DocketNumber: No. 74-2054
Citation Numbers: 519 F.2d 669, 1975 U.S. App. LEXIS 13825
Judges: Russell
Filed Date: 7/7/1975
Status: Precedential
Modified Date: 11/4/2024
The issue in this appeal is whether the Parole Board is required to hold and dispose of a revocation proceeding within two months after the issuance of a parole violators warrant or may delay, under appropriate circumstances, the hearing on, and disposition of, such warrant until it has been executed.
The petitioner, who has filed this ha-beas proceeding, had been convicted of the federal crime of counterfeiting and had secured mandatory good-time release under § 4163, 18 U.S.C., “as if paroled,” with approximately a year and a half remaining on his federal sentence. About five months after his release, he was arrested, convicted, sentenced and imprisoned on a state charge admittedly violative of his parole. The United States Board of Parole issued on April 10, 1973 — only a few days after his conviction on the intervening charge — a parole violators warrant on the basis of his state conviction and a detainer was filed within a few days thereafter with the state authorities having custody of the petitioner. The petitioner was promptly advised that the detainer had been filed and that he might “submit to the Board any information [he] would like considered by the Board in disposing of the
On May 28, 1974 the petitioner was released by the state authorities
It is generally agreed and has long been recognized that the Board of Parole, after the issuance of its parole violators warrant, is obligated, as a matter of fundamental fairness, to execute with reasonable dispatch its parole violators warrant and, after the warrant has been executed, to accord to the parolee his due process rights to a hearing within a reasonable time.
While, as we have already indicated, the warrant must be executed with reasonable dispatch and an extremely “long delay between the issuance of an arrest warrant and its execution may be unreasonable and a deprivation of due process * *
“ * * * In fairness to the defendant he should first be afforded the opportunity to have his case tried before a jury in the state court. The Federal Parole Board also ought not. be required to determine the issues of the state charge prior to the trial in the state court. * * * ”
The same reasoning was stated by the Court in Shelton v. United States, supra, (388 F.2d at 573):
“ * * * Since there is no need to hold a revocation hearing at all in such cases — the violation being established by the criminal conviction — there can be no prejudice to the parolee in regard to determining the fact of violation by awaiting the outcome of criminal proceedings, and there may be an advantage, as appellees suggest, in leaving ‘the determination of guilt or innocence * * * to the courts [rather] than to an informal Board hearing.’ ”
A delay of 18 months between issuance and execution of the warrant in Burdette, almost 3 years in Moore v. Smith (7th Cir. 1969) 412 F.2d 720 and 2 years in Boswell v. United States (1967) 128 U.S.App.D.C. 311, 388 F.2d 567, 572, were found reasonable on this basis.
Equally settled is the rule that “where a warrant has been properly issued within the maximum term of the sentence, the execution of that warrant may be held in abeyance for the service of an intervening sentence” and again such delay is reasonable. Stockton v. Massey (4th Cir. 1929) 34 F.2d 96, 97, cert. denied, 281 U.S. 723, 50 S.Ct. 239, 74 L.Ed. 1141 (1930); United States ex rel. Blassingame v. Gengler (2d Cir. 1974) 502 F.2d 1388; Small v. Britton, supra (500 F.2d at 301); Trimmings v. Henderson (5th Cir. 1974) 498 F.2d 86, 87; Cook v. United States Attorney General, supra (488 F.2d at 671); Vladovic v. Parker (9th Cir. 1972) 455 F.2d 495, 496; Barr v. Parker (9th Cir. 1971) 453 F.2d 865, 867; Cox v. Feldkamp (5th Cir.
Unlike the District Court, we find in Morrissey no suggestion or indication ' that any of these well-developed rules governing the handling of federal parole 'hearings — rules that had largely been developed under judicial auspices
We realize that Sutherland v. District of Columbia Board of Parole (D.C.D.C. 1973) 366 F.Supp. 270, 272, and Fitzgerald v. Sigler (D.C.D.C.1974) 372 F.Supp. 889, 898, support to some extent the conclusion reached by the District Court in this case. It is interesting, though, that, while Sutherland concludes that the Court in Morrissey had in effect overruled Shelton, even though the Supreme Court at no point so indicates,
We accordingly conclude that the Board was perfectly justified in holding in abeyance and delaying execution of its warrant in this case until the petitioner had been released by State authorities after service of his sentence for the intervening charge, which was the basis for the warrant.
