Barone v. Warden, Manhattan House of Detention for Men
Barone v. Warden, Manhattan House of Detention for Men
Opinion of the Court
The petitioner in this application for a writ of habeas corpus is a prisoner in the Manhattan House of Detention for Men. According to petitioner’s handwritten papers,
From the papers before me, it appears that petitioner originally brought a motion for the relief sought here in the Court of General Sessions, New York County, and that the motion was denied on June 25, 1962. The basis for the denial of the motion does not appear in the record. Thereafter, petitioner unsuccessfully attempted to appeal from the denial of his motion to the Appellate Division, First Department of the Supreme Court of the State of New York. By letter dated July 3, 1962, petitioner was informed by a law assistant of that court that the New York Code of Criminal Procedure “ * * * does not authorize an appeal from the orders' of the General Sessions Court denying your application to be furnished with law books. Under the circumstances, there is no further action to be taken by this Court in the matter.”
It is true, as the memorandum in opposition contends, that before a federal court can grant a writ of habeas corpus for a prisoner under state detention, the prisoner must, under 28 U.S.C. § 2254, first exhaust his available state remedies. The memorandum states, as
It should be pointed out, however, that petitioner may also have a cause of action under the Civil Rights Act, 28 U.S.C. § 1343; 42 U.S.C.A. § 1983. Cf. Pierce v. La Vallee, 293 F.2d 233 (2 Cir. 1961); United States ex rel. Thompson v. Fay, 197 F.Supp. 855 (S.D.N.Y. 1961). Therefore, denial of this petition for a writ of habeas corpus is without prejudice to petitioner’s right to file a complaint in this Court under the Civil Rights Act, although this is not meant to indicate in any way that such action would ultimately be successful. Cf. Hatfield v. Bailleaux, 290 F.2d 632 (9 Cir.), cert. denied, 368 U.S. 862, 82 S.Ct. 105, 7 L.Ed.2d 59 (1961), reversing Bailleaux v. Holmes, 177 F.Supp. 361 (D.Ore. 1959); Siegel v. Ragen, 180 F.2d 785 (7 Cir.), cert. denied, 339 U.S. 990, 70 S.Ct. 1015, 94 L.Ed. 1391 (1950); Grove v. Smyth, 169 F.Supp. 852 (E.D.Va. 1958). Compare State ex rel. Sherwood v. Gladden, 240 F.2d 910 (9 Cir., 1957). See generally Note, Constitutional Rights of Prisoners: The Developing Law, 110 U.Pa.L.Rev. 985 (1962).
Accordingly, petitioner’s application is denied. So ordered.
. Petitioner is not represented by counsel. By order of this Court, dated July 27, 1962, petitioner was allowed to file his application for a writ without prepayment of fees or costs or security therefor, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915(a).
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Richard BARONE v. WARDEN, MANHATTAN HOUSE OF DETENTION FOR MEN
- Status
- Published