Court had lost jurisdiction. Within the next month counsel applied to this court for an extension of time to file the record on appeal pursuant to Rule 45(b) (2), Fed.R.Crim.P. This motion was denied for failure to make a showing of excusable neglect. On reconsideration of appellant’s motions, Chief Judge Stephens said:
“ * * * the rules fixing the time for the taking by the parties through their counsel of the procedural steps requisite in the prosecution and presentation of a cause are necessary for the orderly and equal administration of justice according to law and must be vigorously enforced. Therefore, the dispensatory discretion vested in the United States Courts of Appeals under Rule 39 (a) should be exercised sparingly. We conclude, however, that in the instant case it should be exercised. There is nothing in the record to show that the appellant was personally neglectful of the appeal or that he had had, prior to their failure to file the record in time or within time to apply for an extension, any reason to doubt that his counsel would give due attention to the appeal * * *. [Ajlthough we are obliged to deny the motions for enlargement of time as made under Rule 45(b) (2) on account of alleged excusable neglect, finding the neglect not excusable, we shall, acting under Rule 39(a), on our own motion, modify the District Court’s order of May 15 extending the time for filing the record to May 29 by extending the time to ten days after the date of this decision. * * *” 88 U.S.App.D.C. at page 10, 190 F.2d at page 594. [Emphasis supplied.]
Christoffel should not be extended to include the present case. Appellant’s neglect was not excusable. After sentence, Belton was informed by his retained counsel that he would have to obtain other counsel to represent him on appeal.
Appellant was represented at his trial by experienced and retained counsel, who was still in the case after the denial of the in forma motion for leave to appeal. Appellant knew of his right to appeal from the beginning, as he asked the trial judge, on September 14, 1954, for leave to appeal in forma pauperis. After the denial of his counsel’s motion for a new trial and after sentence, he remained content and silent for about a year. Certainly it may be said that appellant knew as early as December 19, 1955 (if he did not know before), when he filed in this court a motion for leave to appeal from the order of Judge Letts of November 8, 1955, that he could apply to this court, yet no action was taken until counsel filed on May 2, 1957, motion for leave to enlarge the scope of appeal. In Christoffel the non-compliance with the usual procedural requirements was less than one month, and appellant in that case was in no way responsible, nor did he have any knowledge of the delay. Here, Belton knew of his rights on appeal, and the delay was nearly three years after sentence was imposed.
I cannot conceive that, when Chief Judge Stephens wrote Christoffel, he ever *830dreamed that his words would be construed to include such an extension as to allow an appeal to be perfected nearly three years after conviction, particularly .as he clearly indicated that “Rule 39(a) should be exercised sparingly.”
If the rule laid down in this case by the majority means anything, it is that all that a convicted criminal need do is to file a notice of appeal and lie back and wait; and, at any time thereafter, the court may, at its discretion, review the entire record of the trial. I cannot believe that Rule 39(a) supra, or Rule 73 (a), Fed.R.Civ.P., 28 U.S.C. should be so construed.
If there has been error in the trial, appeal should be taken within the time fixed by the rules so that, if the case is reversed, it can be retried promptly, while witnesses are available. It is inconceivable to me that the rule can be construed as allowing an indefinite time for appeal simply because a notice of appeal has been filed. If it can be construed to allow a three-year period, that period could be extended to any length of time whatsoever.
I believe that the case of Moore v. State of Michigan, referred to by Judge Fahy in his opinion, is inapplicable to this case. There the question involved was the alleged denial of a constitutional right under the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. I cannot read it as authorizing the examination of the record of a trial years after it has been concluded, to ascertain whether questions — objected to and unanswered — should have been asked, and whether arguments of the prosecuting attorney — not objected to— constituted misconduct.

The Merits

Assuming, however, that this court has the right to consider the appeal of the original ease, to my mind the record discloses that appellant had an eminently fair trial and that all of his rights were protected. There is, in my judgment, no basis for reversal.
It is true, as the majority points out, that appellant was smaller than the decedent, and I am willing to accept the theory of the prize ring that a good big man is usually physically better than a good little man. However, when the little man has in his hand a knife, which he has been able to open despite such an improbable situation as Belton described, the disparity in size is more than compensated for.