The petitioner in this case was manifestly not prejudiced by the delay in the factual establishment of his violation of parole. He certainly was not prejudiced in his right to a prima facie hearing. The District Court conceded that his conviction in state court was conclusive on that right. The District Court, however, found prejudice in delay of a final hearing on three grounds, no one of which we find sound. First, it found that “[D]elay fades and perishes evidence of mitigation” and “[Witnesses may die or forget.” All of this is true but these are reasons that have particular relevancy where the fact of violation is in dispute. As Morrissey
There is another and a conclusive answer to all the hypothetical bases for a finding of prejudice on any of the grounds stated. Almost simultaneous with the issuance of the warrant, the petitioner was advised, as required by § 2.53(a), 28 C.F.R., that he could offer any evidence that would support a withdrawal or other disposition of the warrant. That extended to him the opportunity for a hearing. He made no attempt to avail himself of this administrative remedy, thus open to him almost from the day the warrant was issued.
To summarize, we conclude that the delay by the Board in according the petitioner a hearing on his parole violators warrant until he had served his intervening sentence, which was the basis of the warrant, was not unreasonable; and, even if unreasonable, the petitioner suffered no prejudice thereby and was entitled to no relief on account thereof. The order of the District Court is accordingly reversed, with directions to dismiss the petition.
Reversed.
. Section 4206, 18 U.S.C.A. provides that an officer “shall execute such warrant by taking such prisoner and returning him to the custody of the Attorney General.” In keeping with this statute, it has been held that, “[A] parole violators warrant is executed when its command is carried out — that is when the parolee is retaken and returned to federal custody pursuant to it.” Cook v. United States Attorney General (5th Cir. 1974) 488 F.2d 667, 671, cert. denied 419 U.S. 846, 95 S.Ct. 81, 42 L.Ed.2d 75.
. This procedure was provided for under the Board’s regulations as set forth in § 2.37(c), 28 C.F.R. In 1974 that regulation was revised and is now § 2.53(a), 28 C.F.R.
. Subsequent to his original arrest and conviction, the petitioner had been convicted on two additional charges. Apparently the sentences on these new charges ran concurrently with his original sentence.
. Italics added.
. United States v. Strada (8th Cir. 1974) 503 F.2d 1081, 1084; Small v. Britton (10th Cir. 1974) 500 F.2d 299, 301; McCowan v. Nelson (9th Cir. 1970) 436 F.2d 758, 760; Shelton v. United States Board of Parole (1967) 128 U.S. App.D.C. 311, 388 F.2d 567 at 573. See also, Bearden v. State of South Carolina, et al. (4th Cir. 1971) 443 F.2d 1090, 1095.
§ 4207, 18 U.S.C. expressly provides that the parolee shall be given a hearing after he is “retaken upon a warrant.” On principles of fundamental fairness, this hearing was required to be two-tiered under the basic decision of Mr. Chief Justice [then Circuit Judge] Burger in Hyser v. Reed (1963) 115 U.S.App. D.C. 254, 318 F.2d 225, 245, cert. denied 375 U.S. 957, 84 S.Ct. 446, 11 L.Ed.2d 315, as subsequently incorporated in the Board’s regulations. § 2.40, 28 C.F.R. The first hearing is designated as a “prima facie” hearing, which should be held near in time and location to the place where the alleged violation occurred and which is to determine whether there is probable cause to believe the parolee has violated his parole. The reason for this requirement as to time and place was the inconvenience to the parolee and the difficulty on his part in offering proof in refutation of a claim of violation if he were remote from the place where the alleged violation occurred. The reason would, however, not apply if the violation were admitted or rested on a conviction of an intervening criminal charge, Jones v. Rivers (4th Cir. 1964) 338 F.2d 862, 878; Cotner v. United States
. Cf., Barker v. Wingo (1972) 407 U.S. 514, 523, 92 S.Ct. 2182, 2188, 33 L.Ed.2d 101: “We find no constitutional basis for holding thát the speedy trial right can be .quantified into a specific number of days or months.”
. Barker v. Wingo, supra (407 U.S. at 523, 92 S.Ct. at 2188).
. United States v. Strada, supra (503 F.2d at 1084).
