Citations
- 159 F. Supp. 208
Full opinion text
CASHIN, District Judge.
On June 2, 1956 defendant was arrested pursuant to a “John Doe” warrant issued by the United States Commissioner for the Southern District of New York. The warrant described the subject of the warrant and directed that he be brought before the United States Commissioner to answer to a complaint charging him with attempting to pass and utter and alter a United States Treasury check payable to one Norman Turner in the amount of $42.81, which had been altered to the amount of $542.81. At the time of. his arrest by agents of the United States Secret Service a search of the premises was made.
Defendant was brought before the Honorable Edward Weinfeld, District Judge for the Southern District of New York, to answer the complaint that had been issued by the United States Commissioner. At this appearance defendant admitted he was the subject of the warrant. Defendant was also shown a copy of the statement which he had given the agent of the United States Secret Service and admitted that everything in the statement was true.
On June 6, 1956 a sixteen count indictment was filed against defendant.
On June 8, 1956 defendant, having counsel, pleaded guilty to the first twelve counts of the indictment and not guilty to Counts 13 through 16.
On June 19, 1956 defendant moved to withdraw his plea of guilty and to enter a plea of not guilty. The Honorable John F. X. McGohey, District Judge for the Southern District of New York, on June 25, 1956, granted defendant’s motion. In his written Opinion Judge McGohey, stated that although the record showed that defendant was fully aware of what he was doing when he pled guilty that “nevertheless, to remove all bases for any claim of unfairness, the motion to withdraw the pleas of guilty to Counts 1 through 12 is granted”.
On June 19, 1956 Reuben Terris was substituted as counsel for defendant. On July 5, 1956 defendant, through his counsel, moved for an order pursuant to Rule 41(e) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, 18 U.S.C.A., suppressing the evidence obtained against the petitioner as a result of the search of his home at the time of his arrest and for an order suppressing the confession signed by defendant after his arrest. He also moved, through his attorney, for an order to inspect the minutes of the Grand Jury and for an order dismissing the indictment.
The Honorable Thomas F. Murphy, District Judge for the Southern District of New York, in a Memorandum Opinion, 160 F.Supp. 47, denied defendant’s motion to suppress the evidence seized at the time of his arrest and for the confession signed by defendant leaving for the trial Court’s determination the issue of whether defendant’s confession was voluntarily made.
On July 19, 1956 the defendant submitted a new motion for an order, pursuant to Rule 4(b) of the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure, dismissing the indictment against him because of the alleged illegal arrest pursuant to the “John Doe” warrant.
On July 30, 1956 this Court permitted defendant’s counsel, Reuben Terris, to withdraw from the case. Robert Mitchell was assigned by the Court to act as counsel for the defendant. Defendant thereupon withdrew his motion of July 19, 1956 and pleaded guilty to Counts 1, 7, 9, 10, 11 and 12 of the indictment which charged him in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1708 and 495 of unlawfully stealing letters from hallway letter boxes; unlawfully possessing the contents of letters, knowing them to have been stolen; forging endorsement on United States Treasurer’s check and with intent to defraud the United States, utter said check, knowing the endorsement to have been forged. The remaining Counts were dismissed with the consent of the United States Attorney.
On July 30, 1956 this Court imposed a sentence on the defendant of five years