The fact is that the record discloses a number of things pointing to the guilt of appellant, and certainly the twelve jurors and the very able trial judge reached this conclusion. The coroner testified that the decedent weighed 160 pounds, was 6 feet 3 inches in height; appellant lighter and smaller. The decedent sustained the following injuries: an incised or cut wound in the neck, which injured a large vessel in the neck, and ten wounds in the body. The records of the hospital to which he was taken after the cutting disclose that the decedent was admitted from the emergency operating room after having both internal and external jugular vein ligated after they were severed; that there were multiple lacerations, severed internal anterior jugular vein, left; laceration on the left arm and forearm; multiple deep lacerations on the head, neck and left arm; both internal and external jugular vein was sectioned on the left and sutured on the left; also a suture in the mouth, along with a cut in the flexor surface of the left forearm; superficial incisions on the forearm; a severed incision from the left crown of the mouth to the lobe of the ear; another small incision in the left ear; and a deep laceration at the base of the nose.
The evidence further shows that appellant was still “mad” when he was taken from the scene by the witness Brown; and, in appellant’s statement to the police on his arrest, he said that the decedent had grabbed him by the shirt and started beating him in the face; that, when he was turned loose, the decedent started kicking him; and that he [appellant] got out his knife and started cutting the decedent. It further appears from appellant’s own testimony that he was not being held *831by Crowder at the time of the cutting and was not, therefore, acting in self-defense. On being asked how he got the knife out and how he opened it, he stated that he did not know. It is significant that if he were being held or kept from retreating he would have had difficulty in opening the knife as, certainly, that would have required one hand, and in all probability two. He could not describe the knife, which he had carried for some eight months prior to the killing and which he disposed of after the cutting. There is no evidence whatsoever that Crowder, the decedent, was armed; and the fact that he was not stationary during the cutting would seem to establish that he was attempting to escape the knife which was being used by appellant with such devastating effect.
The vicious injuries above described, together with the actions of appellant in leaving the District of Columbia after the crime and remaining away under an assumed name until he was caught in 1954 (although search had diligently been made for him), are to be believed rather than appellant’s story, which, to say the least, was most improbable. Appellant’s credibility was attacked also when it was shown that he had been previously convicted of assault with a dangerous weapon and, further, that he had been convicted of carrying a concealed weapon. His credibility as a witness was further impeached by the fact that he was also convicted of assault in 1951, this while he was a ftigitive from the police on the murder charge.
The main ground given by the majority for reversal of this case on the merits is the alleged misconduct of the United States attorney in his examination of the witness Brown. I wave aside the fact that no objection was taken to this examination. Obviously, able counsel for appellant did not consider the matter any more improper than I do, nor did the trial judge.
As a matter of actual fact in this regard, appellant was better treated than under the law he was entitled to be, in connection with the examination of the witness, Wallace Brown, who had given to the Government a signed statement and who was the only eye-witness available to the Government. Brown, who was an inmate of Lorton at the same time as Belton, was brought to the courthouse along with Belton “quite a few times” and interviewed by the United States attorney in the cell block. At one of these interviews Brown stated that some of the things contained in his statement were true and some were not true, but he was not specific. The United States attorney did not know what parts of the statement Brown would testify to. Evidently Brown had had a change of mind for one reason or another.2
Brown was plaeed on the stand by the Government, as the Government had the right, and indeed the obligation, to do since Brown was an eye-witness to the murder. He was asked questions as to the contents of his statement. This was objected to by counsel for appellant. The Government pleaded surprise but, because the United States attorney had known of Brown’s position before placing him on the stand, the court would not let him proceed to cross-examine. From time to time the Government attempted to bring out from Brown the facts concerning which he had made his statement. On each of these occasions, objections to answering of the questions were sustained by the court. No objection was made to asking of the questions, none of which was answered. Even if it were true that the Government could not claim surprise, it is perfectly obvious that there was on the stand a hostile witness and one who had gone back on his previously *832signed statement. I believe the rule is as laid down by Judge Learned Hand in the case of Di Carlo v. United States, 2 Cir., 1925, 6 F.2d 364. There one of the prosecution’s witnesses had made a statement which incriminated one of the defendants. Called at the trial, this witness proved recalcitrant and would not stand by her story. The United States attorney then proceeded to cross-examine and brought out her contradictory statements. In his opinion, Judge Hand stated:
“The prosecution, plainly surprised by this volteface, then began to cross-examine her straitly, and brought out from her contradictory statements, made not only before the grand jury, but on other occasions. Her actual evidence before the grand jury was not introduced. The latitude to be allowed in the examination of a witness, who has been called and proves recalcitrant, is wholly within the discretion of the trial judge. Nothing is more unfair than to confine a party under such circumstances to neutral questions. Not only may the questions extend to cross-examination, but, if necessary to bring out the truth, it is entirely proper to inquire of such a witness whether he has not made contradictory statements at other times. He is present before the jury, and they may gather the truth from his whole conduct and bearing, even if it be in respect of contradictory answers he may have made at other times.