Shelton instanced two cases of such extreme delay as to create an irrebuttable presumption of prejudice (388 F.2d at 574, n. 10). In one of these the delay between issuance and execution was eleven years. United States v. Gernie (D.C.N.Y. 1964) 228 F.Supp. 329, 338. In the other, the delay was 14 years. United States v. Ragen (D.C.Ill.1945) 59 F.Supp. 374.
In Simon v. Moseley (10th Cir. 1971) 452 F.2d 306, 309, a similar result was reached. There, a delay of four years from issuance to completion of an intervening sentence was found reasonable but a further delay of four years after the intervening sentence had been concluded in the execution of the warrant was found to be unreasonable and prejudicial.
. Some of the authorities make a distinction between cases where a prosecution is the basis for the warrant and where it is not. Thus, in Shelton v. United States Board of Parole, supra (388 F.2d at 573-4), the Court said:
“ * * * Where there is confinement for a charge that is not alleged as a ground for revocation of parole it is not per se reasonable to defer determination of whether there has been a violation of parole pending the completion of the unrelated criminal proceedings. If the Board intended to pursue the charge that the parole board’s order had been violated by failure to report, there is at least an issue whether it was reasonable to delay this determination for two and a half years merely because the parolee was in confinement on an unrelated Dyer Act charge.”
. In some cases, the basis for the issuance of the warrant is the criminal prosecution and what is described as a non-legal circumstance. The Board will often delay the execution of the warrant on account of the pendency of the prosecution in line with its customary practice. This is accepted as a basis for holding the hearing in abeyance. See Skeeter v. McCune (D.C.Va.1974) 382 F.Supp. 250; and Agresti v. Parker, supra (285 F.Supp. at 893). In so doing the Board is taking some risk, since, as we have seen, it can be faced with a different problem where the fact of violation rests on a criminal prosecution and when it rests on a “non-legal” circumstance. In both of the cited cases, the Board’s expectation was apparently not satisfied: the criminal prosecution in both was resolved in favor of the parolee. The Court in both cases proceeded to find that, when the propriety of the delay in executing the warrant no longer could be founded on the pendency of a criminal prosecution or a criminal conviction but had to rest on the non-legal ground, the issue of prejudice in defense of the non-legal claim would take into consideration the entire period of delay.
. In fact, this has been the long-time practice of the Board and has received the approval consistently of the courts. Thus, in Woykovsky v. Chappell (1964) 119 U.S.App.D.C. 8, 336 F.2d 927, 928, n. 1, cert. denied 380 U.S. 916, 85 S.Ct. 903, 13 L.Ed.2d 801, the Court said:
“Generally the commission of a criminal offense while on parole or on a conditional release is a ground for the revocation of the release. If the parole board decides to institute revocation proceedings, it issues a parole violator warrant. However, customarily, these are not served upon the releasee immediately, but are instead held as a de-tainer against the prisoner while he is serving the sentence on the new conviction.”
. See, Jefferson v. Willingham (10th Cir. 1966) 366 F.2d 353, 354, cert. denied 385 U.S. 1018, 87 S.Ct. 744, 17 L.Ed.2d 554; Noorlander v. United States Attorney General (8th Cir. 1972) 465 F.2d 1106 (over 14 months); Cook v. United States Attorney General, supra (approximately 5 years’ delay).
. When the parole violation rests on an intervening conviction, the importance of an early hearing after execution of the warrant loses some of its significance. See Jones v. Rivers, supra (338 F.2d at 862) (including concurring opinions of Judges Sobeloff and Haynsworth). This was emphasized in Morrissey v. Brewer, supra (408 U.S. at 490, 92 S.Ct. at 2605) where the Court said:
“ * * * Obviously a parolee cannot re-litigate issues determined against him in other forums, as in the situation presented when the revocation is based on conviction of another crime. * * *
******
“ * * .* If it is determined that petitioners admitted parole violations to the Parole Board, as respondents contend, and if those violations are found to be reasonable grounds for revoking parole under state standards, that would end the matter.”
This follows substantially the language in Hyser v. Reed, supra (318 F.2d at 246) that:
« * * * Those who have not denied the charged violation of parole or any whose parole was revoked because of a criminal conviction would not now be benefited by a hearing which is designed specifically to make a record only in cases where the fact of violation is controverted.”
. See Shelton v. United States Board of Parole, supra (388 F.2d at 578-9) and Hyser v. Reed, supra (318 F.2d at 245).