“In St. Clair v. U. S., 154 U.S. 134, 14 S.Ct. 1002, 38 L.Ed. 936, this procedure was approved, as also in Swift v. Short, 92 F. 567, 34 C.C.A. 545 (C.C.A. 8); Hays v. Tacoma R. & P. Co. (C.C.) 106 F. 48; Tacoma v. Hays, 110 F. 497, 49 C.C.A. 115 (C.C.A. 9). See, also, Hickory v. U. S., 151 U.S. 303, 309, 14 S.Ct. 334, 38 L.Ed. 170. The question decided in Putnam v. U. S., 162 U.S. 687, 16 S.Ct. 923, 40 L.Ed. 1118, did not arise here. Nor was the right abused as in Rosenthal v. U. S., 248 F. 684, 160 C.C.A. 584 (C.C.A. 8). The possibility that the jury may accept as the truth the earlier statements in preference to those made upon the stand is indeed real, but we find no difficulty in it. If, from all that the jury see of the witness, they conclude that what he says now is not the truth, but what he said before, they are none the less deciding from what they see and hear of that person and in court. There is no mythical necessity that the case must be decided only in accordance with the truth of words uttered under oath in court.
******
“ * * * He [the United States attorney] is an advocate, and it is entirely proper for him as earnestly as he can to persuade the jury of the truth of his side, of which he ought to be thoroughly convinced before he begins at all. To shear him of all oratorical emphasis, while leaving wide latitude to the defendant, is to load the scales of justice; it is to deny what has always been an accepted incident of jury trials, except in those jurisdictions where any serious execution of the criminal law has yielded to a ghostly phantom of the innocent man falsely convicted.” Id. 6 F.2d at pages 367-368.
In the case of Meeks v. United States, 9 Cir., 1950, 179 F.2d 319, 321, a first degree murder case, the court quoted with approval language appearing at 58 Am.Jur., Witnesses § 795, page 441:
“The prosecution in a criminal case may impeach a witness whom it is under a legal duty or obligation to call, such as an available witness to the crime * *
It seems clear, in the instant case, that it was the duty of the Government to call the witness Brown and that the Government had the right to impeach him. The court, in the Meeks case, continued:
“Hartness, the witness whom appellant asserts the Government impeached, was its principal witness *833without whose testimony premeditation could not have been established. Hartness was also a witness before the grand jury. There is no doubt he fell within the category of witnesses whom the prosecution was under an obligation and duty to call. State v. Slack, 69 Vt. 486, 38 A. 311; People v. Elco, 131 Mich. 519, 91 N.W. 755, 94 N.W. 1069. Appellant relies on the case of People v. Vertrees, 169 Cal. 404, 146 P. 890. The exception to the rule against a party impeaching his own witness was not discussed in that case, doubtless because the witness whose testimony was impeached was not of sufficient importance to impose a duty upon the prosecution to call him.” 179 F.2d at page 321. [Emphasis supplied.]
Here, as there, appellant was, in my opinion, not prejudiced by the examination. See infra.
It is true in this case that the Government was face to face with the fact that Brown was going to deny part of the statement he had made but the United States attorney did not know which part, and he had a right, I think, to rely on a statement which had been voluntarily made in advance of trial. While Brown had indicated that certain of the material contained in the statement would be denied by him, the United States attorney had no way of knowing that, when Brown was placed under oath, he would deny any part of the statement or what part, if any, he would deny. As has been seen, the Government was bound to call him.
The trial judge would have been justified in allowing answers to the questions which were propounded to Brown but which were not allowed to be answered, and it is hard for me to understand how there could be error justifying reversal by the mere asking of the questions which were excluded by the court.3 In its charge, the court made it perfectly plain that only the evidence adduced at the trial was admissible; and, certainly, counsel for appellant saw no objection to the mere asking of the questions, particularly as they were not allowed to be answered. Sitting as we do, as appellate judges, faced only with the printed record, our position is entirely different from the situation before the trial judge and jury.
Nor do I think improper, under the circumstances of this case, the argument of Government counsel (which is part of the basis for ordering the new trial) concerning the statement as to witnesses being more available at the time the murder was committed than they would be some years later. The full statement used as part of the claimed misconduct of Government counsel is as follows:
“So, as I say, when this defendant fled the jurisdiction to avoid prosecution, you can infer that is a consciousness of guilt, that if he did stand trial in August, 1949, the Government would have sufficient evidence to • convict him of these charges.”
What the Government was saying was simply that flight was properly to be considered by the jury, and, as buttressing that, that, as every criminal lawyer knows, “nothing cures a criminal case like the element of time.” As a matter of fact, appellant’s own counsel began his argument to the jury by saying:
“The Government chose to go forward with this case without these witnesses. [Witnesses whose statements had been taken but who were not available at the time of the trial.] They announced ready. I think it is only fair to say that if the Government * * * had represented to the court that they didn’t have certain witnesses and they *834wanted more time * * * that a continuance would have been granted.”
Further, appellant’s counsel said:
“Now, we have testimony that there were about 15 witnesses to this fight. But the Police Department, the Homicide Squad, the detectives interviewed four people. Now, they may have interviewed others, but they said all they can find out of all these people who apparently saw this fight was four of them, and that one of the four gave them a fictitious address, which left three. Then, when the case is about to come up for trial, they say they cannot locate two of the witnesses, and they proceed with only one witness.”
In responding to this the Government used the words the majority also deem objectionable.
“Now, naturally we can’t hold this man in jail forever until we locate the witnesses. The case happened in 1949. It has got to come to trial somewhere and some time. So surely I have shown, I believe, from the testimony of the officers in this case that the Government, as far as it is concerned, made diligent search for these witnesses, and naturally we have got to give this defendant a speedy trial or a reasonable trial. We cannot let him rot over there in the jail because the process of the law says he is entitled to a quick trial, or at least a reasonable time after his arrest. So what are we going to do ? We have made a diligent search for these people, and naturally we do the best we can. We use the only tools that are left to us, and is that the Government’s fault?
“Is the delay in this case the Government’s fault? No. The delay is because the defendant has fled the jurisdiction. That is the reason why, and that is the reason why, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, those witnesses are not here, because of the lapse of time between 1949 and 1954.”
The Government, in my opinion, used entirely proper argument in controverting that of appellant; and I see no reason to characterize Government counsel’s argument as improper. I personally think it was entirely proper. I think the remarks of Judge Hand concerning the United States attorney in Di Carlo, supra, entirely appropriate in this case. Certainly it is true that the Government was not as able to produce witnesses five years after the commission of the crime (when witnesses are scattered and memories become vague or subject to influence) as it would have been had Belton not absconded. But even assuming that the remark should not have been made, this would not be ground for reversal, as the remark was not objected to by trial counsel. I call attention once again to the fact that, except in an extraordinary situation, we should not reverse because of a supposed error unless the trial court is, by objection, given an opportunity to correct the error. A defendant may not sit back, taking his chance on acquittal, with his eye on the appellate court. When error is claimed where no objection has been made, we should not let it form the basis for reversal of a case unless it was of sufficient importance to demonstrate that the rights of the defendant were adversely affected. Such is not the case here, in my opinion.
I have read every word of the record in this case and I can reach no conclusion other than that the appellant had a fair trial, that he was represented by competent counsel of his own choosing, and that his rights were in every way protected by the able and experienced trial judge and that, as stated by that judge, “there is no reason for doubting the finding of that jury.” The trial judge was even more considerate of the rights of appellant than he need have been. See cases above cited.
Proceeding Under 28 U.S.C. § 2255
The disposition of this case by the majority of the court made it unneces*835sary for them to write on the validity of the claims forming the basis of the appeal allowed November 16, 1956, under 28 U.S.C. § 2255. Judge Miller has, however, written ably on this subject and has performed a real service by reviewing the authorities on the questions urged by appellant. I concur wholeheartedly in what he has written and in his conclusion that there is no merit in appellant’s contentions urged under § 2255.
I think the judgment of conviction should be affirmed.
I am privileged to state that Circuit Judge Wilbur K. Miller concurs in this dissent.

. The appeal here, until the scope of appeal was sought to be enlarged, was from the denial of the motion filed August 8, 1956, under 28 U.S.C. § 2255. This court, on June 3, 1957, directed that action on appellant’s motion to enlarge be deferred until tbe bearing of tbe appeal, and tbe parties to tbe appeal were directed to include in their briefs the jurisdictional and substantive issues presented by the motion.

. The United States attorney advised the District Court that when he interviewed the witness in the cell block “[li]e started to talk to me about giving him a letter to the jail, about saying he is being here as a government witness, so he would get good time and working conditions, or something else like that.” Evidently, the United States attorney would have none of this.

. As a matter of fact, I believe the learned trial judge would have been justified in calling Brown as a court witness; but the court refused to do this, although requested so to do, because the Government had called Brown first. This indicates the care exhibited by the trial judge in protecting the rights of appellant.