. United States v. Strada, supra, 503 F.2d at 1084 (first emphasis added; second emphasis in opinion) and 408 U.S. at 484, 92 S.Ct. 2593.
. 408 U.S. at 484, 92 S.Ct. at 2602.
. 408 U.S. at 490, 92 S.Ct. at 2605.
. 408 U.S. at 488, 92 S.Ct. at 2604.
. 408 U.S. at 497, 92 S.Ct. at 2608 (Italics added). This, also, is a point that spills over into the issue whether a parolee, arrested for a non-legal cause under a parole violators warrant, is entitled to bail. See Note, Post-Conviction Criminal Rights: Parole and Probation Revocation and Bail, 8 Creighton L.Rev. 682, 686-8 (1975). The right is generally denied. See Marchand v. Director, U. S. Probation Office (1st Cir.) 421 F.2d 331.
. As the Court said in Shelton (at 574, n. 11) “[W]holly different problems are raised where the violator is in custody solely pursuant to a warrant and awaiting a hearing on the fact of violation ” and where the parolee is in prison on an intervening charge. In the former instance, where as a result of the execution of the warrant the parolee has lost his liberty, his right to a prompt hearing is far more impelling obviously than when he is already in prison.
. Strictly followed, the construction of Mor-rissey adopted by the District Court, with its inflexible “two months” rule would in the vast majority of cases prevent the Board from delaying the execution of its warrant until the pending prosecution, on which the warrant was issued had been concluded and would
It would seem, also, unlikely that the Court was establishing two different and inconsistent rules in its decisions in Morrissey and Wingo. In both cases, the individual is deprived of his liberty on a charge that has not been proved. The right to a prompt hearing is equally cogent in both cases. A rule that requires a hearing in the one case and a trial in the other within a reasonable but not “quantified” time, taking into consideration all the circumstances, it is submitted is the proper one and is supported by authority.
. 408 U.S. at 490, 92 S.Ct. at 2604.
. In Skeeter v. McCune, supra, Judge Mer-hige did not conclude that Morrissey overruled Shelton. To the contrary, he found Hyser and Shelton entirely consistent with Morrissey and in fact rested his decision on Shelton.
. See Trimmings v. Henderson, supra; Cook v. United States Attorney General, supra; Britton v. Small, supra.
. Shelton v. United States Board of Parole, supra (388 F.2d at 274). To the same effect United States v. Kenton (2d Cir. 1961) 287 F.2d 534, 536, cert. denied 368 U.S. 846, 82 S.Ct. 75, 7 L.Ed.2d 44; Savage v. Parole Board, supra (422 F.2d at 1250); Agresti v. Parker, supra (285 F.Supp. at 896); Skeeter v. McCune, supra (382 F.Supp. at 252).
. Zerbst v. Kidwell (1938) 304 U.S. 359, 362, 58 S.Ct. 872, 82 L.Ed. 1399; Simon v. Moseley (10th Cir. 1971) 452 F.2d 306, 309; Tanner v. Moseley (8th Cir. 1971) 441 F.2d 122, 124; Adams v. United States (5th Cir. 1970) 432 F.2d 62, 63; Woykovsky v. Chappell, supra (336 F.2d at 928; Sadler v. United States (10th Cir. 1963) 313 F.2d 106, 107. See Nash v. Moseley (10th Cir. 1970) 433 F.2d 923, 924; Moore v. Smith (7th Cir. 1969) 412 F.2d 720, 724; Jefferson v. Willingham, supra (366 F.2d at 354).
. Delay in the hearing and disposition of parole revocation proceedings is another aspect of the general problem of denial of a speedy trial considered in Smith v. Hooey (1969) 393 U.S. 374, 89 S.Ct. 575, 21 L.Ed.2d 607, and Barker v. Wingo (1972) 407 U.S. 514, 92 S.Ct. 2182, 33 L.Ed.2d 101. Both recognize that anxiety to a defendant awaiting trial is a factor which might constitute prejudice. Prejudice of this type was not found by the District Court in the instant case. Manifestly, such prejudice could not have been significant in the instant case when petitioner failed to pursue the remedy which would have obviated it.
. Moore v. Smith, supra (412 F.2d at 724); Cook v. United States Attorney General, supra (488 F.2d at 673).